Author Topic: Dragon Fruit thread.  (Read 940304 times)

Rannman

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2050 on: June 01, 2017, 08:22:12 AM »
Just wondering if any growers/collectors out there have grown the Dragonfruit variety 'Yellow cross 68' , from Matts Landscape? As far as I know it's a megalanthus hybrid, but Matt hasn't updated the details of this variety for quite some time and I was hoping someone out there has had some extra info on it, in particular fruit colour inside and out.
I've had my cuttings for 3 years and they've just started to show signs of growth now! Pays to be patient apparently.
Thanks in advance.

Anto989

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2051 on: June 01, 2017, 11:22:29 AM »
I'm struggling to find frenkie's red dragon fruit... Guys, where I can get it?

simon_grow

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2052 on: June 01, 2017, 02:27:53 PM »
Just wondering if any growers/collectors out there have grown the Dragonfruit variety 'Yellow cross 68' , from Matts Landscape? As far as I know it's a megalanthus hybrid, but Matt hasn't updated the details of this variety for quite some time and I was hoping someone out there has had some extra info on it, in particular fruit colour inside and out.
I've had my cuttings for 3 years and they've just started to show signs of growth now! Pays to be patient apparently.
Thanks in advance.

I've never heard of that variety but it sounds really interesting. Please keep us updated when you get fruit!

Simon

RobPatterson

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2053 on: June 03, 2017, 01:26:04 AM »
Most of the time, when I make cuttings for my plants, I try to cut the branches at the 'knuckles' of the branches; where one branch starts growing from the parent branch. Most of the time, you can just throw those in the ground without any prep work, as there's no exposed flesh to worry about rotting out. But what I do is put the new cuttings into a common plastic bucket or barrel/tote and put about 1 inch of water in the container every week. This keeps the tips wet but also allows for the small amount of water to warm up with the daily cycle. I almost always end up with healthy cuttings with 2-4 inch root clusters after a month or two. Also, I keep my cuttings in partial sun until they are planted. Without a functioning circulatory system, the plant has no way to combat sunburn and bleaching from excessive sunlight, but you also don't want to completely keep them in the shade. Under another plant seems to work out well most of the time. If you have the option, ask for, or generate cuttings made from a complete branch when its time to propagate dragon fruit. Full branches wont let out moisture at the same rate as cut ones will, so as long as you're not holding on to them for several months at a time, they should stay hydrated long enough to start plants anew. 

Anto989

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2054 on: June 03, 2017, 04:00:42 AM »
Just wondering if any growers/collectors out there have grown the Dragonfruit variety 'Yellow cross 68' , from Matts Landscape? As far as I know it's a megalanthus hybrid, but Matt hasn't updated the details of this variety for quite some time and I was hoping someone out there has had some extra info on it, in particular fruit colour inside and out.
I've had my cuttings for 3 years and they've just started to show signs of growth now! Pays to be patient apparently.
Thanks in advance.


If it is the "golden dragon" (hylocereus x selenicereus) I have it, yellow spineless fruits

Rannman

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2055 on: June 03, 2017, 07:17:29 AM »



No, this is definitely a megalanthus cross. According to Matts Landscape the megalanthus is crossed with an unknown pollinator. So is a gamble really!
I've been waiting for Matts to update their listing of this variety, but nothing's changed for at least 2 years. They have pics of flowers but no pics of any fruit. Maybe the fruit wasn't worth photographing! Hope not!
I've had this cutting planted for a long time and this summer just gone, it tried to flower more than a dozen times. The cutting is only 8" long and couldn't support any sort of flowers, but it kept trying!
Now that it has finally put out some vegetative growth, I can maybe see what it has to offer next summer.

« Last Edit: June 03, 2017, 07:20:29 AM by Rannman »

RobPatterson

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Tools of the Trade
« Reply #2056 on: June 20, 2017, 07:07:28 PM »
Since we're getting into that time of year when our thought turn to dragon fruit and the lovely, yet finicky, flowers they come from, I thought I would take the time to pass along a few tips on how I go about doing my pollinating and the tools I use to do it. Here are a few pictures to help with the more visual types among us:









In order of appearance are the following:
1. A digital scale. Mostly for use at the end of the process, weighing fruit, so you can show off the results of your mighty fruit creation skills. We all need something to brag about, and what's not to love about sharing.
2. A refractometer. Again, this is another 'after the fact' tool. Its used to measure the amount of dissolved solids in a liquid, namely how much sugar is in fruit juice, MORE namely how much sugar is in your dragon fruit. These come in both digital (shown) and optical varieties. The optical looks like a cross between a flute and a spyglass, and it very easy to use if you decide you have enough interest in the hobby to have dedicated testing tools like this.
3. Pollen Dehydrator. This is a custom item I built myself, and I use it to remove moisture from the collected pollen before I store it in the freezer. It works like a common food dehydrator, except its a mostly sealed environment (with the door closed) and I do not add heat (pollen is sensitive). Running a small fan in the box circulated the air through an area of Silica Gel (those "DO NOT EAT" packets you find in packaging) and that draws out the extra water and makes the pollen less likely to be damaged by extended stays in the freezer.
4. My worktrays. To avoid excess contamination, I tend to lean towards ceramic for work surfaces and these sized trays do the job nicely. They clean easily, are almost completely non-stick and the high white finish allows me to pick out foreign objects (plant parts, bugs, thorns, etc.) both before and after drying.
5. Pollination brush. Most of the time I directly manipulate the flowers to apply pollen, but sometimes can prove difficult to get at, tucked in between pointy branches, so I use the brush to extend my reach. Any soft bristle brush will do, as long as its clean and free from contaminants (aka, don't use your significant other's makeup brush). Also, the stick end helps with moving and poking at various things, like bugs and flower petals.
6. Funnel and pollen tubes. The plastic sample tubes I use are small 20cc plastic sample tubes, with attached lids. Easy to find in bulk and cheap on places like Ebay. With the matching tray, they are perfect for upright storage in the freezer and don't take up too much space. The funnel is pretty self explanatory, and is used for putting pollen in tubes.
7. The pollen collecting scoops. Now, here's a biggy. I use these to collect my pollen from the flowers, usually in the early morning before I go to work. The shape of the tools is very important. The larger of the two, and the one I use most often, is just a simple Ice Scoop that I reshaped using metal cutting snips. The more pointed end and wide back matches the shape of the flower very well and allows me to maximize pollen yields. Also, I filed down the cut edges so they are nice and smooth, so as to not damage the internal parts of the flower. The actual tool you use is less important than the shape. I've had other people Ive talked to use 1 and 2 liter plastic bottles, cut on a slant, to do the same job, and it seems just as effective.
8. Pollen sorting tools. I use these to both clear the collected pollen of foreign objects and to scoop pollen into the funnel. You should do your best to avoid touching the pollen with your hands, as the oils on your fingers can do bad things to living things that small.
Ok, now that's were through that, here are what I hope are a few helpful tips to get you more fruit.
First off, if you have multiple fruit varieties, the order in which you pollinate is very important. I always try to collect the pollen from one plant variety first, then move on to the next, first pollinating the second plant's flowers with pollen from the first, then going back and collecting the seconds pollen for use on the next plant. You're always going to get better results if you cross pollinate, even if some on the varieties you're working with are self fertile. Its worth the extra time to make that last trip back to the beginning of the loop to make sure you're mixing, not matching.
Next, don't be afraid to get your hands dirty, or in this case pollen-y. If the flowers are easy to get at, and at a good height, Ill just reach into the flower and grab it by the lady parts (the long thick Pistil that extends from the center of the flower and ends in a starfish-like shape) and dip the end of it directly into my pollen catcher. Gentle but firm. You're not going to harm the flower by doing this if you're at all careful and its a good way to pollinate quickly if you have a lot of flowers in one area.
On a related note, collecting the actual pollen is just as simple. Just insert your pollen catcher into the flower, in the space between the white petals and the yellow stamen that surround the pistil (lady parts), and give the entire flower a good shake or tap. The pollen will come right off and into your collector. Flick out any large foreign objects but leave the removal of the smaller stuff until later, when you can get at it with clean tools.
Before you're done for the day, though, (hopefully) you'll have left over pollen. However you decide to do it, just make sure it has a chance to dry in a warm, dry place for at least 8 hours ( I usually do 24 without the dehydrator) to allow for proper storage condition. You can use coffee filters as your drying medium if you don't want to do anything fancy, but just make sure the pollen is undisturbed and free from added contaminants like dust or animal hair. To be safe, you can even add a second coffee filter on top of the first, once the pollen is added, to act as a protective layer.
Ive had successful pollination months after storage, so if you ever find yourself with extra pollen, its never a bad idea to put some aside for later, because with the various conditions (wind, bees, etc) you never know when some leftovers will come in handy.
I hope this helps out a few people, and here's to hoping for a successful season to everyone.

ajeshcool47

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2057 on: June 20, 2017, 10:25:13 PM »
hi all , can anybody tell me about these 3 varieties,Khmer, Cebra,Edgar V Red.... its specialties, color of flesh etc...thanking in advance...

Sayan128

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2058 on: June 26, 2017, 12:55:25 AM »
@RobPatterson: so you're saying to cross pollinate for example your S8 with pollen from American beauties? is the fruit that then forms a new variety or still considered S8? Sorry...confused but totally wanting to learn!

Rannman

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2059 on: June 26, 2017, 04:51:11 AM »
The fruit that forms is still an S8 but any plant produced from the seed of that particular fruit is going to be different from the parent, a hybrid . It will be a totally new variety! It may look, taste and seem exactly the same as its parent or it could be something completely different, but it is definitely not the same. This is how newer, sometimes better varieties are created!
If you grow a plant from the seeds of that fruit, you can name it after yourself as it's a totally new variety.
Hope this helps.

pineislander

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2060 on: June 26, 2017, 06:05:39 AM »
I'm getting flowers aborting on DF. When inspected I see small larvae which appear to be fruit fly. Anyone have this happen or any solutions? First flower did set fruit successfully.

Sayan128

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2061 on: June 26, 2017, 03:54:48 PM »
The fruit that forms is still an S8 but any plant produced from the seed of that particular fruit is going to be different from the parent, a hybrid . It will be a totally new variety! It may look, taste and seem exactly the same as its parent or it could be something completely different, but it is definitely not the same. This is how newer, sometimes better varieties are created!
If you grow a plant from the seeds of that fruit, you can name it after yourself as it's a totally new variety.
Hope this helps.

ohhhh I see. thank you so much! :)
Sabrina

sidney

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2062 on: June 27, 2017, 09:15:22 AM »
Germination. Trying to attract night flying insects to my dragon fruits by planting night blooming jasmine nearby. Anyone try this. I can't get the hang of hand pollinating.

Hana321

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2063 on: June 27, 2017, 11:45:22 PM »
Anybody out there have ideas for fertilizers for dragon fruit cuttings. I have some cuttings that have recently rooted, and i am looking for a good feeding regiment. I have a chicken manure compost, but because they are in pots it may not be so effective. They are planted in a peat moss, perlite blend. Watered about once a week. Some of the cuttings look a little sad. A little yellowed out. Dont know if it is the sun, or lack of nutrition

RobPatterson

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2064 on: June 28, 2017, 12:17:15 AM »
Couple responses:
1. Cross pollination does often result in a genetically different variety of fruit, but the result is often a complete crap shoot as to whether you're going to get something that's better than what you started out with. Each cross picks and chooses features from the parents and adapts them to a new genetic base in the seeds of the fruit. Most often, you end up with something very similar to what you started with, sometimes so often that it takes genetic testing to even confirm a variance. This is why there are so many versions of the white and pink varieties. Each one is just a smidge different from the other, and each has its own name given to it by its proud farmer parents. But, that adds to confusion as to what variety is what, with discussions like "no, that one's skin is to thick to be XXX, it must be YYY".
I tried my hand at breeding early on, and I did end up with one plant that seems to be something new, but until I can get that confirmed by someone with a bit more knowledge than me, I'm just keeping it on the down low, as they say.
2. You should not fertilize cuttings. Until your cutting turns onto a solidly growing plant, maybe 3ft tall with a few months of actual active growing time, it should be kept in nothing more than loose or airy soil and watered occasionally. Using a cactus potting soil or some native dirt from your yard, mixed with bark, perlite, gravel, etc. to get a decent consistency for drainage, should be more than enough for a cuttings first few months of development. As a side note to that, if you're only going to raise a few plants from cuttings, I suggest starting them off in clay pots. They don't have to be large, maybe 2 quarts, just big enough to support a decent stick or small post for the plant to be attached to as it climbs. The pot will absorb water into its walls, which will help regulate soil temperature between waterings, and when its time to upgrade to the pot (or soil) you're going to have the plant live in, if the roots are too clingy or grow through the bottom of the pot, a couple whacks with a hammer or rock will crack the pot and allow you to remove the root ball with little or no damage. Sometimes transplanting can do a lot of damage as dragon fruit plants tend to have shallow roots that are fairly easy to tear.

SandyL

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2065 on: July 10, 2017, 02:38:42 PM »
Hey everyone. I've been silently reading everyone's post in the background just cause I have nothing exciting to post up until now. But unfortunately I forgot my password to my previous account thus why you'll probably notice my username is a tad bit different. I tried retrieving my password but have not yet received any email to do so even though sending in the m request and it's been over 24hrs. So I'll use this account until I can get back into my old account.
But I would like to announce that I think I might have a bud forming on my purple haze which I've planted 2 years ago.  So excite and can't wait to see if it truly is a bud or a dud. What do ya think guys?!

« Last Edit: July 10, 2017, 02:40:16 PM by SandyL »

RodneyS

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2066 on: July 10, 2017, 03:10:32 PM »
Congrats on your first flowerbud.  Hopefully it doesn't dry up on you, as can happen from time to time.

SandyL

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2067 on: July 10, 2017, 03:47:45 PM »
Congrats on your first flowerbud.  Hopefully it doesn't dry up on you, as can happen from time to time.

Thank you!! I can't believe it's actually a flower bud. I never would've  thought I would get one! Yeah, I've watched videos of people losing some buds but I hope it doesn't happen to mine. It's the only one I have so far. I would really love to be able see it bloom. 
« Last Edit: July 10, 2017, 03:49:52 PM by SandyL »

RobPatterson

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2068 on: July 11, 2017, 12:47:37 AM »
Anyone know if that variety is self fertile btw? If not, anyone in the area that can help her out with some pollen? I don't think mailing some would survive the trip

Rannman

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2069 on: July 11, 2017, 05:39:57 AM »
Has not been self fertile for me. Whether that is just where i live or not, I don't know, but even with plenty of native bees as well as European bees, I still make sure I x-pollinate otherwise I'm left with fallen flowers!
ALWAYS best to x-polllinate if you have the chance. Almost always guarantees fruit and the fruit is almost guaranteed to be bigger!
On a different note, I have had flower buds that looked like that, that have returned to vegetative growth. Also had buds return to vegetative growth, and then flower anyway, like this Purple Haze.






SandyL

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2070 on: July 11, 2017, 04:12:24 PM »
I just read on spicyexotics site that he find purple haze to not be self fertile for him. He recommends self pollinating. My neighbor also have a white variety dragon fruit. I might be able to ask her for some pollen. If not I'll just experiment with hand pollination and see what happens. Thanks Rob for the suggestion! ☺️

ricshaw

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2071 on: July 11, 2017, 08:38:42 PM »
FYI




SandyL

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2072 on: July 12, 2017, 09:23:20 PM »
Here's an update on my first flower bud.... it sure doesn't look like other dragon fruit flower buds I've seen online. I have a bad feeling that it might just revert back to a stem. Tell me it's not so?! But I do think I have another bud forming above this one. What are the chances of them both reverting back to stems...ugh... is there any know cause or it's just the way they are.


SandyL

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2073 on: July 13, 2017, 01:17:12 PM »
Here's a different view from today


fyliu

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #2074 on: July 13, 2017, 02:21:51 PM »
looks like a stem from the base of it.

Only thing you can do is don't apply any nitrogen fertilizer if you fertilize.