It might be a bit challenging to predict when to harvest kiwis. To determine when to harvest kiwi fruit, commercial kiwi growers use a device called a refractometer, which gauges the fruit’s sugar content. Another way of determining when to harvest kiwis is required because the refractometer is too expensive for the majority of casual kiwi home producers.

While kiwi fruit reaches its full size in August, it is not yet mature enough to be harvested until late October or early November, when the sugar content has increased and the seeds have gone black. Although fruit may soften off the vine after the sugar content reaches 4%, the sweet flavor will not fully develop until the sugar content reaches 6% to 8%. Once the kiwi fruit has an incredible 12 to 15 percent sugar content, the starch is transformed into sugar and made ready for consumption.

Commercial kiwi harvesting takes place all at once, while a home gardener may start picking kiwis irregularly in late September. The kiwi fruit’s softness is not necessarily the best sign that it is ready. Kiwi ripens after being cut from the vine, unlike some other fruits.

Kiwi should be handled carefully during harvest because they bruise readily and fruit that has been ᴅᴀᴍᴀɢᴇd won’t keep as long. Snap the stem at the fruit’s base to harvest kiwi. Once more, softness is a poor indicator of readiness. When in doubt, check the size, date, and cut open a fruit to access the seeds; when the seeds are black, it’s time to harvest kiwi fruit. When picking kiwis, leave the smaller fruit on the vine until it reaches a certain size and discard the larger ones.

Let’s take a look at kiwi fruit picking and packing in the video below:

Source: Noal Farm

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