Author Topic: Dragon Fruit thread.  (Read 940298 times)

ClayMango

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #850 on: September 01, 2014, 10:22:01 AM »
Mark they're are in season right now in Socal...if you can find a seller who sales and ships the red flesh varieties....I think you will be blown away by the  flavor!!!
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Mark in Texas

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #851 on: September 01, 2014, 11:23:47 AM »
Mark they're are in season right now in Socal...if you can find a seller who sales and ships the red flesh varieties....I think you will be blown away by the  flavor!!!

Yeah, not going to give up.  Just finished a bowl of chopped fruit with a lemon/honey dressing - pitaya, bananas and slices of my own tree ripened peaches that I'll put up against the best tropical fruit out there.   8) 

Here's a few I'm going to look at tomorrow:
http://www.tfgsf.com/?page_id=43
http://www.buyexoticfruits.com/dragonfruits.html

ClayMango

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #852 on: September 01, 2014, 12:51:57 PM »
Just planted my 3 of the dragon fruit along my vegetable wall..i thought these. Grow into a simple vine along a stake...but after seeing pictures of mature plants...seems 2 foot spacing is way too close...shoukd i dig them up now or wait?




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fyliu

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #853 on: September 01, 2014, 01:59:36 PM »
Just planted my 3 of the dragon fruit along my vegetable wall..i thought these. Grow into a simple vine along a stake...but after seeing pictures of mature plants...seems 2 foot spacing is way too close...shoukd i dig them up now or wait?





You could dig them out pretty much anytime. There's less chance of breakage when the vines are short. The roots are not brittle and will grow back quickly. It's not necessary to move a lot of soil with the plant either.

ricshaw

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #854 on: September 02, 2014, 04:33:22 PM »
Yeah, not going to give up.  Just finished a bowl of chopped fruit with a lemon/honey dressing - pitaya, bananas and slices of my own tree ripened peaches that I'll put up against the best tropical fruit out there.   8) 


Here is a picture of mixed fruit my wife made for her BUNCO group.



The Dragon Fruit is suppose to look like dice!

ricshaw

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #855 on: September 02, 2014, 06:00:30 PM »
For those (anybody) that is new to Dragon Fruit.

A good long video by Tropical Fruit Growers of South Florida interview of Roger Washington (Red Dragon Fruit Company).

http://youtu.be/JsVbFfS0Ons

enjoy
« Last Edit: September 02, 2014, 06:05:13 PM by ricshaw »

Mucbean

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #856 on: September 08, 2014, 07:29:34 PM »
I'm still having problems with my dragon fruit. They flower, then turn yellow and drop to the grown a few days later. They are all about 6 months old. Now I have these growing on them. What are they?


Rannman

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #857 on: September 08, 2014, 09:47:44 PM »
They are flowers.

bangkok

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #858 on: September 08, 2014, 10:15:49 PM »
I ate some red dragonfruits here in Thailand but they taste the same as the white ones, not bad but also not impressive.

My own cactus gave some white fleshed ones but they are so small, on the markets they are much bigger. I guess they will weigh about 1 lbs or more, 500 grams or more.

Mine grow in pots half filled with soil but now i guess the more soil the better to get huge fruits. And full soil will be the best of all to get huge fruits (i guess).

So do they grow bigger if in full soil or bigger pots?


Doglips

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #859 on: September 12, 2014, 07:03:11 AM »
How many plants do you think I could put on a single pole and still get them to produce ok?
I initially had dreams of 4 varieties on 1 pole, but I am thinking that it would be too many.
1, 2, 3?

ClayMango

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #860 on: September 12, 2014, 08:57:30 AM »
On that same note...I'm a little confused? The 5 gal Dragon fruit I purchased looks like they have multiple plants in them or is this all growth at the bottom from one cutting?

Do I kill them all and let just one single vine grow to the top?
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bangkok

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #861 on: September 12, 2014, 11:49:41 AM »
On that same note...I'm a little confused? The 5 gal Dragon fruit I purchased looks like they have multiple plants in them or is this all growth at the bottom from one cutting?

Do I kill them all and let just one single vine grow to the top?

You can plant many of them against a pole. 4-5 is no problem.

scashaggy

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #862 on: September 28, 2014, 07:42:07 PM »
Just picked up my first DF cactus, it said it was the Halley's Comet variety.  I set a pole for it and will top it off with something in the future.

I am also looking for DF cuttings of different varieties in the South FL area.

Here is my setup as it currently stands.



I also planted some cuttings of the HC that were loose or broken due to transport.

Dangermouse01

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #863 on: September 29, 2014, 05:38:45 AM »
I also planted some cuttings of the HC that were loose or broken due to transport.


Could be my bad eyes, but the one in the center appears to be planted upside down. The one on the left is a tip so easy to tell which end should be up, the center one looks backwards to the one on the left.

DM

tanguy

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #864 on: September 29, 2014, 12:06:28 PM »
I also planted some cuttings of the HC that were loose or broken due to transport.


Could be my bad eyes, but the one in the center appears to be planted upside down. The one on the left is a tip so easy to tell which end should be up, the center one looks backwards to the one on the left.

DM

DM, you are correct! The cutting in the middle pot was planted upside down. I recognized it yesterday when I read this post with my cell phone. Today I was about to post a message to Scashaggy then saw your post.

scashaggy

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #865 on: September 29, 2014, 06:57:01 PM »
Thanks, corrected.

LEOOEL

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #866 on: October 05, 2014, 02:29:36 AM »
Today I was surprised when a dear Mexican friend told me that she has a very delicious variety of Pitaya (Dragon Fruit). And, she is a very good 'Cook!' Immediatly, she had my attention, I mean, she's Mexican, a Cook, and I personally know her quite well. So, I'm hoping that her DF variety does taste as good as she says, which I have no reason to doubt. The way she described the taste was so good, that the next time I see her, I'm 'gonna' ask her to what other fruit is the taste quality similar to. She did ask me how many pieces I wanted, and not to be greedy, I said two. I can't wait to get the two pieces of her delicious variety, so that I can start the process of growing them, and ultimately compare the taste and overall quality to the only variety that I currently have ('David Bowie').

P.S.   My 'David Bowie' earlier this year produced the first 3 flowers ever. Then, they all dropped and no fruit followed. After this happened, I fertilized the plant. And, right now, it has 2 beautiful new flowers. I'm hoping to finally get fruit afterwards.

Update

The Mexican lady, friend of the family, surprised me and finally gave me two, long, cuttings of her sweet tasting, pitaya variety mentioned above. She does not know what is the name of the variety. But, the color of the flesh inside the fruit is white. And, get this, she told me and other of my family members, that the flavor is sweet and is comparable to 'Mamey' fruit!

Now, I know 'Mamey,' and 'Dragon Fruit' is no 'Mamey' (couldn't resist).

What can I say, no disrespect towards the lady, but I am somewhat skeptical.

Regardless whether I'm skeptical or not, she's got me. I now have to see this to the end and grow this DF variety to fruition, in order to evaluate/validate her DF sweetness claims.
« Last Edit: October 05, 2014, 02:32:57 AM by LEOOEL »
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ricshaw

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #867 on: October 05, 2014, 12:49:50 PM »
P.S.   My 'David Bowie' earlier this year produced the first 3 flowers ever. Then, they all dropped and no fruit followed. After this happened, I fertilized the plant. And, right now, it has 2 beautiful new flowers. I'm hoping to finally get fruit afterwards.

Quote
Update

Regardless whether I'm skeptical or not, she's got me. I now have to see this to the end and grow this DF variety to fruition, in order to evaluate/validate her DF sweetness claims.

Even if you don't like the taste of the new white flesh DF variety, it will provide pollen to pollinate your 'David Bowie'.  Unless they are genetically the same.
« Last Edit: October 05, 2014, 03:12:51 PM by ricshaw »

LEOOEL

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #868 on: October 05, 2014, 07:50:02 PM »


Even if you don't like the taste of the new white flesh DF variety, it will provide pollen to pollinate your 'David Bowie'.  Unless they are genetically the same.

Yes, cross pollination sounds good. And, I hope to some day be able to compare the 'David Bowie' to this variety.

I can't help but be skeptical, just like those caught fish stories. If she's exaggerated the sweetness 'out of the ballpark' as they say, I at least expect it to taste noticeably/pleasingly sweet. So, I really hope that I'm in a win win situation, we'll see.
'Virtue' should be taught, learned and propagated, in order to save others and oneself.

ricshaw

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #869 on: October 05, 2014, 08:30:29 PM »
I can't help but be skeptical, just like those caught fish stories. If she's exaggerated the sweetness 'out of the ballpark' as they say, I at least expect it to taste noticeably/pleasingly sweet. So, I really hope that I'm in a win win situation, we'll see.

Last Friday I was at a Dragon Fruit Field Day that included some Dragon Fruit tasting. I was sitting next to Tim Thompson and his daughter.  When Tim's daughter tasted the white flesh Dragon Fruit, she spit it out in her napkin. Tim and I did not think the white flesh DF tasted that bad.  I could have eaten a whole white flesh DF by itself!

Maybe it is like hot sauce...  some people like it, some don't.
« Last Edit: October 05, 2014, 08:36:26 PM by ricshaw »

ClayMango

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #870 on: October 05, 2014, 10:24:01 PM »
Guys my Dragon Fruit plants has multiple  individual plants running up my wooden poles....However these individual plants running up the [ole now have 1,2, and even 3 new extensions branching out form those....

Do I need to cut these extensions and leave only 1 runner to extend up the pole for each plant?
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ricshaw

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #871 on: October 05, 2014, 10:33:22 PM »
Guys my Dragon Fruit plants has multiple  individual plants running up my wooden poles....However these individual plants running up the [ole now have 1,2, and even 3 new extensions branching out form those....

Do I need to cut these extensions and leave only 1 runner to extend up the pole for each plant?

I was asked this last Saturday.  Cutting off the lower branches helps with training the plant to grow up the pole.

ClayMango

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #872 on: October 05, 2014, 10:53:47 PM »
Guys my Dragon Fruit plants has multiple  individual plants running up my wooden poles....However these individual plants running up the [ole now have 1,2, and even 3 new extensions branching out form those....

Do I need to cut these extensions and leave only 1 runner to extend up the pole for each plant?

I was asked this last Saturday.  Cutting off the lower branches helps with training the plant to grow up the pole.


Would having multiple branches from each plant going up the pole reduce the quality of fruit?
Thinking about joining a Fruitaholics anonymous support group...Fruit addiction has taken over my life!

ricshaw

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #873 on: October 05, 2014, 11:05:53 PM »
Guys my Dragon Fruit plants has multiple  individual plants running up my wooden poles....However these individual plants running up the [ole now have 1,2, and even 3 new extensions branching out form those....

Do I need to cut these extensions and leave only 1 runner to extend up the pole for each plant?

I was asked this last Saturday.  Cutting off the lower branches helps with training the plant to grow up the pole.


Would having multiple branches from each plant going up the pole reduce the quality of fruit?

No.

I was talking about lower branches not going up the pole.

Of course having fruit on a branch close to the ground can have negative effects (not taste) like making it easier for pests to eat the fruit.

MayBee

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #874 on: October 15, 2014, 06:18:39 PM »
Hello Everyone,

It's nice to see pictures of everyone's Dragon Fruits.

I would like to share a picture of my setup.  I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Surprisingly, I had about 5 flowers within 6 months of planting, but only 3 of them going to survive in a fruit form.

Here is a picture when I started planting them from stem cutting on 04/07/2014:



Here is a picture of it 2 months later on 06/13/2014:



Here is a picture of adding the post on 07/13/2014:



Here is a picture of the posts standing up on 07/16/2014:



Here is a picture of 90% of it being completed on 07/20/2014:




And here is a picture of it today with the second layer on top for the shade 6 months later on 10/15/2014:





« Last Edit: October 15, 2014, 06:38:31 PM by MayBee »