Author Topic: Dragon Fruit thread.  (Read 939874 times)

Seanny

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3050 on: April 25, 2020, 12:02:51 AM »
It's a cactus.
It doesn't need much water.

pineislander

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3051 on: April 25, 2020, 07:07:39 AM »
Can anyone explain to me why dragon fruit farms often grow their dragon fruit in containers vs in the ground?

Brad
I think they either are trying to overcome soil or drainage problems. The biggest growers like in Asia always plant in the ground. There are some smaller growers which may look like they are in containers but the bottom of the pots have been cut out. Restricting roots to just the space of a pot makes the plant dependent soley on the grower for everything and represents a physical limitation to the potential of the plant.

spaugh

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3052 on: April 25, 2020, 10:54:30 PM »
I agree, container growing is not good long term.  The potting mix breaks down and gets rootbound.  Going in the ground is how most farms are done.
Brad Spaugh

Forester

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3053 on: April 26, 2020, 07:57:54 AM »
Hi guys, today I finished making containers for my dragonfruit. A total of 6 containers. I decided to economy and plant two different varieties in one container. Someone tell me which land is better to use? I have a good humus from chicken manure, is it possible for pitahaya?
❀ Sergey ❀

Mark in Texas

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3054 on: April 26, 2020, 08:56:25 AM »
Hi guys, today I finished making containers for my dragonfruit. A total of 6 containers. I decided to economy and plant two different varieties in one container. Someone tell me which land is better to use? I have a good humus from chicken manure, is it possible for pitahaya?

Brad made a good point, watch the heavy use of organics. They will break down over time and there goes your nice aerated soil structure.  Go heavy with stuff like vermiculite if you want to keep it light, builders sand for some weight.

Also, that base of yours needs to be wider than the top as the top will become very heavy.

I built a reinforced trellis/hog wire PVC set up tied to the rafters.  I just cut down growths that had snaked their way 10' into  the rafters.     This was last year ago when I first planted. It's one huge tangled mess now. 


« Last Edit: April 26, 2020, 08:59:48 AM by Mark in Texas »

Forester

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3055 on: April 26, 2020, 09:57:27 AM »
Thank you, Mark, I'll keep that in mind for the future. I was going to add perlite to the ground, but this will probably lighten the soil a lot, so I'll add sand.
❀ Sergey ❀

Seanny

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3056 on: April 27, 2020, 12:29:17 AM »
Wood rot so we switched to galvanized fence post.
Galvanized fence post in concrete in #5 pot.



Buried in ground.



Added wood to top of post.




American Beauty DF has flower buds right now.

RobPatterson

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3057 on: April 28, 2020, 09:19:59 PM »
Hi guys, today I finished making containers for my dragonfruit. A total of 6 containers. I decided to economy and plant two different varieties in one container. Someone tell me which land is better to use? I have a good humus from chicken manure, is it possible for pitahaya?

Are you planning on moving the plants around once they are bigger? If not, and you decide to plant more, one suggestion I would make is to use your current design but make the post a full 8 feet long. cut a hole in the bottom of the pot and run the post straight into the ground. Or, more specifically, set posts into the ground, deep enough so they wont shift or lean, and then put a container, with a hole in the bottom, over the post and then build your support arms on top as normal. These plants can get very top heavy so you need to make sure they cant lean or topple over.
Also, if you are going to wrap the wood posts in plastic, I would suggest wrapping a second layer of garden burlap (potato sacks) around the post and either tying or stapling them in place. The burlap will help with the main stalk attaching to the post and also in the formation of the natural "air roots" these plants normally use to cling to trees and other surfaces as they grow, which aids in watering when the burlap is wetted.
And to answer the other posters question a bit more, dragon fruit are container grown, typically, to micromanage the plants water consumption, fertilizer intake and risk to harm from outside forces like gophers, flooding and soil bacteria.

Forester

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3058 on: April 29, 2020, 01:21:39 AM »
Your suggestions are correct, but unfortunately they are not suitable for my country. The only way to get something from dragonfruit is to grow it in large pots and, when the weather is cold, move it to the room.
❀ Sergey ❀

Mark in Texas

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3059 on: April 29, 2020, 07:46:37 AM »
Your suggestions are correct, but unfortunately they are not suitable for my country. The only way to get something from dragonfruit is to grow it in large pots and, when the weather is cold, move it to the room.

Based on your limitations I'd be growing another fruit.  Pitaya can't hold a candle to mango for example when it comes to taste and yields.  The amount of work it takes to keep it trellised is just B.S.   Also a fruit like mango pollinates on its own, pitaya is iffy at best.  Pickering produces excellent fruit on a small manageable tree.

Then there's a greenhouse......


Forester

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3060 on: April 29, 2020, 08:34:25 AM »
Mark, you may be surprised, but I don't like the taste of mango, and I know a lot of people who have tried to grow it in a container. None of them have achieved the result. We have more popular citrus,cocoa, eugenia, they give good fruit when growing in pots.
❀ Sergey ❀

Mark in Texas

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3061 on: May 02, 2020, 10:08:25 AM »
Mark, you may be surprised, but I don't like the taste of mango, and I know a lot of people who have tried to grow it in a container. None of them have achieved the result. We have more popular citrus,cocoa, eugenia, they give good fruit when growing in pots.

Have a friend in Austin that  moves his pitaya inside come winter.  Here's his ingenious new cart.


« Last Edit: May 02, 2020, 10:09:58 AM by Mark in Texas »

Forester

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3062 on: May 02, 2020, 10:40:29 AM »
I applaud your friend, it's genius!
❀ Sergey ❀

mcclan3

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3063 on: May 04, 2020, 01:51:22 PM »
I"ve done/seen smaller wheeled setups, but that one is straight up impressive!

Brandon909

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3064 on: May 12, 2020, 10:18:59 PM »
Anyone recognize these bugs? I've been getting a couple on my flower buds


spaugh

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3065 on: May 12, 2020, 10:32:41 PM »
Yeah its a boarer, they like dragonfruit.  Just smash them if you see them.
Brad Spaugh

Brandon909

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3066 on: May 12, 2020, 10:39:52 PM »
First time seeing these little bugs. thanks for heads up

spaugh

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3067 on: June 06, 2020, 01:39:04 AM »
First Asunta3 flowers tonight and its raining  :(


Brad Spaugh

Rannman

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3068 on: June 06, 2020, 04:35:52 AM »
Plastic bag with some paper towel in it, before they open. Works every time👍. Big job for a large scale operation, but if you’re wanting to try a new variety, it’s the way to go.




Are those flowers actually blue, or more purple?
« Last Edit: June 06, 2020, 04:42:41 AM by Rannman »

spaugh

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3069 on: June 06, 2020, 10:41:36 AM »
Plastic bag with some paper towel in it, before they open. Works every time👍. Big job for a large scale operation, but if you’re wanting to try a new variety, it’s the way to go.




Are those flowers actually blue, or more purple?

The flowers are more purple its the lighting

Thanks for the tip, may need to try it tonight.  So bummed we had a ton of flowers opened last night and it was raining.  Way too many to bag them all but could have done a few.
Brad Spaugh

simon_grow

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3070 on: June 06, 2020, 12:39:05 PM »
First Asunta3 flowers tonight and its raining  :(



Damn, that’s a beautiful looking flower!

Simon

Brandon909

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3071 on: June 06, 2020, 02:52:49 PM »
Wow! Gorgeous Flowers. I also had multiple blooms last night that I hand pollinated they all got washed up from the rain

Brandon909

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3072 on: June 06, 2020, 03:12:59 PM »
Built some block post for my Dragon fruit they came out nice.


RobPatterson

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3073 on: June 06, 2020, 10:02:37 PM »
First Asunta3 flowers tonight and its raining  :(



Damn, that’s a beautiful looking flower!

Simon
How is the fruit on the Asunta? Ive not seen those plants in person yet.

pinkturtle

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #3074 on: June 06, 2020, 10:07:16 PM »
First Asunta3 flowers tonight and its raining  :(



Damn, that’s a beautiful looking flower!

Simon

I want it because of the purple color flowers.