Pest identification
What's eating my hardy kiwi 'ananasnaya'?
Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica)
Signs: Leaves skeletonized between veins, leaving a lacy appearance; attacks in summer.
Control: Hand-pick adults into soapy water in the morning; use row cover during peak flight (late June–August); avoid Japanese beetle traps near plants.
Deer
Signs: Young shoots and foliage browsed; vines rubbed and torn; severe damage can set plants back years.
Control: Fence with ≥8 ft deer fencing; apply deer repellent spray to new growth regularly.
Soft scale insects
Signs: Waxy bumps on stems and older canes; yellowing, reduced vigour; sticky honeydew.
Control: Scrub off light infestations with a soft brush; apply horticultural oil in late dormancy; prune out heavily infested wood.
Birds & raccoons
Signs: Ripe fruit taken or knocked from vines before or during harvest.
Control: Net or bag fruit clusters as they approach ripeness; harvest promptly when mature.
Keep hardy kiwi 'ananasnaya' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Hardy Kiwi 'Ananasnaya' pests — FAQ
What is eating my hardy kiwi 'ananasnaya'?
Hardy Kiwi 'Ananasnaya' is vigorous but faces Japanese beetles skeletonizing foliage in US gardens, and deer browsing new growth heavily. Cats are famously attracted to kiwi roots. Scale insects can colonise older stems. Birds and raccoons raid ripe fruit. Good trellising and row covers help during peak pest periods.
How do I get rid of japanese beetle (popillia japonica) on hardy kiwi 'ananasnaya'?
Leaves skeletonized between veins, leaving a lacy appearance; attacks in summer. Hand-pick adults into soapy water in the morning; use row cover during peak flight (late June–August); avoid Japanese beetle traps near plants.
How do I get rid of deer on hardy kiwi 'ananasnaya'?
Young shoots and foliage browsed; vines rubbed and torn; severe damage can set plants back years. Fence with ≥8 ft deer fencing; apply deer repellent spray to new growth regularly.
How do I get rid of soft scale insects on hardy kiwi 'ananasnaya'?
Waxy bumps on stems and older canes; yellowing, reduced vigour; sticky honeydew. Scrub off light infestations with a soft brush; apply horticultural oil in late dormancy; prune out heavily infested wood.
How do I get rid of birds & raccoons on hardy kiwi 'ananasnaya'?
Ripe fruit taken or knocked from vines before or during harvest. Net or bag fruit clusters as they approach ripeness; harvest promptly when mature.