{"id":11500,"date":"2022-03-03T08:45:50","date_gmt":"2022-03-03T08:45:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/?p=11500"},"modified":"2023-03-01T11:15:09","modified_gmt":"2023-03-01T11:15:09","slug":"how-to-look-after-a-dragon-fruit-tree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/how-to-look-after-a-dragon-fruit-tree\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Look After A Dragon Fruit Tree?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Dragon Fruit plant is a type of climbing cactus that is often referred to as a tree because it can reach heights of 20 feet tall. It is also known<\/a> as \u201cPitayas\u201d<\/em> and the fruits as \u201cStrawberry Pears\u201d<\/em> due to their bright red color and sweet flavor. Even the flowers are unique. They bloom for just one night and are one of the largest in the world. Let\u2019s find out how to look after a dragon fruit tree so you can grow one for yourself.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How To Care For A Dragon Fruit Plant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"how<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The night opening flowers of the dragon fruit plant (Hylocereus undatus<\/em>) have an intoxicating, exotic, fruity scent that is quite unlike anything else. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Found in South America, Asia, and Mexico, they have become popular as ornamental plants. They will happily grow outside where the temperature is warm, humidity is high, and winters are mild. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zones<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

They are tropical or subtropical plants and grow best in U.S. hardiness zones 10 and 11. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Temperatures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The ideal temperature for a dragon fruit plant is between 65\u00b0F and 85\u00b0F \/ 90\u00b0F depending on the variety. If things get too warm, they begin wilting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During winter, the temperature should stay above 40\u00b0F. If they drop to 32\u00b0F even for a very short period, they may not survive, but prolonged or frequent freezing will certainly kill them. Ideally, they prefer the winter temperature to be closer to 50\u00b0F or 60\u00b0F.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fruits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The fruit is delicious and can be used for eating raw<\/a>, making fruit juice, jam, ice cream, and even wine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Habit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For a cactus, they are a little unusual in that they like to climb. This means they require support as they grow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cacti are designed to live in poor, well-draining soil, but by planting them in rich, well-draining soil, you will get a healthier plant that grows more, flowers easily, and produces better fruit. The perfect pH is between six and seven, so on the very slightly acidic side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Just because the plant can survive with very little water doesn\u2019t mean that those are the conditions it prefers. Water so that the soil becomes moist but not saturated and only water when the topsoil is dry to the touch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allowing your dragon fruit trees to stand in water will destroy the roots and kill the plant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Light<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pitayas require full sun to bloom and grow. If there is too much shade, the fruits won\u2019t do too well, and crops will be below optimum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Support<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As a climber, support must be provided. This can be in the form of stakes, a trellis, a fence, or other open, climbable structures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pollination<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Because dragon fruit flowers<\/a> open at night, it is the nocturnal creatures that pollinate them. Bees play a very small part, as here it\u2019s moths and bats that spread the pollen from bloom to bloom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s possible to pollinate them by hand, by using a small soft brush or cotton swab to collect pollen from the center of the flowers and brush it onto the stigma of others from different trees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some varieties are self-pollinators, so only one tree is required to bear fruit, while others require cross-pollination. This is best for all trees as it will always produce the most fruit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pruning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dragon fruit trees don\u2019t require much pruning. It is really only necessary to remove dead or diseased branches and to prevent overcrowding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fertilizer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Organic, slow-release fertilizers are best. We will look at this in more detail later in the article. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mulch<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Using a mulch around the base of your plant can help retain moisture and provide nutrients as it decomposes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Long Does It Take For Dragon Fruit To Bear Fruit?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"how<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A dragon fruit plant can start budding in as little as six to eight months. Container plants can take longer, up to two years, before seeing any fruit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once a stem starts to bud, the huge flowers will form and eventually open on nights when the moon is full. Moths and bats are the most common pollinators. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fruit will start to form at the base of a pollinated flower and matures in approximately 50 days although this can vary according to the type of dragon fruit and the conditions it is growing under.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two good things about the dragon fruit are that they bloom through the summer to mid-fall for around five months of the year. This means fruits are set throughout the season, giving you gradual cropping rather than being all at once. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Often Should Dragon Fruit Be Watered?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To increase the fruiting season and amount of fruits produced, careful watering is required. On average, you need to provide around one inch of water per week. This is sufficient to keep the soil slightly moist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t allow the soil to become saturated and remain soggy, as the roots will rot and the plant soon dies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If conditions are particularly hot, you\u2019ll need to water more frequently. This can be judged by testing the soil with your finger. Push your finger into the ground in several places around the plant. If the soil is bone dry, then water, if it is slightly damp, wait a little longer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is The Best Fertilizer For Dragon Fruit?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dragon fruit doesn\u2019t require a lot of fertilizer feeding. Being a cactus used to living in desert conditions, where the soil is usually poor and low in nutrients, they have naturally adapted to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want your plants to produce plenty of luscious fruits, then giving some feed can be beneficial for giving the plants a good boost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Care must be taken not to overfeed, especially with nitrogen, as this produces a lot of growth but no flowers or fruits and given in excess can even kill the plant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The natural approach is often best when it comes to feeding dragon fruit. This is achieved by using organic compost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While they do require nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus in a low dose form, they also need humic acids, probiotic soil microbes, and mycorrhizae. <\/p>\n\n\n\n