Growing dragon fruit from seed or cuttings is a fairly simple process. It grows best in warm climates, but can also be grown in colder regions with a greenhouse or sun porch.
When growing dragon fruit, you have two choices: starting from seeds or propagating by cuttings. While seed-grown dragon fruit may take seven years to mature and produce fruit, cuttings can begin producing in as little as six months.
To cultivate a successful dragon fruit plant, you need to provide it with ideal conditions. This includes having well-draining soil and plenty of sunlight.
How to Grow Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit, also known as pitaya or night blooming cereus, is a tropical plant native to Southeast Asia that bears yellow, red or pink fruits with protruding scale-like bristles.
When growing dragon fruit, it’s essential to find a sunny outdoor location or an indoor grow light. Depending on the cultivar, they need at least six hours of direct sunlight daily.
Once the seeds germinate, it’s beneficial to prune them back every few years in order to maintain a healthy tree. Doing this prevents the crown from becoming overcrowded which in turn impacts the quality of fruits produced.
Grow a dragon fruit from seed by sprinkleing the seeds onto an evenly draining potting soil bed and watering thoroughly. Be sure not to overwater as this will cause the seeds to become shriveled and unable to germinate.
Soil
Dragon fruit plants don’t have a preference for soil types, but they do best in an evenly mixed mixture of sand and organic materials. Additionally, the soil should have the capacity to retain moisture without becoming soggy as well as provide the ideal pH balance.
When planting dragon fruit seeds or cuttings in your garden, select a location that receives full sun and is free from weeds. They do not thrive well in shady or humid climates, making it difficult for them to thrive under these conditions.
They require plenty of light and a moist but not overly wet soil. A mixture of rott-resistant sterile substrate, like vermiculite, can also help keep the soil oxygenated.
As your dragon fruit tree grows, it may need to be pruned periodically – you can either do this yourself or hire a professional for the job. Doing this will give the plant more room to produce healthy crops of fruit.
Water
Water is essential to all life, so it’s no wonder that dragon fruit plants require water in order to thrive. While these plants tend to be drought-tolerant, it is essential that you provide consistent moisture from spring blooming through summer harvesting your dragon fruit crop.
In addition to water, vining cacti also benefit from a necessary dry spell during winter and early spring. This helps promote abundant flowering as well as proper ripening of their dragon fruit.
Be on the lookout for pests such as mites and thrips that feed on your dragon fruit. These sap sucking pests can deplete the fruit of essential nutrients and ruin its aesthetic appearance.
When your dragon fruit blooms, use a cotton swab or paintbrush to manually transfer pollen from the male part (the anther) to the female part (stigma). Different varieties of dragon fruit are either self-fertile or require cross pollination through natural sources like bats and moths or by hand.
Light
To encourage your dragon fruit plant to bear fruit, provide it with plenty of light. As a tropical cactus, this cactus thrives in warm temperatures and bright conditions. Dragon fruit plants need at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day to thrive.
Indoors, provide your plant with at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. If this isn’t feasible in your home, consider getting a grow light to supplement natural sunlight.
Aside from growing in bright sunlight, plants also require adequate watering. This is true for most houseplants, but especially so with cacti as overwatering can cause root rot and even kill a dragon fruit seedling or grown plant.
In addition to ample sunlight, your dragon fruit cactus needs regular pruning in order to maintain proper growth. Doing this helps prevent overcrowding and ensures the flower has enough room to bloom properly.
What Helps Dragon Fruit Grow?
How Do You Grow a Dragon Fruit Tree?
Both seeds and cuttings can be used to grow dragon fruit. Squash some flesh into paper towel and keep damp in a warm location but out of direct sunshine to start a plant from seed.
During two to three weeks, seeds will sprout and can be punnet-potted. Dragon fruit can be grown fast by taking cuttings from good stems and planting them cut-side down in full sunlight.
Compost, manure, and pelletized certified organic fertilizer should be used to fertilize the soil, along with lime, and it should drain freely.
Water in with OCP eco-seaweed after mulching plants to protect their shallow roots. Since dragon fruit is self-fertile, you can grow fruit from a single plant, but additional plants will result in a larger crop.
