Kristina Seleshanko's Blog, page 87

Try a New Food: Pattypan Squash

Stuffed pattypan squash.Several years back, a friend of my husband's gave us the overflow of pattypan squash from his garden. We laughed at the squash: It looked like some sort of strangely scalloped flying saucer. But when we ate it, we stopped laughing and starting saying "yum!"

Like most summer squash, pattypan (sometimes called "scallop squash") is extremely easy to grow and is just as prolific as, say, zucchini. I've never seen it in any grocery store, but I have friends who've found it at farmer's markets. They are easy to spot by their strange shape, and come in colors ranging from bright yellowish orange, to green, to a combination of both.

Once tried, pattypan is pretty universally admired - although I have read some blogs where the authors complain it's "too bland." It's true pattypan is, like other summer squash, mild tasting, but if it's bland, something is wrong.

The Secret to Great-Tasting Pattypan Squash
All summer squash diminish in flavor if allowed to grow too large; pattypan squash is no exception. But what surprises many is that pattypan is ideally eaten when quite small - no more than 5 inches across and ideally about 3 inches across. When eaten small, pattypan has a wonderful buttery flavor with hints of artichoke or zucchini. When large, pattypan is bland and may be full of seeds.


On the left is a pattypan I let get too large. On the right is an ideally small pattypan squash.How to Cook Pattypan Squash
All summer squash can essentially be cooked the same. So you could use pattypan in your favorite zucchini and yellow summer squash recipes. Try it sliced and pan fried, battered and baked, chopped into salads, or stuffed with sausage and rice and marinara sauce.

But if you want a very simple recipe that highlights pattypan's flavor, try this, from my A Vegetable For Every Season Cookbook:

With a fork, poke through the skin of the squash three or four times. Place the squash in the microwave and cook on high for 4 minutes. Turn the squash over and cook for another 2 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then slice in half. Dab with butter and season with salt and pepper. Eat, skin and all.

If you prefer, cook the pattypan in a 375 degree F. oven for about 30 minutes, or until completely tender.

Bon appetite!

The World's Easiest, Safest, and Best DIY Weed Killers

Manual weed pulling has many benefits - including being safe, producing stuff for the compost bin or chickens, and often doing a better job of getting weed roots out of the soil - but sometimes

You. Just. Can't. Do. It.

Weeding by hand can be really overwhelming! And while you can go for the unkempt look, weeds rob desirable plants of water and nutrients. So here are a few tricks for getting rid of weeds easily - and without nasty chemicals.

1. Boiling water. Fill a tea kettle with water and bring it to a boil. Remove the kettle from the stove and liberally pour the water on weeds. But be careful not to get the hot water on desirable plants, or they will die, too. (In fact, I recommend this method only for non-plant places, like driveways, sidewalks, and walkways.) This method works best if you do it on a hot, sunny day. And, of course, be careful not to burn yourself!

2. Vinegar. Spraying ordinary household vinegar on weeds also does the trick. Again, do it on a hot, sunny day and avoid spraying desirable plants. (Try using an old lampshade around the weed to block the vinegar spray from getting onto desirable plants.) Because household vinegar is a low in acidity, it may take a couple of applications. Or, seek out "horticultural vinegar," sometimes available at gardening centers. It has a higher acidity - but be sure to wear gloves when using it. (Heinz also sells what they call "cleaning vinegar," which has a slightly higher acidity than ordinary household vinegar and may do a better job at killing weeds.)

Want extra punch? Add a drop of liquid dish soap to the vinegar; it will help it "stick" to the plant, making it a bit more effective.

3. Newspapers or cardboard. Smothering weeds is very effective. A layer of cardboard (preferably corrugated) or at least 4 sheets of newspaper (not glossy paper) will do the trick. If you want things to look more attractive, put mulch (like straw or bark mulch) on top. Tall weeds will need whacking down first, of course.


And a couple more DIY weed killers, which I recommend with caution:

4. Rock salt. A sprinkling will kill both weeds and desirable plants, but it can make the soil totally barren for some time - and it will erode concrete.

5. Rubbing Alcohol. Pouring this on a plant will kill it, but it's more pricey than other choices listed above.

6. Corn gluten meal. Many, many sources claim that once an area is free of weeds, you can sprinkle cornmeal over the area and any seeds that remain won't sprout. A bonus: It works in lawns! But corn gluten meal doesn't always work - and when it doesn't, it actually promotes weed growth.

Dealing with Mommy Burn Out

I've read a lot of blog posts about "homeschooling burnout" or "ministry burnout," but I don't think I've ever read about plain ol' mommy burn out. If you've never experienced mommy burn out before, first stop and thank God. Then know you'll likely experience it at least a few times in your career as wife and mother.

Mommy burnout has it's roots in two areas:

1. Doing stuff not directly related to being a wife and mother, and
2. The daily grind of being a mother and wife.

While the two are often linked, let's look at number one first:

* Begin by cutting ALL unnecessary activities from your life. Unnecessary means it's something your children, husband, or you can live without. This can mean leaving behind (temporarily or permanently) some very good activities, including church ministries, canning, crafts or other hobbies...If any of these things interfere with your ministry as wife and mom, or if any of these things are leading you to burn out, they must go.

* Focus on the basics. Spend time with your children and husband. Enjoy them. Keep the house essentially clean, but don't make it spick and span. Read your Bible. Spend time in prayer.

* If you must do work for pay, try to keep it at a minimum. Reconsider your schedule, too. For example, if you work early in the morning before anyone else is awake, is this exhausting you? Could you try working during nap time (or quiet time) instead? Could you work in small chunks throughout the day, keeping the children occupied with special crafts or games as you work?

* Once you feel recovered, prayerfully consider which activities - if any - should be added back into your life. Always bear in mind that your number one priority as a Proverbs 31 Woman is your husband and children.


If your mommy burn out comes from your job as mom, I still recommend doing all of the above. In addition, however, you may need to:

* Take a mini vacation. Hopefully, there is someone who can watch your children for you, even if only for an afternoon or two. If grandparents or other relatives aren't available, perhaps you can find a reliable teen to watch your kids for a reasonable fee. If not, at least consider hiring a mommy's helper - a tween who is willing to work for very little money and will play with your children while you are in another room. What should you do on your mini vacation? I recommend focusing on God, the Bible, and sleep. But if there are other activities that truly refresh you, you can add them in.

* Pray about finding regular help. I'm not suggesting you hire a nanny, but could your husband help more? Or some other family member? Could your children help themselves more than they currently do? (The latter alone is a huge help to moms and also teaches children some important life skills and attitudes. For ideas, check out "Age Appropriate Chores for Kids.") After praying on this topic, be sure to ask for help. Be careful not to accuse your husband or others of not helping as they should. Simply explain your exhaustion and ask for help. Be as specific as possible about what you'd like done. When speaking to children, it may help to put them in your shoes a little: "How would you feel if everyone in the house made big messes, but only you did any cleaning up?"

* Change the routine. A regular routine is a very helpful thing for children and mommies, but sometimes, routine can feel like a boring, awful rut. When that happens, don't be afraid to mix things up a bit.

* Get more sleep. It does wonders. (Not sure how to do that? Click here.)

* Get out of the house. I'm a homebody and an introvert, but even I need to get out once in a while. So grab the kids - and your hubby, if he's available - and go do something fun. It doesn't have to cost a penny; walk to a park, see the sites around your town, go on a nature trail.

* Keep in mind the big picture. It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day details, but keep reminding yourself why you're doing this mommy thing - and instead of focusing on your kids "issues" or your own failures, try to see any progress that's been made.

* Pray without ceasing (1 Thes. 5:17). Play Christian music. Watch spiritually based movies. If you have time to read anything other than your Bible, read Christian books. The more you dwell on God, the better.

How do you deal with mommy burn out?

Preserving Basil 3 Ways: Freezing, Dehydrating, and Salting

Most herbs are very easy to preserve. Just pop them into a freezer bag and you're done. Not so with basil. If you try to freeze it without special prep, it will turn black and mushy. Ick. With that in mind, here three ways to successfully preserve basil.

Tip: You can save a lot of money by growing your own basil - but not unless you're willing to harvest it! The more your harvest basil, the more the plant will grow. When harvesting, be sure to cut the stems off just above a set of leaves.

1. Freeze. To prevent basil from turning into black mush, it must be frozen with olive oil. To do this, pop the leaves into a food processor. Chop. Add a drizzle of olive oil and pulse until the leaves are thoroughly coated but not drenched. Spoon the mixture to empty ice cube trays and place in the freezer. Once hard, transfer to freezer bags. One average-sized "basil cube" is equal to about 2 tablespoons of fresh basil. Or, instead of using ice cube trays, just transfer the prepared basil to freezer bags or containers.

Tip: If you don't have a food processor, simply chop the leaves fine and drizzle with oil, mixing well.

2. Dehydrate. Remove the leaves from the stems and place them in a dehydrator set at 95 degrees F. When completely dry, allow the leaves to cool, then place them in an air tight container.

If you don't have a dehydrator, you can dry basil in the warming drawer of your oven, or in the oven itself. In either case, place the leaves on a wire rack placed inside a rimmed baking sheet. Set the warming drawer or oven as close to 95 degrees F. as possible. Place the leaves in the oven/warming drawer until completely dry. Cool, then store in an air tight container.

3. Salt. This is old school, and I've never tried it until recently. Pour about a 1/4 inch of salt onto the bottom of a glass jar with a well fitting lid. Place a layer of fresh basil leaves on top. Repeat layers until the jar is full or you're out of room. Be sure the last layer is salt. Store in the refrigerator; the leaves are said to stay fresh for about 6 months. (I will update you on my personal experience in the coming months.) To use, just brush off the salt. (You can reuse the salt, too; it won't taste like basil.)

Tip: Use a wide-mouthed jar, so it's easier to lay the leaves in a single layer. You'll need at least 1 lb. of salt for a quart jar.

The Easiest Way to Clean a Microwave

Yes, it is easiest to clean the microwave as it becomes dirty. You know, the sauce you're warming pops and splashes in the microwave, and as soon as it's warm, you wipe down the interior to clean it. Yeah. That may happen in Martha Stewart's house - but definitely not mine. Nope, my microwave often has remnants of several foods. And I never seem to have time to clean it until all that food is caked on good and hard.

In the past, I cleaned my dirty microwave with good old fashioned elbow grease. Then I learned the power of steam. A little steam goes a long way toward making even the dirtiest microwave interior quite easy to clean. There are two ways to use the power of steam in this way:

1. After cooking. If you've microwaving something moist - say a potato -  for 5 minutes or more - the microwave should be moist on the inside afterward. Take advantage of that time to clean it with a damp, soapy sponge or cloth.

2. By adding moisture. Place a bowl of water (or a Pyrex measuring cup filled with water) in the microwave and nuke it for 5 to 10 minutes. Then clean with a damp, soapy sponge. Some folks like to add up to a cup of white vinegar to the water before microwaving it. This doesn't make the microwave any cleaner, but it may increase the power of the sponge or cloth - and some people like the scent. Another option is to cut a lemon in half and add those wedges to the water. Some people also like to add a small amount of extract (like vanilla or almond); this doesn't help with cleaning, but it does leave behind a pleasant scent.

And viola! Suddenly your dirty microwave is sparkling - and you didn't have to scrub!

July on the Homestead

July has been a fast-moving month, and a time of transition in my garden. As we've been busy with fun summertime activities, the garden has been producing well. In fact, many of the plants are finished for the year, including the blueberry bushes, the first batch of peas, and the lettuce. In the meantime, some plants have really started taking off, like the zucchini and patty pan squash, as well as the butternut and buttercup winter squashes.

There have been a few disappointments, too. The Brussels sprouts are still only a few inches high. The beets don't appear to be growing, more either. I blame poor soil and have decided not to plant much in the way of fall or winter crops this year so I can test and amend the soil this fall.

The strawberry plants are lush with foliage, but haven't produced many berries. (At first, I blamed this on the fact that I didn't mow them down at the end of the growing season, as usual. But other gardeners in my area are complaining of poor strawberry crops, too, so I think the culprit is really our weird cold, then hot, then cold again spring weather.)

But looking at how much we've grown and how well we've eaten this summer, I can hardly complain!
The new garden bed, where the squash is growing. Every day it fills in with more squash!The chickens, by the way, are laying daily now. And while it seems to be taking them longer to get into good laying habits than it did our Plymouth Rock flock, the Plymouth Rocks never sounded like a dog's squeak toy when they sneezed! Plus, our new Austrolorps continue to make what I call a "half duck half chicken" sound for their daily conversation. They make me smile.
Basil, with cilantro in the background
Buttercup squash. It's having a tendency to rot on the vine, but placing hay under it has helped.


There are lots of baby butternut squash! We have about as much pattypan squash as we have zucchini!



2013 Produce Totals  (All but the squash and tomatoes are from a 12 x 14 ft. garden plot; the squash and tomatoes are in an area measuring 33 x 3 ft.)


Eggs 430Chicken meat 20 ½ lbs.
Basil 1/4 lbs.Beets 1Blackberries 1 1/2 lbs.Blueberries 7 lbs.Calendula 8 lbs.Chives 6 lbs.Cilantro 1/2 lb.Collards 6 3/4 lbs.Dandelion flowers ½ lb.Dandelion greens 35 lbs.Dandelion Root 2 lbs.Garlic: ½ lb. scapes + 1 lb. headsGreen onions 1 lb.Kale 7 ½ lbs.Kiwi 1 lb.Leeks 5 lbs.Lettuce 11 lbs.Mint 1/8 lb.Oregano 1 1/4 lbs.Pattypan squash 4 lbs.Parsnips 1 lb.Passion vine 1 lb.Peas 5 1/2 lbs.Radishes 8 lbs.Rosemary ¼ lb.Sage 1 1/2 lbs.Spinach 1 1/4 lbs.Squash blossoms 2 1/2 lbs.Sunchokes 40 lbs.Strawberry 3 1/4 lbs.Tomato 6 3/4 lbs.Wild onion 2 lbs.Zucchini 13 1/2 lbs.

Canning Mulled Fruits - with a Recipe for Mulled Wild Plums

Did you know that you may can mulled fruits just by adding a few spices to your usual canning recipe? It's true! And trust me, mulled fruits are a fantastic holiday season food!

Traditionally, winter drinks like red wine or cider, were "mulled" - that is, they were heated and had spices like allspice, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and star anise added to them. Mulled fruit is cooked in such spices and may be served hot or cold.
How to Can Mulled Fruit

Begin by finding an appropriate recipe for canning the fruit in syrup. You can find such a recipe at The National Center for Home Food Preservation or in The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving . You will have a choice of whether to make your syrup "very light," "light," "medium," "heavy," or "very heavy." "Very light" syrup has very little sugar; "very heavy" syrup has a lot of sugar. See this chart for complete information on the water to sugar ratio for each.

Nearly any fruit can be mulled, but great choices for mulling include plums, pears, peaches, apples, cranberries, and cherries. In this case, I was canning wild plums, which are tart. Therefore, I chose the medium syrup. If I were using sweeter, domestic plums, I'd probably use a light syrup.

Place the appropriate amount of sugar and water into a large saucepan. Now add the mulling spices. To one batch of syrup, I added:

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Feel free to experiment with the spices; adding spices does not alter the safety of the canning recipe. I don't recommend, however, using whole spices (like whole cloves, whole allspice, or sticks of cinnamon) because they won't be evenly distributed among the jars and may not get heated through, causing a safety issue.

Now place the saucepan over medium high heat, stirring often, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is hot.

Finally, follow the canning recipe as usual.

Mulled Wild Plums Recipe

You may wish to review the boiling water bath canner instructions here. This recipe may also be used for whole domestic plums, although you may wish to use a less sugary syrup.

Wild plums
3 1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 cups water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1. Prepare jars and lids.

2. Wash and sort through the plums. Only ripe but firm plums should be used. Any that are softer should be eaten fresh or used for making jam or jelly. Any that are mushy should go in the compost bin. As you sort and wash, place firm plums in their own bowl, but prick them once with a fork first.

3. Pour the sugar, water, and spices into a large saucepan. Place over medium high heat, stirring often, until sugar completely dissolves and the mixture is hot.

4. Add some plums to the mulled syrup. They should not be overcrowded, but because wild plums are very small (about 1 inch across), it's fine if they are not in a single layer. (Domestic plums should be in a single layer.)

5. Heat the plums for 1 to 2 minutes. (Domestic plums will take longer.) You'll know they are ready when the skins split. Don't let them overheat, or they will become mushy.

6. Ladle plums into a hot, prepared canning jar. Ladle the mulled syrup over them. Leave a headspace of 1/2 inch. Some of the plums will loose their skins. It's fine to just ladle those looser skins in the jar. Or you can pick the skins out as you scoop them up in the ladle. Wipe down the jar rims, place a lid and a ring on the jar, and place the jar in the canner.

7. Repeat step 6 until all the plums are jarred.

8. Process pint jars in a water bath canner for 20 minutes; process quart jars for 25 minutes.*

* NOTE: If you live at a high altitude, read this important information about adjusting canning times.

The Easy Peasy Way to Freeze Tomatoes, Remove Tomato Skins, and Turn Green Tomatoes Red

Recently, I was shocked to hear a friend described how she froze extra tomatoes from her garden. It was complicated! "Really," I told her, "it doesn't have to be so hard! In fact, it should be almost magically easy!"

The Easy Peasy Way of Freezing Tomatoes

In just 2 steps:

1. Place clean, dry tomatoes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the freezer.

2. Once the tomatoes are hard, transfer to a freezer bag.

It works. Honest.

Tomatoes frozen in this manner may later be canned, if you like, or you can use them like fresh tomatoes for cooking.

The Easy Peasy Way of Remove Frozen Tomato Skins

You'll notice I didn't suggest removing the tomato skins before freezing them. That's because it's a little bit of work to do it that way. Instead, if you want skinned tomatoes, remove them from the freezer and put them under warm tap water. The skins practically slide off without help. (And while you're at it, consider keeping those skins to make easy peasy tomato paste. I dry the skins, crumble them, and store them in a Mason jar in the pantry. When I need tomato paste, I just add water. Please go here for full instructions.) 
How to Ripen Green Tomatoes

As the tomato growing season ends, you'll want to know this trick, too. When frost threatens to kill your tomato vines, pick all the green tomatoes off your plants and bring them inside. Place them in a single layer in your pantry. With time, they will turn red. They won't be quite as delish as garden-fresh tomatoes, but they'll be better than store bought. As they ripen in the fall and possibly the winter months, I often freeze them. Once all my green tomatoes are red, I usually can them. Or you can just use the reddened tomatoes fresh, as they become available.

Or, check out my post on how to cook with green tomatoes.

"New" Old Sewing Machines

When it comes to sewing machines, older is better. I learned this the hard way.

Several years ago, the low-end Pfaff sewing machine my mother bought me in junior high stopped working well. I'd been using it frequently for twenty-some years with nary a problem, but now I thought I'd "step up" and buy one of the new awe-inspiring computerized sewing machines. Ah, the fancy stitches it could do! But I had problems with it nearly from the start, until several months ago when it stopped sewing altogether.

I took the machine to an expert sewing machine repair man. He quickly confirmed what I'd already been thinking: Modern sewing machines are not designed to last. In fact, he was shocked I got a few years out of my low-end Brother. Could it be repaired? Nope. Manufacturers don't stock parts; they simply assume you'll buy a new machine rather than repair it.

When I asked if there was a decent sewing machine out there, he said, "Some modern machines are better than others, but they are all lousy compared to the older machines." He reminded me the modern machines are mostly plastic, that you can't oil them, and that you can't even properly adjust their tension. He suggested I look for a mid-1970s Viking. "They were built to last and have all the features you need," he said.

Of course he wanted to sell me one, but at the time I didn't have the money for that.

Fast forward a couple of months. I was in a thrift store when I thought: "I wonder if there are any decent old sewing machines here." Thrift stores - at least in my neck of the woods - frequently have older sewing machines. Sure enough, this one did, too. I even spotted an old Viking, still in it's suitcase-like container, manual still intact. It was $10. For that price, I figured it was worth a gamble.

When I got it home, my husband looked it over, then I tried sewing with it. The straight stitch worked great, but none of the other stitches did. My husband thought the machine was simply gummed up. So he took the machine to that same sewing machine repair man. When the repair man saw the machine, his eyes lit up. "Now THAT'S a great sewing machine!" he said.

$89 dollars later, the new machine was cleaned up, had new brushes on the motor and a few other small replacement parts - plus a new zipper foot, buttonhole foot, ruffler foot, and extra bobbins. It works perfectly. And I expect it will work well for the rest of my life.

I'm not the only one switching to an older sewing machine. I've noticed serious sewers and quilters everywhere are looking for, buying, and using machines from the 1970s or so. And they are happy. Even without fancy stitches.

Growing Kiwi - Even in Cold Climates!

My Arctic Kiwi vine in May.Both here and on Facebook, I've mentioned my kiwi vines. This has inspired a lot of interest. "You must live where it's tropical!" some people say. Others are curious why the fruit from my vines aren't hairy. Others want all the details on how to grow their own kiwi. Because yes, it's true: You can grow kiwi, even if you live in a cold climate.

Choosing the Right Type of Kiwi
Here's the secret: I'm not growing the type of kiwi you buy in the grocery store. I'm growing a different variety that tastes just the same, but doesn't require a tropical environment. The type you buy in the store is Fuzzy Kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa). It is hardy to 0 degrees F. and requires a lot of water.

Then there's Hardy Kiwi (Actinidia arguta) and Arctic Beauty Kiwi (Actinidia kolomikta), which are hardy to minus 25 degrees F. or below (down to zone 4). Both these hardy plants produce smaller fruit than Fuzzy Kiwi; most are about the size of a large grape. And the fruit isn't fuzzy. I have Arctic Beauty, which has beautiful pink/white/green variegated leaves (which don't appear until the plant is 2 or 3 years old), is more compact, and has more flavorful fruit. (They taste just like a really good, fresh, ripe Fuzzy Kiwi.)

Both Hardy and Artic Kiwi require a male and female plant in order to produce fruit. (Buy at least one male plant for every 9 female plants.)

Where can you purchase Hardy or Arctic Kiwi? If you're fortunate, a local nursery will have year old plants for you. Otherwise, you can order plants online from Territorial Seed or One Green World. I don't recommend trying to grow them from seed; I know from both research and experience it's not very easy to do so.
Arctic Kiwi fruit when it first appears.
Choosing the Site
Hardy and Artic Kiwi like full sun to part shade - at least 1/2 a day of sun. (My vines are in part shade.) The vines can grow to 40 feet, so you'll need a good support system for them. I just used some metal arches I originally bought for my wedding, but it would be better to have a wooden or sturdier metal support. It's a good idea not to plant the vines near other trees or fences/walls you don't want the plant to climb, since this will lead to constant pruning - which is not only a pain, but can lead to less fruiting because you have to cut off flowering vines.

Kiwi like soil that's between 5.5 and 7.0 pH; they aren't very picky about the soil, as long as it drains pretty well. I grow mine in large pots (about 22 inches across - the largest I could find at the time) filled with potting soil - although the roots have mostly taken up these pots and I may need to transplant them someday soon.

It's also best to plan ahead and make sure the vines have at least 150 days without frost, once they are planted. This gives them time to acclimate to their new home and become fully hardened against frost.

Be sure to mulch around the base of the plant, but don't let the mulch touch the trunks.

Most sources recommend growing kiwi about 10 feet apart. I didn't have that luxury and grow my potted vines right next to each other.


Caring for KiwiThe fruit looks like this while it is maturing - and once it is ripe.

Many sources recommend pruning kiwi throughout the growing season. I never have. Cornell University recommends: "Two or three times during summer, cut non-flowering laterals back to the outside wire on the trellis. Trim flowering shoots back to 4 to 6 leaves beyond the last flower." 

I have also never pruned during the dormant season (winter), but Cornell says: "In the dormant season, remove canes that fruited last season, as well as dead, diseased or tangled cane. Keep the best one-year-old lateral canes that haven't fruited, spaced about a foot apart along the arms. Trim them back to about eight buds."

Most sources also recommend that if you live in an area that gets snow, you should wrap the trunks of the vines with cloth, to prevent cracking. We get very little snow, so this has been unnecessary for us.

If you grow your vines in full sun, they are more likely to bloom early. Then, if a frost comes, the flowers are not likely to bear fruit. So if temperatures will be 31 degrees F. or below after blooming, be sure to sprinkle your plants with water at night. This protects the foliage, keeping it at 32 degrees or above. (Ice will appear on the leaves.) You may also protect the vines by covering them with a blanket.

Don't fertilize your kiwi the year it's planted. In the second spring, sprinkle about 2 oz. of 10-10-10 fertilizer around each plant. Every year after that, increase the amount by 2 oz. until you are giving each plant 8 oz. - the maximum amount you should give them.



Yummy! Ripe Arctic Kiwi.Harvesting
Most sources say it takes between 3 and 5 years for kiwi to produce it's first crop. My vines produced for the first time this year - 2 years (3 seasons) after I planted them. They were 1 year old plants. I harvested about 1 lb. of fruit from one female plant. In future years, I can expect about 5 lbs. from that plant.

The fruit comes on reddish-green, then turns completely green and stays that color once ripe. You'll be able to tell if the fruit is ripe by touching it: Unripe fruit is hard; ripe fruit is softer. Also, if you cut open a fruit, it will have black seeds if it's ripe.

I found that not all my vine's fruit was ripe at once - but that can be a good thing. Ripe kiwi don't store very well. You can pick not-quite-ripe fruit and store it (unwashed) in a Ziplock bag in the refrigerator, and it should last quite a long while. Some sources say months.

You may also dehydrate kiwi (I would slice Hardy or Artic kiwi in half first), or make wine from from the fruit.