Author Topic: Dragon Fruit thread.  (Read 939965 times)

spaugh

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2950 on: August 15, 2019, 03:25:42 PM »
Use hand pruners to cut the dried flowers off a week or 2 after bloom.  Then you dont need to worry about opening the fruit.
Brad Spaugh

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2951 on: August 15, 2019, 06:44:02 PM »
I removed the flower just 4 days after pollination and the fruits seem fine so far.

spaugh

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2952 on: August 15, 2019, 07:11:39 PM »
Yeah a day or 2 is probably fine.  I dont even do pollination, I just cut the flowers off once its obvious the flower is a take and its dried up. 

Im disappointed with my condor setup.  Its good fruit but not very fertile.  I have a big tree of it and theres nothing but failed flowers on the ground.  Hardly any fruit.  I wish I had only self fertile types really.  At least for this guatemalan type, there others that dont need pollination.
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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2953 on: August 15, 2019, 08:09:58 PM »
Brad, which varieties you have are probably self fertile?

K-Rimes

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2954 on: August 16, 2019, 12:52:56 AM »





Tonight’s flowers on the df I bought from Spaugh. Truly stunning flowers on this natural mystic. I tried my hand at pollination so let’s hope it works.

spaugh

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2955 on: August 19, 2019, 02:25:48 PM »
Brad, which varieties you have are probably self fertile?

I am not really sure to be honest.  All of them are setting fruit here but Conor is the one that had the most dropped flowers.  Its supposed to be self fertile.  It may have just been bad timing during a heat wave too, I dont know. 
Brad Spaugh

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2956 on: August 20, 2019, 01:07:11 PM »
Brad, which varieties you have are probably self fertile?

I am not really sure to be honest.  All of them are setting fruit here but Conor is the one that had the most dropped flowers.  Its supposed to be self fertile.  It may have just been bad timing during a heat wave too, I dont know.

Did you cross pollinate the Condors? I did and so far I have 5 fruits and 2 aborts. Not too bad I guess

spaugh

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2957 on: August 20, 2019, 01:23:43 PM »
Its too much of a hassle to go out at night and do it.  The bees are hitting the flowers for me as soon as they open around 7:30PM

I go out at night sometimes and the pollen is already gone from the bees too.  The bees really like DF flowers and pollen.  I can see balls of it hanging off their legs. 
Brad Spaugh

K-Rimes

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2958 on: August 20, 2019, 01:50:54 PM »





Can’t quite tell if this is fruit set, but a man can hope. These were hand pollinated.

beicadad

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2959 on: August 20, 2019, 02:49:08 PM »
Its too much of a hassle to go out at night and do it.  The bees are hitting the flowers for me as soon as they open around 7:30PM

I go out at night sometimes and the pollen is already gone from the bees too.  The bees really like DF flowers and pollen.  I can see balls of it hanging off their legs.

Interesting. Having bees can be a negative then?

FV Fruit Freak

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2960 on: August 21, 2019, 06:56:58 PM »
Does anyone know if Haley’s Comet is self fertile? Thanks in advance.
Nate

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2961 on: August 21, 2019, 10:26:43 PM »
It’s all flower buds & flowers being produced by my ‘David Bowie’ variety of Dragon Fruit at my Zone 10 location; not acceptable.

'Virtue' should be taught, learned and propagated, in order to save others and oneself.

spaugh

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2962 on: August 22, 2019, 11:29:45 AM »
Its too much of a hassle to go out at night and do it.  The bees are hitting the flowers for me as soon as they open around 7:30PM

I go out at night sometimes and the pollen is already gone from the bees too.  The bees really like DF flowers and pollen.  I can see balls of it hanging off their legs.

Interesting. Having bees can be a negative then?

I never thought of it that way but I guess it is if you are really on top of pollinating, the bees are not as good at it as you and they take all the pollen.

My problem is I dont like to go out at night because we have mountain lions and rattlesnakes. 

So yesterday evening I went and tied some S8 flowers shut as an experiment.  When I went out there this morning all the pollen was still there and I was able to cross pollinate some other plants!  So this is what I have to do...  my plants are about to do a mega bloom so I will try and pollinate them. 



Brad Spaugh

FamilyJ

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2963 on: August 22, 2019, 12:10:13 PM »
Does anyone know if Haley’s Comet is self fertile? Thanks in advance.
No, needs to be crossed pollinated with another variety https://www.facebook.com/groups/373619656486562/permalink/615056992342826/

beicadad

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2964 on: August 22, 2019, 12:58:40 PM »
Its too much of a hassle to go out at night and do it.  The bees are hitting the flowers for me as soon as they open around 7:30PM

I go out at night sometimes and the pollen is already gone from the bees too.  The bees really like DF flowers and pollen.  I can see balls of it hanging off their legs.

Interesting. Having bees can be a negative then?

I never thought of it that way but I guess it is if you are really on top of pollinating, the bees are not as good at it as you and they take all the pollen.

My problem is I dont like to go out at night because we have mountain lions and rattlesnakes. 

So yesterday evening I went and tied some S8 flowers shut as an experiment.  When I went out there this morning all the pollen was still there and I was able to cross pollinate some other plants!  So this is what I have to do...  my plants are about to do a mega bloom so I will try and pollinate them. 



That’s a smart way to save pollen. I’d be interested to understand if hand pollination in the morning yields good results. I think early morning should be fine, but the stigma starts to dry up shortly after.

spaugh

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2965 on: August 22, 2019, 01:34:01 PM »
Its too much of a hassle to go out at night and do it.  The bees are hitting the flowers for me as soon as they open around 7:30PM

I go out at night sometimes and the pollen is already gone from the bees too.  The bees really like DF flowers and pollen.  I can see balls of it hanging off their legs.

Interesting. Having bees can be a negative then?

I never thought of it that way but I guess it is if you are really on top of pollinating, the bees are not as good at it as you and they take all the pollen.

My problem is I dont like to go out at night because we have mountain lions and rattlesnakes. 

So yesterday evening I went and tied some S8 flowers shut as an experiment.  When I went out there this morning all the pollen was still there and I was able to cross pollinate some other plants!  So this is what I have to do...  my plants are about to do a mega bloom so I will try and pollinate them. 



That’s a smart way to save pollen. I’d be interested to understand if hand pollination in the morning yields good results. I think early morning should be fine, but the stigma starts to dry up shortly after.

So if I only do this to a few S8 flowers and the bees are allowed to work on everything else, I can just hand pollinate the less fertile types in the morning.  Some of the plants are loaded and dont need any help.  So this can just be extra on top of what the bees do.  The bees use all the pollen by around 9pm. 

And yeah you can pollinate in the morning.  Gray martin has videos showing how he uses a cordless dust buster vacuum to take pollin before dark and pollinates with it in the morning.  Check his videos out, he is the maker os GEM avocado and has 3 large dragonfruit farms near temecula. He is on youtube under gray martin dragonfruit.
« Last Edit: August 22, 2019, 02:53:13 PM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

Suemc

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2966 on: August 22, 2019, 02:55:56 PM »
I apologize if it’s not OK to ask but does anyone know if Matt’s landscaping is closed? I spoke with him on 7/27/19 and placed a small order which he said he’d fill the next weekend. That was the last I heard about the order. I’ve called a few times but the recording says the mailbox is full. I haven’t been charged so am not out anything. It seems like I need to give up on my order and look elsewhere.
Just curious about my experience though.
Thanks.

K-Rimes

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2967 on: August 22, 2019, 03:01:29 PM »



Would the dragonfruit experts on here suggest this yellowing is from sunburn? Should I just buck 30% shade cloth over top? They are getting a phenomenal amount of sun and fruiting prolifically. I count 6-10 buds per plant right now.

spaugh

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2968 on: August 22, 2019, 03:12:22 PM »
I apologize if it’s not OK to ask but does anyone know if Matt’s landscaping is closed? I spoke with him on 7/27/19 and placed a small order which he said he’d fill the next weekend. That was the last I heard about the order. I’ve called a few times but the recording says the mailbox is full. I haven’t been charged so am not out anything. It seems like I need to give up on my order and look elsewhere.
Just curious about my experience though.
Thanks.

He was moving to a bigger property and going bigger retail and trying to get away from doing small oders.  Hes busy with bigger stuff I guess.  He was selling a lot of landscaping cactus to retailers.  Not a good excuse to treat your customers that way.   It is what it is. 
Brad Spaugh

spaugh

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2969 on: August 22, 2019, 03:14:15 PM »



Would the dragonfruit experts on here suggest this yellowing is from sunburn? Should I just buck 30% shade cloth over top? They are getting a phenomenal amount of sun and fruiting prolifically. I count 6-10 buds per plant right now.

Dont use shade cloth, the fruit wont develop.  Just ignore it, the plants are old and in poor health.  Use some avocado fertilizer and mulch it and just let it do its thing.  They will come back with nice growth if you can up pot it
Brad Spaugh

K-Rimes

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2970 on: August 22, 2019, 04:22:59 PM »



Would the dragonfruit experts on here suggest this yellowing is from sunburn? Should I just buck 30% shade cloth over top? They are getting a phenomenal amount of sun and fruiting prolifically. I count 6-10 buds per plant right now.

Dont use shade cloth, the fruit wont develop.  Just ignore it, the plants are old and in poor health.  Use some avocado fertilizer and mulch it and just let it do its thing.  They will come back with nice growth if you can up pot it

That was my thought too. Was going to up-pot once this batch of flowering is done. Don't want to mess with what appears success.

Suemc

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2971 on: August 22, 2019, 05:10:29 PM »
I apologize if it’s not OK to ask but does anyone know if Matt’s landscaping is closed? I spoke with him on 7/27/19 and placed a small order which he said he’d fill the next weekend. That was the last I heard about the order. I’ve called a few times but the recording says the mailbox is full. I haven’t been charged so am not out anything. It seems like I need to give up on my order and look elsewhere.
Just curious about my experience though.
Thanks.

He was moving to a bigger property and going bigger retail and trying to get away from doing small oders.  Hes busy with bigger stuff I guess.  He was selling a lot of landscaping cactus to retailers.  Not a good excuse to treat your customers that way.   It is what it is.

Thanks for the info. No big deal. He did talk a little about how busy he is. As long as I’m not fighting for a refund I’m good. Who knows, he may fill the order eventually.

spaugh

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2972 on: August 22, 2019, 11:43:46 PM »
The bees are swarming my plants as soon as the flowers open today it was 6:30pm.  They take all the pollen.  Theres so many I cant even get in there to take any. 



Brad Spaugh

FamilyJ

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2973 on: August 23, 2019, 10:30:40 AM »
I apologize if it’s not OK to ask but does anyone know if Matt’s landscaping is closed? I spoke with him on 7/27/19 and placed a small order which he said he’d fill the next weekend. That was the last I heard about the order. I’ve called a few times but the recording says the mailbox is full. I haven’t been charged so am not out anything. It seems like I need to give up on my order and look elsewhere.
Just curious about my experience though.
Thanks.
Your not the first person, good luck

FamilyJ

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2974 on: August 23, 2019, 10:32:03 AM »
I apologize if it’s not OK to ask but does anyone know if Matt’s landscaping is closed? I spoke with him on 7/27/19 and placed a small order which he said he’d fill the next weekend. That was the last I heard about the order. I’ve called a few times but the recording says the mailbox is full. I haven’t been charged so am not out anything. It seems like I need to give up on my order and look elsewhere.
Just curious about my experience though.
Thanks.

He was moving to a bigger property and going bigger retail and trying to get away from doing small oders.  Hes busy with bigger stuff I guess.  He was selling a lot of landscaping cactus to retailers.  Not a good excuse to treat your customers that way.   It is what it is.

Thanks for the info. No big deal. He did talk a little about how busy he is. As long as I’m not fighting for a refund I’m good. Who knows, he may fill the order eventually.
Also that is his 2nd job also for dragon fruit