Author Topic: Dragonfruit cuttings rotting - clueless idiot need advice  (Read 1510 times)

DimplesLee

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Dragonfruit cuttings rotting - clueless idiot need advice
« on: January 09, 2017, 10:13:28 AM »
Hi! I've been using cactus mix with lots of perlite added (50/50) and my DF cuttings (segments actually) have been treated with sulfur and the end has pretty much callused over but when I plant them they still end up getting mushy rotten within a week or two. Should I avoid watering them when I stick them into pots? I'm using 4 inch pots only for cuttings almost a foot long. Just enough to let them root? And I only watered them during planting and no more water after.


I put up a cardboard "shade" for them from 11am to 2pm but they get all the sun they before 11am and after 2pm. Daily temps in the greenhouse are a constant 28 to 35C always a few degrees warmer than outside! So don't know what the hell is happening.


I've been getting cuttings for free but I don't think my colleague would be willing to keep cutting back his DF plants everytime I need more planting material coz they keep going mushy.


So should I just skip watering until they start growing? Add sand instead of perlite? Grow in pure sand not cactus mix?
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Vernmented

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Re: Dragonfruit cuttings rotting - clueless idiot need advice
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2017, 11:01:57 AM »
Mine are just in regular potting mix that I make up of pine fines, peat, perlite, biochar and then whatever fertility like fish emulsion, seaweed extract, chicken manure based organic balanced fertilizer, crab shell, azomite. They are outside without protection in part shade behind banana plants. I potted them up from cuttings a little over six weeks ago and many are pushing growth. I keep them watered but not really saturated using mostly well water and some rain. The mix is pretty well drained but the biochar acts like a wetting agent and holds some moisture without being mucky. I pick up the pots and if they feel lite I will water. If I can feel the weight of moisture I leave them alone. Dragon fruit like fertile soil as far as my experience goes.
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Re: Dragonfruit cuttings rotting - clueless idiot need advice
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2017, 12:33:17 PM »
My first question would be are they cut at a node or in the middle of a branch.   I, and everyone I know, have better luck when the stem is cut at the node, although they will root both ways.  As far as watering goes, I will put my cuttings in a soil mix much like yours that is very slightly damp and not water it until I see new growth, and this has taken many months at times.  I also know a commercial DF grower that paints the ends of their cuttings with a roofing tar before planting them, and they have great success although I think that this procedure is overkill.  Another person with a very larger collection puts his cuttings in straight perlite for rooting and has 95+% success.

Richard

kh0110

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Re: Dragonfruit cuttings rotting - clueless idiot need advice
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2017, 02:29:56 PM »
You didn't mention if you let the cuttings dry out / heal up first before planting, maybe that was the problem. I let cuttings heal up from the cut in the open for a week before I plant them or send out to people.
Thera