We regularly buy the 'ripen at home' kiwis.

They arrive rock hard and the same texture as yours, so we put all but one lot in the fridge. It takes some time, but eventually - after maybe a week sitting on top of the fridge the first ones will begin to soften.

Another box is removed from the fridge and put on top at intervals depending on how many fruits each box contains.

Don't squeeze too hard when testing, or they will develop fingertip sized gloopy craters.

I'd think that you could leave the fruit on the vine to ripen naturally, unless the weather turns cold and wet, when the quality would go down rather rapidly so they should be harvested and brought indoors either to cold storage or to ripen.

When sliced open a ripening kiwi will be more translucent in the centre, and gradually the alteration spreads outwards to the skin.

When fully ripe and cut in half the flesh will slide out of the skin under pressure, and can be bitten off the stalk or flower end. Useful for anyone who is slightly allergic to the skin - I can handle them, just not put the skin to my lips - unless I want to have a slightly goldfish look - of course, some people pay good money....

Anne the Pleater :ootd: