Has anyone grown kiwi fruit?

[EauRouge]

We're getting a new pergola this year and DH wants to grow kiwi up it. I remain unconvinced, we don't have much space as there's already a grape vine that'll go up one side of the pergola and a honeysuckle up the back. I was planning on using the other side to grow beans maybe.

Has anyone tried growing kiwi? Was it easy?

I have a huge kiwi plant. It's not fruited and it's about 7 years old but it lives outside and we are in Cumbria so not surprising really. I think it's pretty though.

I THINK that you either need a two different ones, or a variety that self pollinates (?) I know someone that grows one up a pergola and it's lovely.

We've had ours for 3 or 4 years, no fruit yet but live in hope. Nice to look at though. Think you need a male and female for pollination (so we were told). Ours is (apparently) bisexual. Honest. Was a little dearer than single sex ones. (Sorry I realise this is April Fool's Day, but I am telling the truth, really)

We've a self pollinating one. Think it's a Jenny.

We planted one last autumn so yet to see how it does. It is a self polinating one, with small furless fruits.

Wow, thanks for all your replies! Looks like DH might be getting his wish then

I've got an Actinidia kolomikta, which is a non-fruiting kiwi variety with spectacularly beautiful foliage that looks like someone has chucked tins of pink and white paint at it. It's one of my favourite climbers.

We had two massive ones (apparently a male and female??!! ) One fruited the other didn't. Loads of lovely fruit but even by Oct/Nov they never ripened. Our cat used to go mad for the roots. Dug it up in the end as had a big garden over hall. We live it the south

We have a giant one which was here when we moved in - the previous owner said it was a self pollinator but we've never had fruit,
It did flower one year, but then there was a very late frost which killed all the blossom