[Parma]

Hi I'm new to this forum.

I've just started to get into growing veg and fruit, this evening I set up some hanging cd's to scare off birds on the allotment then sat in the sun and had a barbie!
I'm interested in growing exotic fruit to stop me from feeling so guilty about all the energy wasted in bringing my fav fruits from so far away. Thought I would start with kiwis! Does anyone grow kiwis and if so what type and are they easy to grow.   cheers

[Jerry]

Not grown kiwis here but understand that they are straightforward to grow, you need more than one and they like a sheltered spot with a bit of support to climb on.
I do grow Cape Gooseberry though (Physalis edulis or Physalis pruinosa) which are as easy as tomatoes, but need starting off early (say Feb) or they don't ripen before the frosts come. You can overwinter them to get a head start if you have a heated glasshouse. At about 80p for 100g in the supermarket they are well worth growing.

[lilymarlene]

I had one at our old house (middle of Kent). It was on a south west facing wall, in a sheltered courtyard. It produced some very small fruit once!
I think you need to grow it indoors to get a reliable crop.

I did only have the one bush...so perhaps I should have had two.....but even without a pollinator it did have fruit on once, so I don't think that was it. It just needs a longer season than we can guarantee here.

[Parma]

cheers for replying. I'm definately going to give it a go. Theres a lovely sheltered part of our garden so i reckon i'll try it there. Any suggestions of varieties to try?
My other fav fruit are blueberries - my husband bought be a bush as a pressie and its growing pretty well, i'm very chuffed!
Would like to know anyone elses successes at growing exotic fruits.

ps. one of my bosses at work has a smallholding and killed his first chicken the other day...hes by himself so he gave it to me to cook for sunday dinner. YUM  - free range + free chicken. delicious.....said i would give him a taste report monday morning.