Author Topic: Dragon Fruit thread.  (Read 941600 times)

ricshaw

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1599
    • USA, Southern California, Zone 10b
    • View Profile
    • ricshaw805 YouTube Channel
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1075 on: March 30, 2015, 12:13:11 PM »
Links to U.C.C.E. videos on Dragon Fruit

New YouTube video by my Dragon Fruit hobbyist friend Mark.

https://youtu.be/7EjoW8EkAAo

simon_grow

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6729
  • USA, San Diego, CA, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1076 on: March 31, 2015, 10:33:01 PM »
Anyone have links to videos or good information regarding ways to increase flowering and fruit set for Dragonfruit? I thought I remembered reading that drought stress and or pruning can promote flowering? I might have read it in a DragonFruit book or CRFG article but can't seem to find it.

Anyways, I gave my DF plants some drought stress for about two months starting about two months ago and I fertilized with Hawaiian bud and bloom about two weeks ago. Now that I see small flower buds, I'm going to drench with kelp emulsion and also apply a slow release fertilizer like Vigro from Home Depot. I stopped counting the flowers on my Simons Purple after 60 and I also noticed a few flower buds on my American Beauty. I have not seen any flower buds on my Halleys Comet yet.

Simon


Josh-Los-Angeles

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 137
    • Zone 10B, Sunset 21
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1077 on: April 02, 2015, 10:21:27 AM »
Anyone have links to videos or good information regarding ways to increase flowering and fruit set for Dragonfruit? I thought I remembered reading that drought stress and or pruning can promote flowering? I might have read it in a DragonFruit book or CRFG article but can't seem to find it.

Anyways, I gave my DF plants some drought stress for about two months starting about two months ago and I fertilized with Hawaiian bud and bloom about two weeks ago. Now that I see small flower buds, I'm going to drench with kelp emulsion and also apply a slow release fertilizer like Vigro from Home Depot. I stopped counting the flowers on my Simons Purple after 60 and I also noticed a few flower buds on my American Beauty. I have not seen any flower buds on my Halleys Comet yet.

Simon


Hey Simon, did you find any info? I think I did something that encourages mass growth and not flowering. I have American Beauty and Halleys. I use Osmocote Plus and Vigoro (Vigoro isn't slow release, it has a small amount of coated urea).

dkian

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 42
    • Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1078 on: April 03, 2015, 02:04:21 PM »
Hey All -

On a recent trip to Home Depot (think I was there for lightbulbs), I took a stroll though their "Garden" on my way out.  As I passed by their display of succulents, a container of dragon fruit caught my attention.  Guess I recognized the catci because of the photos I've seen posted on this forum.  Two containers of "Haley's Comet" sat there mixed in with a dozen or so "succulents".  I don't currently grow any DF at my home, but thought it would be fun to add some dragon fruit to my collection of mangos, passion fruit, guanabana, mulberry, loquat, banana, starfruit, fig, persian lime and coconut.

I only noticed the label stating that these dragon fruit had been treated with Neonicotinoids after I got them home.  Anyhow, I keep my property pesticide-free and although these dragon fruit are good looking specimens, I'll be returning them tomorrow to Home Depot tomorrow.

Based on the Dragon fruit threads I've read, I know a lot of you have many DF beauties of your own and was hoping I could propagate some of the great varieties other forum members have in my garden.  Happy to pay shipping and should also have some good philippine mangos ripening in a month or two as well as yellow passion fruit.

Thanks in advance all.

Cheers

ricshaw

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1599
    • USA, Southern California, Zone 10b
    • View Profile
    • ricshaw805 YouTube Channel
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1079 on: April 03, 2015, 02:45:10 PM »
So, are you saying you will have some good tasting Mangos to trade?  :D


Hey All -

On a recent trip to Home Depot (think I was there for lightbulbs), I took a stroll though their "Garden" on my way out.  As I passed by their display of succulents, a container of dragon fruit caught my attention.  Guess I recognized the catci because of the photos I've seen posted on this forum.  Two containers of "Haley's Comet" sat there mixed in with a dozen or so "succulents".  I don't currently grow any DF at my home, but thought it would be fun to add some dragon fruit to my collection of mangos, passion fruit, guanabana, mulberry, loquat, banana, starfruit, fig, persian lime and coconut.

I only noticed the label stating that these dragon fruit had been treated with Neonicotinoids after I got them home.  Anyhow, I keep my property pesticide-free and although these dragon fruit are good looking specimens, I'll be returning them tomorrow to Home Depot tomorrow.

Based on the Dragon fruit threads I've read, I know a lot of you have many DF beauties of your own and was hoping I could propagate some of the great varieties other forum members have in my garden.  Happy to pay shipping and should also have some good philippine mangos ripening in a month or two as well as yellow passion fruit.

Thanks in advance all.

Cheers

Boshi

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16
    • Denmark, zone 8
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1080 on: April 04, 2015, 03:42:23 AM »
Hey guys,

My dragonfruit cuttings finally started rooting and has put out many lovely root in their small container <3 Also the gift Epis I got from Mattlandscape rooted and they have both got a flower on their top.



Around 3 days earlier, I started seeing something at one of the nodes on the American Beauties, and I got so excited thinking it was the start of a new shoot, but now I'm not so sure.
This is a flower bud, isn't it?



I'm pretty sure my plants are happy, since they get around 6-8 hours of sun from my windowsill

cchighman

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 20
    • Midwest
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1081 on: April 04, 2015, 12:32:20 PM »
Nullzero,

Thank you for your advice.  I moved forward with a 300w MarsHydro light you recommended.  It was tricky at first finding out how i could hang thing light in my kitchen but found a wall mount for a TV accessory that seemed to do the trick if placed towards my ceiling and I drilled holes through the ends for the clips.

I don't have a mylar grow tent at this point.  It was a hard sell for the wife.  I don't know how much efficiency I'm losing at this point because I don't have the grow tent or if I can even be successful growing without the tent.  I've added a directional CFL at full spectrum and a T12 (17w) at full spectrum that I move around at different times.  I'm running the lights from about 7am-2am a day.

We were thinking about getting loose mylar and place on the wall/floor surrounding that corner to get better reflection or maybe a sheet to cover that corner while we're at work.  What are your thoughts?

Thanks again, Nullzero!

Hi,

I picked up a Hailey's Comet from Home Depot while in Miami and I live in the midwest where the lightning and weather is not suitable.  I didn't have any idea what I was actually picking up until I got home.  Abut 90 days later, it's clear my dragonfruit is not getting the light it needs as its showing very clear signs of etiolation.

I've been searching for what specific lightning I need to grow this plant indoors as if we were considering very minimal, if any, sun.  So far, from reading this forum and other sources, I need to obtain a 300 watt LED light that is in the red/blue spectrum and specifically with Red at 660nm and this light should be on the plant for about 12-15 hours a day.  Does this sound right?  Do I need 300 watts?  Is this the only light needed?  I've read many places that all types of lights will work while others have had mixed results.

The setup in my below pictures is using a 24in draining pot that begins with rocks, Perlite, Peat Moss / Perlite / Vermiculite/ Potting Soil / Compost, Compost, and compost starter containing desired fungus.  This was initially one plant but I cut off several branches and began trying to plant them in a circle with a goal of pruning to be a tree of sorts.  My goal at this stage is to fix the lighting situation and begin setting the root stalks.  Any advice would be really appreciated!
Thanks!

This 300watt LED off ebay looked good; http://www.ebay.com/itm/MarsHydro-300W-LED-Grow-Light-Kit-Horticulture-Full-Spectrum-Hydroponic-Plants-/151374521551?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item233e9fe4cf

Your also going to want a grow tent (unless you have grow area setup), so you can increase the reflectivity with the LED grow light. Look for mylar indoor grow tents that are around 6ft tall and maybe a 4'x4' L/W. You may also want to get some side LED lightening . If you face grow tent door opening out toward the window, you can have the plant opened up during the day time and then at night you close it up and run the lights for 8 hours or so.



RichardN

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 207
    • Florida, Zone 10A
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1082 on: April 04, 2015, 06:31:26 PM »
I harvest my Dragon fruit last year for the first time. It is very sweet and hope to get some more this year.



« Last Edit: April 07, 2015, 08:54:18 PM by RichardN »
RichardN

cchighman

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 20
    • Midwest
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1083 on: April 10, 2015, 10:34:23 AM »
So far without a grow tent and using 300w LED, two directional CFLs at 6500k Daylight (100w equiv replacement of incandescent), 17w T8 6500k Daylight, I noticed these two little buds pop up.  One doesn't have any spikes and seems to have brown dots while the other is quite green with spikes.  Pretty nice :)   I ordered about 5 of those mylar survival jackets which reflect 90%+ heat so I can begin trying to contain the LED light.  I also picked up one of those LED light strips off ebay that Nullzero recommended several threads back.  Combined, but not contained, I have natural sunlight (from midwest) through a window, 7150 lumens from LED grow light, 2x 1600 lumens from CFLs, and likely a negligible number from the 17w T8.  Seems to be doing the tricks...




cchighman

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 20
    • Midwest
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1084 on: April 10, 2015, 10:38:52 AM »
I have a cuttling I recently planted that has new growth at a node looking similar to this.  Not sure if its a shoot or bud.

Hey guys,

My dragonfruit cuttings finally started rooting and has put out many lovely root in their small container <3 Also the gift Epis I got from Mattlandscape rooted and they have both got a flower on their top.



Around 3 days earlier, I started seeing something at one of the nodes on the American Beauties, and I got so excited thinking it was the start of a new shoot, but now I'm not so sure.
This is a flower bud, isn't it?



I'm pretty sure my plants are happy, since they get around 6-8 hours of sun from my windowsill

cchighman

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 20
    • Midwest
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1085 on: April 10, 2015, 07:45:37 PM »
Hi,

I'm pretty sure one of these is a flower bud and one is a shoot.  I'm surprised I'm getting a flower indoors from a fresh cuttling.  I wonder how big the flower may get in relation to the cuttling size.  Now, I just need to get my other cuttlings to do something...




simon_grow

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6729
  • USA, San Diego, CA, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1086 on: April 10, 2015, 08:08:06 PM »
Anyone know how to push the growth of Dragonfruit seedlings? I sprouted a few seeds and after its seed leaves appeared, it has not grown at all in about two to three weeks. Can seedlings take full sun, they are currently in partial sun and I was wondering if that is why they are growing so slowly. These seeds are very precious so I want to be extremely careful with them yet I also want to speed up their growth as fast as possible. Thanks in advance!
Simon

dmk

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 49
    • Hyderabad, India/ Ormond Beach, FL
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1087 on: April 11, 2015, 03:28:17 AM »
Anyone know how to push the growth of Dragonfruit seedlings? I sprouted a few seeds and after its seed leaves appeared, it has not grown at all in about two to three weeks. Can seedlings take full sun, they are currently in partial sun and I was wondering if that is why they are growing so slowly. These seeds are very precious so I want to be extremely careful with them yet I also want to speed up their growth as fast as possible. Thanks in advance!
Simon

I had good results once I started fertilizing the new growth. Sounds crazy but i was fed up seeing them take ages to grow. They shot up ever since and have been growing well when compared to others I never fertilized in the past.

I have them in full sun but there were days initially when I put them in shade. Like 10 days full sun and 2-3 days shade just to cool them off and it seems to work.

I'm gonna plant them in the ground today. :)

Mike T

  • Zone 12a
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9014
  • Cairns,Nth Qld, Australia
    • Zone 12a
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1088 on: April 11, 2015, 04:00:19 AM »
I received some seeds from Oscar of the megalanthus hybrid nearly 2 years ago.My dragonfruit crazy chum has them in big pots and they are flowering.His experience is that seedlings watered and fertilized well in a warm climate fruit in less than e years and sometimes a bit faster.They are not in full sun.
Potash and micronutrients can shorten the juvenile period for some fruit trees and I suspect dragonfruit.

greenman62

  • CharlesitaveNB
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1277
    • [url=https://vgruk.com/]vgr uk[/url]
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1089 on: April 11, 2015, 06:24:45 AM »

it was in the greenhouse all winter
and had only 2 or 3 segments,
then sprouted lots of growth, so , i put it in the ground.
i am in New Orleans (9b) and a freeze killed my other dragonfruit in a container
so, this one will be against the house, pretty well protected.

but, now i got some spots on it... rot or something ?
this pic is a few days old, i just noticed new growth
 from the top of the tall skinny segment today.

will this skinny segment get wider ?
is this a problem ?

supports are temporary till i figure out what i want to do.
i put a pine cone between 2 segments to separate them.

segment on the bottom-left is not planted in the ground
just touching the leaf litter
it does have a few roots on it though
should i plant it in the soil ?



Dezperado

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 13
    • Algarve, Portugal,11a
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1090 on: April 11, 2015, 06:35:52 AM »

it was in the greenhouse all winter
and had only 2 or 3 segments,
then sprouted lots of growth, so , i put it in the ground.
i am in New Orleans (9b) and a freeze killed my other dragonfruit in a container
so, this one will be against the house, pretty well protected.

but, now i got some spots on it... rot or something ?
this pic is a few days old, i just noticed new growth
 from the top of the tall skinny segment today.

will this skinny segment get wider ?
is this a problem ?

supports are temporary till i figure out what i want to do.
i put a pine cone between 2 segments to separate them.

segment on the bottom-left is not planted in the ground
just touching the leaf litter
it does have a few roots on it though
should i plant it in the soil ?




At first glance I thought it was a poem about dragon fruit...

The stems are thin because they need more light, and the spots seems to be frost damage

Monkeyfingers

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 6
    • USA, Jacksonville, FL, 9a
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1091 on: April 11, 2015, 09:19:23 AM »
Hi everyone, first time poster. We are in Jacksonville, FL, and we bought a house about 2 years ago and have since populated the backyard with 2 Murcott Oranges, 2 Yuzus, and a Celeste Fig. I am looking to add 2 dragon fruit to our collection, and I was hoping some more experienced posters could answer a couple questions.

We have a screened lanai on the back porch, south side. I was wondering if I could place dragon fruits in containers on the screened lanai (to avoid the occasional winter frosts we get here), and if I could expect them to produce fruit, and could I hand pollinate? They would get at least 8 hours of sun through the screen. The lanai is big enough that I can get containers as large as necessary.

Any help or advice would be much appreciated!
« Last Edit: April 11, 2015, 09:47:33 AM by Monkeyfingers »

Boshi

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 16
    • Denmark, zone 8
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1092 on: April 20, 2015, 01:39:38 PM »
My cuttings are doing good, finally got them transplanted in a 50+L pot with a PVC pipe, Still need to fill the pipe halfways up with something and then make a top.



The shoot is growing along nicely



The other cutting is also sending out 2 shoots, I'm going to keep them both, and when the bottom one is big enough, then I'll cut it and use it as a cutting :)





officefruit

  • Office Fruit provides fruit for the office
  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 2
  • Office Fruit rules
    • UK, London
    • View Profile
    • Office Fruit
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1093 on: April 20, 2015, 04:57:46 PM »
Will they grow in cold climates like the UK?

gunnar429

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3320
  • Nothing like fruit from your own yard!
    • West Park, FL 33023, Zone 10b
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1094 on: April 20, 2015, 10:11:07 PM »
Hi everyone, first time poster. We are in Jacksonville, FL, and we bought a house about 2 years ago and have since populated the backyard with 2 Murcott Oranges, 2 Yuzus, and a Celeste Fig. I am looking to add 2 dragon fruit to our collection, and I was hoping some more experienced posters could answer a couple questions.

We have a screened lanai on the back porch, south side. I was wondering if I could place dragon fruits in containers on the screened lanai (to avoid the occasional winter frosts we get here), and if I could expect them to produce fruit, and could I hand pollinate? They would get at least 8 hours of sun through the screen. The lanai is big enough that I can get containers as large as necessary.

Any help or advice would be much appreciated!
Not sure about whether they'll fruit under the shade or whatever, but it's definitely possibly to hand-pollinate.  The flowers are only open a few hours though, so you have to be willing to get up early
~Jeff

"Say you just can't live that negative way, if you know what I mean. Make way for the positive day." - Positive Vibration

fyliu

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3216
    • Burbank/Covina, CA 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1095 on: April 21, 2015, 03:54:53 PM »
Will they grow in cold climates like the UK?
Yes, Kew garden has them. They can't take a freeze though so if you mean outdoors then no.

cchighman

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 20
    • Midwest
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1096 on: April 23, 2015, 09:52:55 PM »
Here are some updates since using the 300w (7172 lumens) LED that Nullzero recommended.  You can see the etiolation without the light and the drastic change when the LED was introduced.  I know I should get rid of the etiolated growth but I decided to let it go for now.  After adding the LED, the four cuttings each have a new shoot that appears to be growing really nicely.  The only one not growing is the one in the picture that looks like its been cut.  It came this way from Home Depot when I picked it up i Miami.  Not sure what I need to do to get this one to produce a shoot.

I didn't buy a grow tent yet but bought about 10 Mylar survival blankets and put one on the wall.  It appears to be growing very well without  completing enclosing the plant but I'm guessing it will grow faster if it were enclosed.  I'm letting the LED run from about 7am-1am each day.

I also have two CFLs shining on the shoots.  One is 6500k (1600 lumens) daylight @ 100w.  The second is 2700k (2300 lumens) @ 150w.  I'm not sure which is most beneficial for the plant.  I notice 2700k CFLs are used often with the idea that brightness is more useful that a daylight.  Any thoughts?

Thanks for everyone's comments!







Josh-Los-Angeles

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 137
    • Zone 10B, Sunset 21
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1097 on: April 23, 2015, 10:39:31 PM »
Here are some updates since using the 300w (7172 lumens) LED that Nullzero recommended.  You can see the etiolation without the light and the drastic change when the LED was introduced.  I know I should get rid of the etiolated growth but I decided to let it go for now.  After adding the LED, the four cuttings each have a new shoot that appears to be growing really nicely.  The only one not growing is the one in the picture that looks like its been cut.  It came this way from Home Depot when I picked it up i Miami.  Not sure what I need to do to get this one to produce a shoot.

I didn't buy a grow tent yet but bought about 10 Mylar survival blankets and put one on the wall.  It appears to be growing very well without  completing enclosing the plant but I'm guessing it will grow faster if it were enclosed.  I'm letting the LED run from about 7am-1am each day.

I also have two CFLs shining on the shoots.  One is 6500k (1600 lumens) daylight @ 100w.  The second is 2700k (2300 lumens) @ 150w.  I'm not sure which is most beneficial for the plant.  I notice 2700k CFLs are used often with the idea that brightness is more useful that a daylight.  Any thoughts?

Thanks for everyone's comments!


Hey, really cool setup. Looks like you're getting nice growth! Couple of thoughts:

-More light the better. The red spectrum (2700k) is more for bloom while blue or daylight for growth. When using LEDs, it doesn't quite work out that way, though the "purple" look is made up of both red and blue. When Null and I were talking LEDs before, that was specifically regarding red LEDs in a certain spectrum to force the plant to flower. It seems 660nm (roughly 2700k) is the key, but that's re: outdoor flowering.

-Have you seen Coplantnut's setup? I think he works at or owns Black Dog LED in Colorado. They make really high end LED grow lights with 1000s of watts. His indoor setup is amazing. That said, he mentioned he's never been able to get dragon fruit to flower indoors. It's possible they need that much light. Or he's not giving the plant enough light hours or something. Or I could be remembering everything wrong.

-Also, dragon fruit is a photo-period sensitive plant, it needs a lot of sun hours to know it's time to flower. Mine only just started blooming. I tried to force it with 300w equiv CFL at 2700k and bloom fertilizer. Of course, we're now into the period where it flowers anyway, so I'm not sure if the light and ferts are doing anything.

-Are you planning on wheeling it outside in the summer? That may work for blooming. Also, remember, the thing gets crazy huge. Just one stalk will take over your entire room there. I only have 2 stalks coming out of a 15 gal pot and the top easily takes over a 6ft x 6ft area.

-Also, you can probably leave your LED lights on 23 hours a day. Indoor growers often really push the light hours to just bake the plant as much as possible. Maybe even 24 hours. I'd do some research into indoor cactus propagation to see if anyone has tried it. 300w of LED is a lot of light, but it's still nothing compared to tropical sun, which is roughly the equivalent to a 100,000 lumen grow light. Your LED is probably closer to 20k lumens because of the way it focuses on just red and blue wavelengths.

-Heat. They love heat. Mine grow like crazy the hotter it gets. I'd say close up that little grow room you have started and let the heat build up. Or put a heater next to it. Hot and dry, 100 degrees is their happy place.

-Keep going! You may end up being the first person to successfully get dragon fruit to fruit indoors.

Dangermouse01

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 320
  • East coast, Central Florida
    • USA, Palm Bay, FL 32907, Zone 9B
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1098 on: April 26, 2015, 01:59:52 PM »
At the Brevard Tropical Fruit Club's sale on Saturday (4-25), one of the new things Pine Island brought up was their new variety of DF.
First time it was offered for sale to the public was at the club sale.

Red skinned, red flesh.


Will have first flower of 2015 opening tonight on my Dark Star.
DM
« Last Edit: April 26, 2015, 03:33:40 PM by Dangermouse01 »

simon_grow

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6729
  • USA, San Diego, CA, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #1099 on: April 26, 2015, 06:53:41 PM »
Hey Dangermouse, there's already red skinned, red fleshed DF varieties out there. Is this one special in some sort of way. The name makes it sound super red unless the the Mega is referring to it being a Megalanthus.

Simon