My kiwi vines have small buds for the first time (they're about 4 years
old now).

They haven't actually flowered yet, and I'm interested in what they'll
look like.

My question: assuming that these buds mean I'll be getting fruit this
year, how do you tell when a kiwi is ripe?

Mark

P.S. The elephant garlic is growing like a charm, the snow peas are
climbing the trellis, the greens are getting big (endive, spinach,
romaine lettuce), the carrots have germinated, and the herbs are also
coming in.

I have 8 kiwis grown from seeds but I don't know where to plant them.
So far my idea is to plant them on cement next to the garage and
surround them with dry leaves. Is it true that they can grow on walls?
Where have you planted them?

The first year, I had them growing along a picket fence, but it was in
a too-shady part of the yard. I dug them up the next year and planted
them along the chain link fence in the back of the yard. They have
actually grown so much that I'm going to make a pergola for them to
grow over for next year. Of course, I'll have to cut the biggest
portion of the vines out of the chain link fence, but if I don't do
that, they'll end up pulling down the fence in another year or two.

As far as growing up walls like ivy, I don't think so. Ivy has those
little hairy things along the stem, and kiwi vines are smooth skinned.

Mark

BTW: I have 2 females and a male, and these are the cold-hardy types.