Dragon fruit may be propagated from either seeds or stem cuttings. Since it might take up to 7 years from seed to fruit, seed propagation is less dependable and calls for patience. Stem cuttings are a more frequent method for propagation.
Obtain a 6- to 15-inch (12-38 cm) stem section to grow stem cuttings. Make a slanted cut at the stem’s base, then apply a fungicide. In a dry, shaded place, let the treated stem section to dry for 7-8 days. After that, plant the cutting immediately in the garden or in a container filled with well-draining soil after dipping it in a root hormone. Cuttings will develop quickly and may start to bear fruit 6 to 9 months after being propagated.
Scoop out the seeds by cutting a dragon fruit in half if you’d rather try your luck growing plants from seeds. Put the pulp and the seeds in a bucket of water and separate them. The seeds should be left to dry overnight on a wet paper towel.
Fill a tray with seed starting mix the following day. Sprinkle the medium over the seeds, barely covering them, and then scatter the seeds on top of the soil’s surface. Spray with a spray bottle to moisten, then wrap in plastic. Maintain soil moisture. In 15 to 30 days, germination should take place.
Remove the plastic wrap from the seeds once they have sprouted, and then move them into bigger pots.
Can a cutting of a dragon fruit be grown?
Don’t ask me the meaning of the name “dragon fruit.” A small dragon hanging by its tail from a big tree comes to mind when I think of a dragon fruit. However, the ASPCA wouldn’t permit people to consume dragon fruit if it actually were that bad. In actuality, dragon fruit belongs to the Cactaceae family of cacti. It produces a tasty fruit and is definitely worth cultivating.
I recently attended a demonstration on pollination and cultivating dragon fruit by a nearby Chinese agricultural research center. I made notes because it was incredibly beneficial and educational, and I then put this post together.
Propagating Dragon Fruit
A freshly cut cutting is on the left. A well-calloused cutting that is ready to be planted is on the right.
Cuttings or seeds can be used to start dragon fruit plants. The ideal way to begin is using cuttings because they develop and bear fruit more quickly than seedlings. Cut a bit of the plant’s growth that is more recent if you want to take dragon fruit cuttings. The length should be between six and eight inches. Cut all three ridges at the bottom inch to reveal the fibrous midsection.
Seven days should be given for the cutting to air dry. During that time, don’t water it or submerge it in any liquid. Plant your dragon fruit cutting into a pot or the ground once the seven-day period is through. It establishes roots in the ground in about a month. After a month and a half, you can transplant it into the ground if you first began it in a pot. In tropical settings, dragon fruit takes fourteen months to ripen from a cutting.
Support Methods for Dragon Fruit
To ascend, a dragon fruit needs assistance. It can also climb a tree, although that makes it more difficult to harvest. The Chinese people who live close to us use a type of welded support column with a top ring that permits dragon fruit to climb up through the centre before falling over. Running two parallel bars down a row of dragon fruit is another technique. This design is known as a bow support in Chinese.
Simply maintaining the dragon fruit trees’ accessibility for maintenance, pollination, and harvest is the idea. A nice-looking dragon fruit support pole was crafted by Carl at Three Acre Paradise using pressure-treated lumber. He explains how to get here.
You could also hire a welder to construct you a basic support or you could weld one yourself. For our dragon fruit, a local welder is making some supports.
Pollinating Dragon Fruit
Tropical regions have year-round dragon fruit blooming. They have enormous, lovely, and fragrant blossoms. Only at night, from 9:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m., do the blossoms open. If they are hand pollinated, they bear more fruit and produce larger fruit. To complete this, all you need is a paintbrush or q-tip.
Go out to your dragon fruit plant whenever it is after 9:00 p.m. With care, hold the bloom and use a paintbrush or q-tip to remove the pollen from the flower’s anthers. Afterward, apply the pollen on the stigma. The method of hand pollination dragon fruit is really easy and worthwhile because it eliminates any potential risks and guarantees good fruit set. After pollination, the fruit doesn’t mature for a little over a month.
Harvesting Dragon Fruit
When a dragon fruit is lustrous and bright red, it is mature. Pick it up, split it in two, then consume the inside with a spoon to eat it.
We were given some immature dragon fruit plants to nurture ourselves at the nearby Chinese Research Station after the presentation on the fruit. Are you also going to produce dragon fruit?
How long does a dragon fruit cutting take to establish root?
Fill a medium-sized pot with well-draining soil. Pitayas appreciate excellent drainage. Additionally, try to add a little acidity to the soil. For additional nutrients, you can if you’d like add some earthworm castings to the soil.
After that, bury the pitaya cutting 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep in the dirt. Water the soil thoroughly. In a week or two, the roots should start to appear.
The chopped dragon fruit should continue to be green. Avoid overwatering, though. If the soil is dry two inches down when you stick your finger in it, add more water.
For a few years, pitaya cuttings thrive in pots, but eventually, you might choose to put them in the ground. Additionally, you can prune them to produce more planting-ready cuttings and promote the growth you desire.
Vining cacti include dragon fruit cactus plants. For it to grow, you will need a trellis, pole, or other structure. Loosely attach the cactus vine to your pole as it grows longer.
Where you reside may need you to grow them in partial shade. I reside in the sweltering Phoenix region. After taking root, this pitaya cutting was planted on the west side of the house, which had a lot of cover from the sun. It receives some sunlight, but not a lot. It is well-protected from the sweltering summer sun.
It shouldn’t be a problem to plant them in full sun if you reside somewhere like California. Growing dragon fruit from seeds is much slower than growing it from pitaya cuttings. After only one year of growing, some people have already been able to harvest fruit. Where you reside will determine how quickly things grow.
The best soil for dragon fruit is?
Although practically any soil can be used to cultivate dragon fruit, sandy soils with sufficient irrigation are typically recommended. For a successful crop, the soil’s pH level should be between 5.5 and 6.5. At a minimum, beds should be 40 to 50 cm high.
Do dragon fruits require full sunlight?
Although dragon fruit trees thrive in warm climates and are frequently planted in direct sunshine, excessive sun exposure in dry or extremely hot climates can harm the stems. It’s recommended to put your cactus in a location with some partial shade if temperatures in your area are usually close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
How often should I water my cuttings of dragon fruit?
When should dragon fruit be watered? We advised watering your plant every two weeks. The soil should be hydrated but not saturated.
Why do the aerial roots on my dragon fruit cactus exist?
In DF, dragon fruit aerial roots, epiphytic roots, and air roots are frequent occurrences. It aids the dragon fruit plant’s ability to seize and cling to the post. They also aid in obtaining nutrients and moisture. Therefore, it’s totally fine to let them be.
How should a dragon fruit cactus be cared for?
greater than that of other cacti, water (approximately once every 2 weeks). Dry the soil between waterings. While not being saturated, soil should be moist.
12-27oC (54-80oF). Except in USDA zones 10a to 11b, keep indoors. To avoid wilting or freezing, keep temperatures below 0oC (32oF) and no more than 37oC (100oF).
How deep should cuttings of dragon fruit be planted?
Make a hole in the center of the pot, and then bury the cutting there for two to three inches. To keep the cutting erect, backfill the area with dirt and lightly compact it.
Which fertilizer is ideal for dragon fruit?
Prepare it according to the following weight ratio: 40 to 60 percent household trash, 30 to 50 percent animal waste, 30 to 20 percent crop waste, and 10 to 20 percent tea seed meal. Inoculate the mixture with a complex microbe that makes up 0.5 to 2.5 percent of the total weight. After being thoroughly combined, the initial fermentation happens. In the range of 0.2 to 0.5 percent of the total weight, add a germ community. Fertilizer was produced following the second fermentation.
Natural fertilizers for Dragon fruit
purely eggshell, crushed It is just pure eggshell with no additives. Your plant’s dragon fruit will benefit most from this fertilizer. This fertilizer, which is devoid of salt and packed with nutrients for strong Dragon fruit trees, contains 90% calcium, 6% magnesium, and 1% phosphorus. Simply smash the eggshells and scatter them on the ground near the bushes that produce dragon fruit.
Commercial fertilizers for Dragon fruit
Ratio NPK An inorganic fertilizer of type 6-6-6 or 8-3-9 is suitable for your dragon fruit. At occasion, a 20-20-20 mixture can also be helpful. Use plant water-soluble fertilizers, such as 20-20-20, to fertilize the plants once in the early spring and one again after the flowers have finished blooming. For every gallon of water, combine one spoonful of fertilizer. You can use a variety of fertilizers with dragon fruit.
- Fertilizers for All Purposes 6-6-6
- Biology 8-3-9
- Natura Plus Plus Balance 8-4-12
All landscape demands are met by all-purpose fertilizer, including gardening requirements. This is due to the fact that granules are simple to disperse. All-purpose fertilizer is a balanced nutrient formation next to that.
How soon can a dragon fruit plant start bearing fruit?
The vibrant colors of a dragon fruit are difficult to miss in the produce section of a supermarket store, whether they are magenta and green or bright yellow. The fruit has a delicate, subtle flavor, and the numerous tiny, black seeds offer a delightful crunch. This unique fruit is produced by an equally strange plant, a Central American native tropical cactus.
If dragon fruit has caught your attention, you can easily produce your own dragon fruit plant from the tiny seeds that are dispersed throughout its flesh. Although plants cultivated in containers can take up to two years to develop fruit, they can start flowering as soon as six to eight months after planting. The good news is that a mature plant can produce four to six fruiting cycles year and can continue to produce fruit for 20 to 30 years.
When ought my dragon fruit cactus to be potted again?
When a plant seems to have too much root growth, repotting is required. That might happen as soon as a year later, depending on the size of the first container. Since the dragon fruit cactus’ roots are delicate and hairy, additional care must be used when repotting it to prevent root damage.
To avoid having to repot the plant repeatedly, it is better to repot it straight away in a 25- to 30-gallon container with a depth of 20 to 24 inches if you have the room to allow it develop to its full size.