Author Topic: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?  (Read 4132 times)

Plantinyum

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Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« on: August 12, 2022, 10:38:38 AM »
Hi, What are the ways, ive read before u can prune the older hanging branches/ tip them, and this forces the same branch to flower, true?
Ive read about drought stress resulting in blooming? Curently i am watering the plants, not alot, i wait for them to dry out a bit.
Ive also read here that one can promote flowering with a ferilizer with a high middle number. I have watered the plants in the last 3 weeks or so 3 times with a cactus fertilizer with an npk number of 3-5-7? Is that good ?
I think the cacti should be rady to bloom, ive seen pics of plants that have half the mass of mine, that are blooming and fruiting. I do not know the varieties of mine.
I am thinking of trying the pruning of the older branches thing, to see if this will make a difference and probably get a fert that forces blooming, its around time for them to start giving....










 Thanks for taking time to help !

K-Rimes

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2022, 02:56:43 PM »
I am getting really good blooms now on my large plants, and some of my smaller ones too.

Some things I've tried and seen results from:

1. Tipping large branches - this seems to work. The plant flowers profusely right at the tip where I cut. If the plant is not old enough it will just branch and grow more vegetatively.

2. Remove small branches, low branches, and cuttings off those small "internode" branches - this seems to help the plant have enough energy to fruit. The really little branches and internodes do not produce flowers for me so I cut them off.

3. Using high P fertilizer - man, good luck burning dragonfruit with fertilizer. I put down so much slow release you can't even see soil sometimes and they don't mind. I've tried powdered and liquid high P ferts like 5-50-5 and they seemed to respond with flowers.

4. Branches that point downward seem to produce - I don't know if there is science to this, but it seems that branches that are hanging downward always produce.

Your plants are big enough for sure.

JCorte

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2022, 03:32:52 PM »
Hi Platinyum,

Have you seen the youtube channel Grafting Dragon Fruit?  He has great videos on all aspects of growing, fruiting, and grafting dragon fruit.  Highly recommended.  Here are links to 3 videos on stimulating buds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq5uUIAeUA0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dweM-_6_2YM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t1v59tnpG4

Good luck!
Janet

Plantinyum

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #3 on: August 12, 2022, 03:42:58 PM »
Thanks for the fast replies!!

K-Rimes, i will cut the tips of the oldest branches and i also do have such small parts that i can cut off. Nice to know that they are hard to over fertilize, when i read how much fert u are using i am now sure mine are underfed!

JCorte , yes i was watching his videos today and saw his reccomendation on the flora nova bloom fertilizer, well i found it in a agro store in Sofia so i am going tomorrow on shopping and will be aplying it afap! 

K-Rimes

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #4 on: August 12, 2022, 07:11:25 PM »
Thanks for the fast replies!!

K-Rimes, i will cut the tips of the oldest branches and i also do have such small parts that i can cut off. Nice to know that they are hard to over fertilize, when i read how much fert u are using i am now sure mine are underfed!

JCorte , yes i was watching his videos today and saw his reccomendation on the flora nova bloom fertilizer, well i found it in a agro store in Sofia so i am going tomorrow on shopping and will be aplying it afap!

FloraNova bloom is ok but kind of weak. See if they have KoolBloom which is something like 5-40-5, and even cheaper since it''s granular. I think I was using around 1tbsp per gallon of water so about 12.5g / 4 liters. I think just a week of applications of that (I water every day because it's 40c here often) and flower buds came out.


John B

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #5 on: August 13, 2022, 02:31:14 AM »
Janet always provides great advice, but I do agree with K-Rimes on this one. Floranova is an overpriced marijuana fertilizer. Go with the cheapest bloom fertilizer; dragon fruit are not picky! There are of course differences between organically grown vs. not organically grown. On top of what K-Rimes mentioned (follow those), a few suggestions based on your greenhouse growing.

1. Your plants can use more light. If you can provide that, great, if not, try boosting them with a 0-10-10  to bloom. I typically provide a 0-10-10 from June to October in my climate. The plants get less early blooms, but have multiple summer/early fall bloom flushes. My plants do get a bit yellow with heat, but I am growing for fruit, not to sell cuttings.

2. Df LOVE organic material, I mentioned that I only provide the 0-10-10, but I still provide chicken manure every other month. This provides additional slow release nitrogen and soil microbe development.

3. No to very little watering in the fall/winter. Then zap them early spring with a balanced fertilizer to really wake them up. Again, any cheap complete fertilizer or compost. This usually always guarantees a good bloom in the spring.

Your plants look great. Time to get them to fruit!

If you want to watch a true pro, start watching this guy: https://youtube.com/c/FerryMan

Plantinyum

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #6 on: August 13, 2022, 03:04:05 AM »
 K-Rimes, i didnt find cool bloom in the stores where i am heading today, i found BIG BUD along other brands....so u say that i just need a fert with a higher middle number, and anything that is like that would work ?

John B , this year i did not gave manure to any of the plants, which is a mistake on my part, usually i apply it around spring. However i covered the ground in the gh with a 1-2 cm of well aged compost and gave a granular fert with numbers 15-15-15 to all of the plants, a week or so ago.

More light will be hard for me to provide since they are in the back of the gh and the avocado and cherimoyas infront are getting massive...i think they do get light from the above, they do not look etiolated to me and grow nice fat vines.
When i am at the store i will check the ferts ,yes they are pricey and the flora nova also is, but since i saw the video with the fast results from it, i just want to simulate this hopefully, other more organical ways also work without doubt but i need to do this fast , i am awready late for forcing blooms on them so come september and theres no poit of forcing flowers, it just wont happen trought winter here.......

Plantinyum

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #7 on: August 13, 2022, 08:22:10 AM »
Heres what i got ...


 1- cactus and succulents
2 - advanced hydroponics of holland/ bloom - npk- 0.4-5,5-5,4; this one is close to the 0-10-10 fert suggested above.
3 - flora nova max bloom - npk- 4-8-7
I will dose them today with the last one and prune the branch tips....
Wondering if i should also water with theese the surinam cherry, coffee which has several buds that do not develop further and the avocado.??
« Last Edit: August 13, 2022, 08:24:55 AM by Plantinyum »

JCorte

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #8 on: August 13, 2022, 01:36:16 PM »
Just to clarify, I wasn't advising to use the specific product recommended by Richard on his youtube channel.  I have not used that product.  I do think it's important to feed your plants with proper nutrients, including micronutrients, and feeding soil biology whether you choose chemical or organic.  I recommend foliar applications of chelated micronutrients in addition to the n-p-k for best fruit quality.

Janet

John B

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #9 on: August 13, 2022, 10:45:36 PM »
Be careful with the AH bloom, I believe that is just an isolated macronutrient of P-K. No micros, so can throw your ratios out of equilibrium. It is typically added with their micro portion. As Janet mentions, micro's are really important.

Different varieties of DF are sensitive to light changes. Growing vs bloom are two different things. More light typically means more blooms. Not saying you won't be successful, just may not get as many flowers under limited light.

Galatians522

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #10 on: August 13, 2022, 11:39:05 PM »
They use electric light bulbs in some countries to force Dragonfruit to bloom off season. It would probably take less than 6 hrs to get blooms if the days were already long.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/dragon-fruit-can-be-now-cultivated-out-season-using-light-bulbs-408090%3Famp&ved=2ahUKEwin3o-bssX5AhX8UjABHXSNBYsQFnoECB4QAQ&usg=AOvVaw2HXnJrIOKzJcSsN86pqmti

Plantinyum

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #11 on: August 14, 2022, 01:57:35 AM »
JCorte, no worries, i was hooked on the idea of this fert, i will try it ,if it works or doesnt ist ok.

JohnB ,yes the advanced hydroponics is just a pk fert, i didnt saw any N it it, thanks for clarifying this, i will be carefull with this one and prolly use it added into the fish emulsion that i have ? Will this be ok?
Its probably too late in the season to generate blooms on them, i should have done it back in early june...i will try still since the days are still long and the temps are apropriate.

Galatians522, ive seen pictures of those plantations with the light bulbs above every plant, looks very nice when they are on in the dark. I'll try with ferts and the pruning and see how it goes, if it doesnt work i will just wait for next year and do the ferts at the right time. Just want to keep it as simple as possible, i like the idea 💡 and i have only 2 plants so will look into this if the other methods do not work....i guess the bulbs should be the right collor of light, like the regular ones wont suffice....?

palmcity

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #12 on: August 14, 2022, 10:45:31 AM »
Hi, What are the ways, ive read before u can prune the older hanging branches/ tip them, and this forces the same branch to flower, true?
Ive read about drought stress resulting in blooming?

I have about a 5 ft. dead oak of over 5 years with many dragon fruit growing up it. This has been the least rain in the summer that I remember at this location. The dragon fruit have responded with the most flowers and fruit of any year in the past.... Interesting that you brought drought up. Also I have not thrown any fertilizer on mine since at least last December. Could be by chance or could be what you mentioned drought as a possibility... I'm sure the big growers would have a much better idea than I and would like to hear from someone growing 12 or more pole plantings etc. to chime in with what do they do to increase blooming odds and fruit production

Galatians522

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #13 on: August 14, 2022, 01:44:19 PM »
Hi, What are the ways, ive read before u can prune the older hanging branches/ tip them, and this forces the same branch to flower, true?
Ive read about drought stress resulting in blooming?

I have about a 5 ft. dead oak of over 5 years with many dragon fruit growing up it. This has been the least rain in the summer that I remember at this location. The dragon fruit have responded with the most flowers and fruit of any year in the past.... Interesting that you brought drought up. Also I have not thrown any fertilizer on mine since at least last December. Could be by chance or could be what you mentioned drought as a possibility... I'm sure the big growers would have a much better idea than I and would like to hear from someone growing 12 or more pole plantings etc. to chime in with what do they do to increase blooming odds and fruit production

We had a whole row at one point. We had no trouble getting blooms. Fruit set was the issue. Whenever it rained no fruits set--even with hand pollination. When the weather was dry, tons of fruit set even without hand pollination. I'm not sure if the rain washes the pollen off or if high humidity makes it less viable or both. That is actually why I started studying the lights to see if we could get them to bloom about a month earlier before the rainy season started.

Galatians522

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #14 on: August 14, 2022, 02:00:07 PM »
Plantinyum, I think the old incandescent bulbs work better from what I have read. I believe you are right and that it is because of the spectrum of light they produce. I also believe that there is no substitute for the light requirement. Just like there is no substitute for winter chill with stone fruit. Fertilizer and pruning can help a plant have a stronger bloom, but they can't actually make it bloom. We tried a potassium nitrate spray that was supposed to induce bloom in Dragonfruit once but it didn't work. Maybe we didn't do it right. If anyone has different info I am all ears.

Plantinyum

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #15 on: August 14, 2022, 02:31:19 PM »
Well actually i can get them more light without additional lighting via bulbs at this time . I just have to remove the shade cloth, i have a shade cloth which is prolly like 30- 50 percent , i wonder really if i should remove it, i placed it since it was getting way to hot in the gh in the hot summer day. We will have some more of those so i dont know if its a good idea to remove it all, however it is placed in such a way that i can roll it a bit from the dragon fruits side and they will be getting the full sunshine trought the polly. I may do this tomorrol...

JCorte

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #16 on: August 14, 2022, 03:18:39 PM »
Here is a video by Gray Martin, a commercial dragon fruit grower and breeder in San Diego county, showing even a little shade can impact flowering.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9tLmW3a3Gc

Janet

Plantinyum

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #17 on: August 14, 2022, 03:34:12 PM »
Here is a video by Gray Martin, a commercial dragon fruit grower and breeder in San Diego county, showing even a little shade can impact flowering.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9tLmW3a3Gc

Janet
Wow thanks for this ! Its also clear for me from the video that the plants near the trees also do not have the same vigor as the ones in the sun. I will roll up a little the shade cloth tomorrow, just enough so the dragons have the full light, i will leave the rest since this week were having another heat wave....
Thas video was quite clear in its message, dragonfruit and shade dont get along apparently....

K-Rimes

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #18 on: August 15, 2022, 01:49:04 PM »
There is a strange obsession with USA dragonfruit collectors to provide shade for them. I don't get it. There are huge farms all around the world with DF exposed to full beating sun. In my case, they are regularly abused with 100f+ sun at 2200' elevation and though they do yellow and sometimes scar, they always heal in the winter and go back to green. That video confirms my suspicions that it's not worth shading them.

Back to fertilizer for a second: I also had really good luck using fish bone meal to induce flowering and it's dirt cheap. Smells horrible though. My landlord's toddler puked when he came up and put his nose by my dragonfruit stands.

Lately I have been being really lazy and I no longer use any liquid or powdered fertilizer, it's just too expensive and time consuming. I use a standard citrus avo granular which is 6-4-6 and I am getting adequate flowers. I'll dose it with bone meal this week to see if I can get one last massive flowering event before "winter" sets in here.

As John B noted, chicken manure fertilizer is also pefect to get vegetative growth and I also use that in the spring. I taper off using it by fall so they aren't putting out little shoots that will inevitably get zapped by frost.

Plantinyum

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #19 on: August 15, 2022, 02:18:03 PM »
There is a strange obsession with USA dragonfruit collectors to provide shade for them. I don't get it. There are huge farms all around the world with DF exposed to full beating sun. In my case, they are regularly abused with 100f+ sun at 2200' elevation and though they do yellow and sometimes scar, they always heal in the winter and go back to green. That video confirms my suspicions that it's not worth shading them.

Back to fertilizer for a second: I also had really good luck using fish bone meal to induce flowering and it's dirt cheap. Smells horrible though. My landlord's toddler puked when he came up and put his nose by my dragonfruit stands.

Lately I have been being really lazy and I no longer use any liquid or powdered fertilizer, it's just too expensive and time consuming. I use a standard citrus avo granular which is 6-4-6 and I am getting adequate flowers. I'll dose it with bone meal this week to see if I can get one last massive flowering event before "winter" sets in here.

As John B noted, chicken manure fertilizer is also pefect to get vegetative growth and I also use that in the spring. I taper off using it by fall so they aren't putting out little shoots that will inevitably get zapped by frost.

Isnt fish bone meal close or the same as fish emulsion? I have a 10 liter bucket of homemade fish emulsion that i awlays forget to use.....
Haha that funny with the kid that puked, emulsion also smells nasty but is worth it!
Well on the shade i do not do it on purpose, i mean i would like the plants to be in a 100% sun but it just gets too hot in the greenhouse for the other plants, the temp reaches 35-6C with the shade on and with 2 open doors and top windows....
I adjusted the shade cloth today and now they are getting all the light with just the policarbonate barier .
Avocado and 2 cherimoyas got too big and are shading the dragons but theres nothing i can do about that....

John B

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #20 on: August 16, 2022, 04:48:48 PM »
Plantinyum, I think you should return the 0-10-10. It's usually used in conjunction with a micronutrient or grow solution to create custom NPK ratios. I'm not a chemistry expert. But you can do more harm then good if you apply too much of individual macro nutrients because of nutrient lockout or burn. Even using the floranova is fine. I've used maxibloom with great results as well and it is cheap.

If your shade cloth is ~50%, that certainly is way too much. Cherimoya do just fine with a hard prune, so maybe try that next grow season and see how it does (with the shade cloth removed).



Plantinyum

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Re: Forcing dragon fruit to bloom ?
« Reply #21 on: August 26, 2022, 10:50:00 PM »
I may have done the stupidest shit ever....i watered the dragons yesterday with the flora nova, BUT i used 9 times the rate that i should have used, the label said i should use 0.8 ml to a liter of water, well i instead use 8 ml per liter, that would be almost a 100 ml to a waterring can of 12 leters. I only thought about this when i had awready watered them and a possion fruit nearby,  so after that i tried to flush the soil just like a hurricane would, with alot of water! Hopefully the do not end up burning, if that doesnt make them bloom then i dont know what will .....🥲🥲