Author Topic: Dragon Fruit thread.  (Read 939879 times)

beicadad

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 328
    • San Diego
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2775 on: September 04, 2018, 02:31:24 PM »
great work Brad! your DFs seem very productive.

Brandon909

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 108
    • Ontario, California
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2776 on: September 04, 2018, 03:20:13 PM »
Does anyone know how to effectively dry and store pollen for Dragon fruit?
Here's the simple version of my process:
1. Use some sort of object you can insert into the flower, without damaging it, as far in as you can get it, and tap on the flowers stem to dislodge the pollen. I have an ice scoop that I've cut and reshaped to fit the flowers geometry, but another good idea Ive hear is to take a 1 litre soda or water bottle, and basically cut half the body of it out to form a scoop, then trim whats left of the body into a point, with a curved tip (no sharp or pointy edges), so it had a triangular shape.
2. Dump your pollen onto a white, or other lightly colored, plate so you can go through it and dig out anything that isnt pollen, like ants, flower parts, etc. Use tools like tweezers or sewing needles. Avoid touching the pollen directly.
3. Spread your pollen out on a folded paper towel or a napkin, not in clumps, but as an even powder. Place it somewhere shady, not in direct sunlight, but warm, and let it sit for 8-24 hours. Beware of strong drafts that might blow your pollen off its resting surface.
4. Place the towel/napkin back on your plate, fliped over, and pat/flick the dried pollen back onto the plate surface. Reexamine for anything not pollen. At my house its usually cat hair.
5. Here's the important part. Using as small of a container as possible, you can now store your pollen in your freezer. The colder the better. But the container is key. I have small sample vials I picked up from Ebay that I use. The idea is that you was as little air in with the pollen as possible. For a single flower, using something like the glass tubes free perfume samples used to come in would be a good size. Whatever you find, the container needs to be as small as you can find and air tight. Oh, and clean, too. Any moisture in the air can degrade the pollen when ice crystals form.
This process should give you pollen that will last a couple weeks in storage.
Thank you Rob I'll try this when my flowers bloom

spaugh

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5126
    • San Diego County California
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2777 on: September 04, 2018, 04:33:33 PM »
great work Brad! your DFs seem very productive.

We are just starting to get decent fruit set after a year and a half or so.  Seems like 3 year old plants should make a lot of fruit.
Brad Spaugh

philek9

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 25
    • Santa Clarita, CA
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2778 on: September 05, 2018, 02:34:39 PM »
Wicked setup, Brad!

spaugh

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5126
    • San Diego County California
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2779 on: September 05, 2018, 03:05:02 PM »
A few days ago I hand pollinated two flowers of Physical Graffiti with its own pollen. Was done at 11pm. Made sure I put a sufficient amount in the stigma. Flowers dropped. I had no other pollen available. I have heard both, that physical graffiti es self fertile and others say it not. Any one with experience on this ?
Particularly looking with successfull pollination with other cultivars.

It has been my experience that Physical Graffiti is NOT self fertile.

It has also been reported that Physical Graffiti needs pollen from an unrelated Dragon Fruit, not a related Paul Thomson "S" variety (except S-8).

The following information came from Paul’s book Pitahaya – A Promising New Fruit Crop for Southern California, second edition August 2002, pgs. 39 – 41, 45 & 46.

Paul says his first Pitahaya hybrid seeds came from two unknown species he called “Neitzel” and “Rixford”. Neitzel produced white flesh fruit and Rizford produced red flesh fruit. From this cross, Paul says in his book that there were 8 seedlings produced. One seedling died and all of the remaining 7 flowered and produced fruit. Two of the plants had what Paul called outstanding fruit and three had very good fruit. In Paul’s own words; “It was a most fortuitous cross.”
Note: According to Paul, all of the seedlings from his “Netitzel X Rixford” cross must be cross pollinated to set fruit.

Paul also produced two seedlings from a different cross between “Houghton” and Rixford. Both Houghton and Rixford have red flesh fruit and in Paul’s opinion excellent flavor.

The “S” stands for seedling.

1-S – dark pink flesh, flavor very good, renamed “Physical Graffiti” by Florida nursery.

2-S – deep red flesh, flavor very good to excellent renamed “Cosmic Charlie”

3-S – delicate pink flesh, flavor superb, named “Delight” by Paul.

4-S – pale pink flesh, flavor very good.

5-S – dark red or magenta flesh, flavor good – very good, renamed “Purple Haze”

6-S – Paul removed after freeze damage

7-S – Paul removed after freeze damage

8-S – deep, almost fluorescent magenta flesh, flavor excellent, named “Sugar Dragon” by grower Linda.

9-S – red flesh, flavor a close second to 3-S, renamed “Dark Star” by Florida nursery.

Note: 7-S and 8-S are from the Houghton X Rixford cross.
S1, S2, S3, S8, etc. are the same, just different naming for 1-S, 2-S, 3-S, 8-S, etc.
It has been reported that some of the above were renamed by Pine Island Nursery.

This post needs to be pinned. 

By the way, where do we get a copy of the Paul Thompson book?  Cant fine any for sale online.
Brad Spaugh

ricshaw

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1599
    • USA, Southern California, Zone 10b
    • View Profile
    • ricshaw805 YouTube Channel
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2780 on: September 05, 2018, 04:37:32 PM »
By the way, where do we get a copy of the Paul Thompson book?  Cant fine any for sale online.

Leo Manuel of San Diego, California is the publisher and source for the book.

marklee

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 999
    • Chula Vista, California Zone 24 or 10b
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2781 on: September 05, 2018, 07:40:51 PM »
Rebar is not stiff enough. I've seen design like yours drooped.

Do you put nuts at end?
If you prune your vines you can keep them light enough and not bend the rebar. Mine have been in the ground over 6 years and I trim out old vines and keep the structure stable.

marklee

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 999
    • Chula Vista, California Zone 24 or 10b
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2782 on: September 05, 2018, 07:41:52 PM »
By the way, where do we get a copy of the Paul Thompson book?  Cant fine any for sale online.

Leo Manuel of San Diego, California is the publisher and source for the book.
I believe Leo doesn't have any copies left. Someone was asking if they could make a copy of it.

Seanny

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1119
    • Garden Grove, Orange County, California, 10B
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2783 on: September 06, 2018, 01:02:12 AM »
Rebar is not stiff enough. I've seen design like yours drooped.

Do you put nuts at end?
If you prune your vines you can keep them light enough and not bend the rebar. Mine have been in the ground over 6 years and I trim out old vines and keep the structure stable.

I was mistaken about the drooping. The rebar cross was on top of pt post. The top rotted so the cross tilted to one side.


Mark in Texas

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4220
    • Fredericksburg Texas, (central TX), zone 8a
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2784 on: September 07, 2018, 09:24:25 AM »
Does anyone know how to effectively dry and store pollen for Dragon fruit?

I've stored pollen (not from pitaya) by mixing it with flour.  I first lightly heated the flour in a pot to insure there were no bad guys, let it cool, mixed with the pollen at a ratio of 1 - 4 and then stored it in the fridge until needed.  Rather than contaminating the entire batch by sticking a sticky paint brush or finger into it I would pull only enough to use for one session.

That pitaya tree is unreal!

Mark in Texas

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4220
    • Fredericksburg Texas, (central TX), zone 8a
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2785 on: September 07, 2018, 09:29:38 AM »
Brad, the Frankie's Red has 2 new growths.  Will go into my pitaya bed, speaking of which I've got furniture grade PVC elbows and connectors coming to use on 1" PVC pipe.  The trellis will be PVC 2' X 6' by 5' high covered with 6" heavy duty cattle panel.  The perimeter will be wrapped with this stuff so the (thick) panel edges don't cut thru the tissue. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J7RKTDA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A15TP87GWKFZSB&psc=1

Also, a Sugar Pitaya cutting that was laid on its side with one rib in, for months, never did root.  I planted it upright with the Frankie's Red to take its spot.  I've shared Sugar S-8 with 2 others and we all say the same thing - that variety takes forever to root.

Mark in Texas

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4220
    • Fredericksburg Texas, (central TX), zone 8a
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2786 on: September 07, 2018, 09:35:31 AM »
Hopefully.  The rebar may be good now but a few years of rust could make it fail.  So I will probably hit them with some rustoleum and seal thewood parts and hope for the best.  I have a bunch of horse panels that would work also but no great places to set them up.

I use a lot of rebar on the farm, much of it 18" pieces of 3/8" driven into the ground to anchor long rows of black poly irrigation pipe and it doesn't rust.  It develops a rusty patina and that's it.



spaugh

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5126
    • San Diego County California
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2787 on: September 07, 2018, 09:54:19 AM »
Brad, the Frankie's Red has 2 new growths.  Will go into my pitaya bed, speaking of which I've got furniture grade PVC elbows and connectors coming to use on 1" PVC pipe.  The trellis will be PVC 2' X 6' by 5' high covered with 6" heavy duty cattle panel.  The perimeter will be wrapped with this stuff so the (thick) panel edges don't cut thru the tissue. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J7RKTDA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A15TP87GWKFZSB&psc=1

Also, a Sugar Pitaya cutting that was laid on its side with one rib in, for months, never did root.  I planted it upright with the Frankie's Red to take its spot.  I've shared Sugar S-8 with 2 others and we all say the same thing - that variety takes forever to root.

The S8 shouldnt take long to root.  It shoild root and grow within a few weeks.  If its taking longer, especially in your GH, you got bad cuttings.  Probably not mature enough.

If you want some good pieces I can send you some.  Ive got a lot of S8 plants laying around.  Take the ones that have been idle gorever and toss them.

Also when you get cuttings, the longer they are the more energy stored in them.  If these were short pieces it can make things happen slower.  Or if they were taken in the middle of winter, no energy reserves etc...  This time of year a proper cutting should be really fast to get going.
« Last Edit: September 07, 2018, 09:57:04 AM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

Mark in Texas

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4220
    • Fredericksburg Texas, (central TX), zone 8a
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2788 on: September 07, 2018, 10:16:44 AM »
The S8 shouldnt take long to root.  It shoild root and grow within a few weeks.  If its taking longer, especially in your GH, you got bad cuttings.  Probably not mature enough.

If you want some good pieces I can send you some.  Ive got a lot of S8 plants laying around.  Take the ones that have been idle gorever and toss them.

Also when you get cuttings, the longer they are the more energy stored in them.  If these were short pieces it can make things happen slower.  Or if they were taken in the middle of winter, no energy reserves etc...  This time of year a proper cutting should be really fast to get going.

Thanks Brad, I've got 2 going strong and only enough room for the Frankie's Red in the bed.  My two friends that got some cuttings to have theirs going too.  Here's a shot of the cuttings. They were healthy and thick.



Mark in Texas

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4220
    • Fredericksburg Texas, (central TX), zone 8a
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2789 on: September 07, 2018, 10:21:06 AM »
Physical Graffiti and Santa Barbara Red on the right.  2 Sugar on the left with a hole for the Frankie's Red.



I screwed up on the Dark Star and Ignacio.  The cuttings rotted.  A friend I shared the extras with is doing fine.

spaugh

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5126
    • San Diego County California
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2790 on: September 07, 2018, 10:25:54 AM »
Cool, yeah I dont know S8 roots and grows really fast.  Could have just been the timing of when yours were cut.  Middle of summer when they are full of energy is best. 

You going to have a big bush of DF in a year or 2.  These things grow like crazy.  If your other trees are any indication, your DF are going to be overflowing in no time.
Brad Spaugh

Mark in Texas

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4220
    • Fredericksburg Texas, (central TX), zone 8a
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2791 on: September 07, 2018, 10:46:16 AM »
Cool, yeah I dont know S8 roots and grows really fast.  Could have just been the timing of when yours were cut.  Middle of summer when they are full of energy is best. 

You going to have a big bush of DF in a year or 2.  These things grow like crazy.  If your other trees are any indication, your DF are going to be overflowing in no time.

I hope so. I've got to get a recent shot of the recovering Reed and post it.  You won't believe it.  I bet it sets 300 fruits next year.

spaugh

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5126
    • San Diego County California
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2792 on: September 10, 2018, 12:12:30 PM »
This is a san ignacio plant.  There was a photo of the buds a page ago.  They bloomed last night.  Bees are all over it.





Condor fruit
« Last Edit: September 10, 2018, 12:14:32 PM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

Mark in Texas

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4220
    • Fredericksburg Texas, (central TX), zone 8a
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2793 on: September 10, 2018, 02:38:44 PM »
Totally insane Brad!  Freaked out my wife too!

spaugh

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5126
    • San Diego County California
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2794 on: September 10, 2018, 02:55:18 PM »
Its a really rewarding plant Mark.  I regret not planting more of it sooner. 

This is the same plants in July of 2017.
Brad Spaugh

beicadad

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 328
    • San Diego
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2795 on: September 10, 2018, 11:16:54 PM »
wow, that’s crazy growth and productivity within just a year.

Brad, seems your DF flowers open fairly early? How does condor taste compared to other varieties?

spaugh

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5126
    • San Diego County California
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2796 on: September 10, 2018, 11:53:44 PM »
wow, that’s crazy growth and productivity within just a year.

Brad, seems your DF flowers open fairly early? How does condor taste compared to other varieties?

What do you mean by flowers open early?  Time of day?  They open around 9 or 10PM and close by 9 or 10AM.

Its too soon to tell about condor since I have just started getting much fruit from the plants but so far I tried most of the 1S,2S..9S paul thomson types and they all taste more or less the same.  With exception of 8S which is a different cross.  I much prefer the 8S and will be planting more of that.
Brad Spaugh

beicadad

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 328
    • San Diego
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2797 on: September 11, 2018, 12:53:37 AM »
wow, that’s crazy growth and productivity within just a year.

Brad, seems your DF flowers open fairly early? How does condor taste compared to other varieties?

What do you mean by flowers open early?  Time of day?  They open around 9 or 10PM and close by 9 or 10AM.

Its too soon to tell about condor since I have just started getting much fruit from the plants but so far I tried most of the 1S,2S..9S paul thomson types and they all taste more or less the same.  With exception of 8S which is a different cross.  I much prefer the 8S and will be planting more of that.

Yes I was referring to time of day. Looking like the flowers remain open in the morning.

Brandon909

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 108
    • Ontario, California
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2798 on: September 11, 2018, 01:31:38 AM »
Finally have some delight flowers. Damn heat killed at least 20 buds


Brandon909

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 108
    • Ontario, California
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2799 on: September 11, 2018, 01:34:35 AM »
What the hell is this lol. Bud turning into a stem?