Dragon fruit is a tasty and tempting
fruit. It is full of vitamin C. There are also other valuable nutrients in it.
For this reason, dragon fruit is popular all over the world. If you wish, you
can grow it indoors and outdoors. But before growing dragon fruit, you
must consider where you will grow dragon fruit- indoors or outdoors. Then
which varieties of dragon fruit you will grow. Lastly, which methods you will
follow to grow dragon fruit- cuttings or seeds? No problem. Today, I will share
everything you should know about growing dragon fruit. So, let's learn how to
grow dragon fruit in detail.
How to Grow Dragon Fruit
What is Dragon Fruit?
Dragon fruit is a
pineapple-like fruit native to Central and South America. It is now a popular
fruit worldwide. The fruit has soft and juicy flesh inside mixed with tiny
black seeds. It is a member of the cactus family.
Best Time to Plant Dragon Fruit
Dragon
fruit grows well in the warm season. So, the best time to plant dragon fruit is
spring and summer. Usually, you can plant dragon fruit from March to August.
Suitable Soil for Dragon Fruit
Dragon
fruit grows well in well-draining, sandy or loamy soil with a pH of 6–7.5. If
you want to plant dragon fruit, you have to manage such suitable soil.
Best Methods- Cuttings or Seeds?
You can grow dragon fruit by
cutting or seeds. If you grow dragon fruit from cuttings, you will get fruit
quickly. But if you grow dragon fruit from seeds, you will get fruit very late.
So, before planting, decide by which method you will grow dragon fruit.
Right Varieties of Dragon Fruit
There are many varieties of
dragon fruit. The most common varieties of dragon fruit are as follows:
- White-fleshed dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) with pink skin
- Red-fleshed dragon fruit (Hylocereus costaricensis) with pink or red skin
- Yellow-skinned dragon fruit (Hylocereus megalanthus) with white flesh.
Before planting dragon fruit,
choose a variety from the varieties above.
Collecting Cuttings
The best way to grow dragon
fruit is to plant cuttings. Cuttings are available in every nursery. So, to
collect cuttings, go to your nearby nursery and collect disease-free cuttings
and keep them in a shady place for 3-4 days.
Step-by-Step Planting Tips
Step 1:
Pot Setting, Preparing Soil, and Planting
- Preparing the Soil: To
plant dragon fruit, you have to prepare sandy loam soil. For this, take 40%
garden soil, 15% cow dung, 15% compost and 30% white sand. Then mix them
properly.
- Pot Setting: Take
a pot of 20 inches or half drum is the best container for planting dragon
fruit. So, take a pot or drum in such size and make 4 holes at the bottom of
the pot or drum. Then give 4 small brick pieces to each hole. Then give 1 inch
pebbles or similar substances and one inch white sand on them. Finally, press
them with your hand. Now your pot drainage system is complete.
- Filling the Pots with
Soil: To fill the pots with soil, put the prepared soil little by
little in the pot or drum and press it with your hand. In this way, fill up the
full pot or drum keeping 3-4 inches empty from the above.
- Planting Dragon Fruit: Plant
one cutting in each pot or grum 8-10 cm deep. Raise the soil slightly at
the roots of the plant and press it down with your hands so that too much water
does not enter through the roots of the plant.
Step 2:
Caring for Dragon Fruit
If you don't take care of
dragon fruit plants, you will not get a good yield. So, in this section, you
have to be more conscious and serious. Now let's see the proper care tips for
dragon fruit plants:
- Supporting:
The trunk of the dragon tree is climbing in nature. So, the plant grows a
little after planting, you will bury a pole or pillar to support the plant and
tie something round like a tire to the head of the pillar so that the tree will
not fall easily.
- Pruning: If
extra or diseased branches appear on the plant, you will cut them off and keep
the plant's surroundings clean.
- Fertilizing: Once
a month, apply organic fertilizers such as cow dung and rotted leaves to the
soil at the root of the dragon fruit plants. You can also apply organic
leaf rot water and dung cake tea.
- Watering: Dragon
fruit plants need little water. So, water them occasionally but not regularly.
You must be careful that water never accumulates at the base of the plants.
- Extra Tips: After planting the cuttings, keep the pot or drum on the ground or the roof in a sunny place.
Step 3:
Controlling Diseases and Pests
- Diseases: The common
diseases in dragon fruit plants are Stem Canker, Anthracnose and Soft Rot.
Spray fungicides and remove infected areas to control them.
- Pests: Mealybugs, Aphids
and Spider Mites are the main pests of dragon fruit plants. Spray neem oil,
insecticidal soap and miticides to control them.
Step 4:
Harvesting and Storing
- Harvesting Dragon
Fruit: When
the skin of the dragon fruit turns bright red or yellow, harvest it. To harvest
it, cut the fruit stem with the pruning shears in the early morning and handle it
carefully. Then store it in a cool place.
- Storing Dragon Fruit: To store dragon
fruit, keep it at room temperature for 2–3 days if it is unripe. Once ripe,
refrigerate it in an air circulation bag or container for up to a week. For
longer storage, peel, slice, and freeze the fruit in airtight bags.
Step 5:
Advanced Tips
- Pollinating: You
can increase the yield of dragon fruit with artificial hand pollination. To
pollinate it, transfer pollen from one flower to another. For this, take a soft
brush to collect pollen from the stamens and apply it to the stigma. You will do
it at night when the flowers bloom.
- Mulching: Mulching
dragon fruit plants helps retain soil moisture, regulate temperature, decrease
weeds, and enrich the soil. Use organic materials like dry grasses or leaves as
mulching. Apply a 2–4-inch layer around the base of the dragon fruit,
More about Dragon Fruit
How long does dragon fruit take to grow?
Usually, dragon fruit plants
take 6 to 8 months to mature and bear fruit when grown from cuttings. But if
you grow it from seeds, it can take 5 to 7 years to bear fruit.
What does dragon fruit taste like?
Dragon has a mildly sweet,
refreshing, slightly salty, earthy, tangy, floral and honey-like taste.
Finally, there is no doubt
that dragon fruit is a very nutritious fruit. It is the storehouse of valuable
nutrients. If you grow dragon fruit in your home garden, you can eat fresh
dragon fruit and enjoy those valuable nutrients. However, how to grow dragon
fruit is known to you. Now start growing it in your home garden by following
the tips in the article.
Do you have any problems with
growing dragon fruit? If so, share them in the comment box below. I am always
with you.
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