Dragon Fruit thread.

[Mark in Texas]

I am consistently amazed by dragonfruit flowers. I suppose this eventually gets old?

Nope 

[SandyL]

Has anyone heard of the variety Godzilla? Is it sweet , tart, brix score? Thanks!

[spaugh]

Do people in southern CA let their plants set fruit this late in the year or is it best to remove the buds and let the plants focus on current fruit set?

[ricshaw]

Do people in southern CA let their plants set fruit this late in the year or is it best to remove the buds and let the plants focus on current fruit set?

This year, my Dragon Fruit plants flowered and set fruit late! I live North of Los Angles and still have have flowers and fruit growing.

I notice that for So Cal, from South to North, San Diego County, Orange County, Los Angeles County, Ventura County, the reports of fruit set varies. The more South a County the earlier.

[spaugh]

Do people in southern CA let their plants set fruit this late in the year or is it best to remove the buds and let the plants focus on current fruit set?

This year, my Dragon Fruit plants flowered and set fruit late! I live North of Los Angles and still have have flowers and fruit growing.

I notice that for So Cal, from South to North, San Diego County, Orange County, Los Angeles County, Ventura County, the reports of fruit set varies. The more South a County the earlier.

My plants have been fruiting for months and are still making buds.  It seems a bit late to let those set fruit though?  Will thry ripen inyo november/december or will the fruit be a waste?

[ricshaw]

FYI: At this year's Dragon Fruit Festival, one of the speakers talked about Dragon Fruit grown commercially in Israel. One of the growers mentioned a Winter crop. We concluded that since they have developed Megalanthus hybrids, these like our Frankie's Red, do not ripen until late Fall, early Winter.

[K-Rimes]

My plants from Spaugh are blowing up with more buds again. I had planned to re-home them all into 25 gallon pots with big trellis but sort of think to hold back now since they are budding again.

It would seem to me they'll bud and potentially fruit, but with a cold or not snap you'll lose them. That happened to most of my flowers this year.

Another thought: I get out at night to pollinate, but the bees show up in full force by 8-9am. Is it possible they're taking the pollen I used to pollinate such that I won't get fruit set?

[ricshaw]

Another thought: I get out at night to pollinate, but the bees show up in full force by 8-9am. Is it possible they're taking the pollen I used to pollinate such that I won't get fruit set?

No... I doubt that it works that way.  Bees are taking pollen from the male antlers.

[Rannman]

The bees hit my flowers in the early afternoon before the flowers even open. Crawling past the stamen to get at the pollen. By the time I go out at 10pm there is generally no pollen left. I generally have to bag a few flowers to ensure pollen.

[spaugh]

Birds figured out my DF are yummy and started pecking holes in them as soon as thry start turning red.  Here's my decoy painted rocks I'm putting around the plants to hopefully discourage the birds.  It's burgundy krylon in case anyone needs to do the same.

[dnguyen]

Birds figured out my DF are yummy and started pecking holes in them as soon as thry start turning red.  Here's my decoy painted rocks I'm putting around the plants to hopefully discourage the birds.  It's burgundy krylon in case anyone needs to do the same.

hahaha. this is genius! gotta try this next spring for my other fruits.

[K-Rimes]

Birds figured out my DF are yummy and started pecking holes in them as soon as thry start turning red.  Here's my decoy painted rocks I'm putting around the plants to hopefully discourage the birds.  It's burgundy krylon in case anyone needs to do the same.

This is hilarious and I hope it works.

[sosamo]

I got these yellow variety dragon fruit plant from Ebay. I thought they were cuttings, but they were like 5" plant from seeds.  I didn't know it will take 4yrs+ to fruit.  Should I try to graft a couple of them to my Vietnamese white rootstock? My Vietnamese white in the ground though.  Maybe take a vietnamese white cutting, root it in a pot, then try the graft?

[Ulfr]

Finally made post tops for my concrete posts. My concrete posts were  made using 150mm pvc pipe as the mould so I used pipe and a cap as a frame for the top and welded up rebar through/around it. I filled inside the top with concrete to support the rebar. They slip on and are very sturdy. Can also be replaced if the rebar ever rusts out.

[spaugh]

The fake painted rock dragon fruits totally got rid of the birds.  They were pecking every fruit now not a single one is pecked!

[spaugh]

I got these yellow variety dragon fruit plant from Ebay. I thought they were cuttings, but they were like 5" plant from seeds.  I didn't know it will take 4yrs+ to fruit.  Should I try to graft a couple of them to my Vietnamese white rootstock? My Vietnamese white in the ground though.  Maybe take a vietnamese white cutting, root it in a pot, then try the graft?

It wont take 4 years.  Probably 2 years.  I wouldnt bother trying to graft them, just let them do their thing.

[sosamo]

I got these yellow variety dragon fruit plant from Ebay. I thought they were cuttings, but they were like 5" plant from seeds.  I didn't know it will take 4yrs+ to fruit.  Should I try to graft a couple of them to my Vietnamese white rootstock? My Vietnamese white in the ground though.  Maybe take a vietnamese white cutting, root it in a pot, then try the graft?

It wont take 4 years.  Probably 2 years.  I wouldnt bother trying to graft them, just let them do their thing.

Thanks. I'll let it be.  I read some ppl say 4-6yrs from seeds.

[K-Rimes]

Finished the remaining two stands needed for Spaughs df plants he sold me. Added some coco coir mat around the post to help cushion the df. I’m also adding a couple other types to each 25 gallon pot so I can cross pollinate.

[K-Rimes]

[kimjy3]

The stands look super sturdy and nice. Can I ask how are they being propped up like that?

[K-Rimes]

I put four pieces of 1x2 on the bottom of the stands that go out to the edges of the pot and lock it in. I know these will rot eventually, but I hope and figure the weight of the DF on top and the root system should secure them over time. It isn't windy at my house at all (it's very well protected actually).

[FamilyJ]

Karma, I thought people on my group "US Dragon Fruit Growers" and then I got fruit on a 1-month-old cutting which almost never happens but just want to show it is totally possible

[Forester]

Hi guys, today I brought my dragonfruits to the house. Some reach a size of 2.5 meters. Can i crop it? What is the acceptable height for the main stem?

[Anto989]

Just want to share one of my last photo with you all:

South Italy - dragon fruit farm:

[nosoup4u]

Anyone know what these orange/brown spots are and if I should do anything about it?  They don't easily scrape off, need to dig out a little bit of flesh to remove them.  First year growing df - just had two weeks of pretty wet weather, wondering if it's some kind of fungus and if common fungicides would be effective?