How to plant a dragon fruit tree? A step-by-step guide to the planting method
The soil for planting dragon fruit trees should preferably be sandy loam or loam rich in organic matter with good drainage, with a pH of 6-7.5. Then, dig furrows and make beds along the direction of the concrete posts, plant the seedlings right at the foot of the concrete posts, with the roots set 3-5 cm into the soil, and tie the seedlings to the concrete posts with rope. After planting, simply do a good job of fertilizing and watering.
1. Soil: Dragon fruit trees are drought-tolerant, high-temperature-tolerant and light-loving, and are not tolerant of frost or cold damage. They are not strict about soil quality; it is best to choose sandy loam or loam rich in organic matter with good drainage. You can choose cultivated land or a sunny slope. The soil pH should be 6-7.5, and it is not suitable to plant in areas where the winter temperature stays below 8 degrees for a long time.
2. Land preparation: There are many ways to plant dragon fruit trees, including wall-style planting, bridge-style planting and trellis planting, among which pillar-style planting is the most common. The so-called pillar style means erecting a concrete post or wooden post and planting 3-4 dragon fruit plants around the post, letting the dragon fruit plants grow upward along the concrete post. Dig furrows and make beds along the direction of the concrete posts, with a bed width of 1.5-2 m, and drainage and irrigation ditches and working paths 0.5 m wide. While preparing the land, bury and apply 300-500 kg of farmyard manure to improve the soil.
3. Planting: Plant 4 seedlings at the foot of each concrete post, in the four directions right next to the foot of the concrete post, with the roots set 3-5 cm into the soil, then tie the seedlings to the concrete post with rope. For planting density, a spacing of 2m×2m between plants and rows is suitable, that is, plant 166 posts per 667 m2, and plant 3 seedlings around each post, requiring 498 seedlings per 667 m2.
4. Fertilizing: For young trees (1-2 years old), mainly apply nitrogen fertilizer, applying it lightly and frequently; for mature trees (3 years old and above), mainly apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, and control the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied. Fertilizing should be done during the spring shoot sprouting period and the fruit swelling period. The fertilizer is generally a formula of oil cake residue, chicken manure and pig manure in a 1:2:7 ratio, applying 25 kg of organic fertilizer per tree each year.
5. Watering: In spring and summer, water more to keep the soil moist. When irrigating, never flood-irrigate for a long time, and do not constantly sprinkle water from beginning to end; in continuous rainy weather, drain water promptly, and in winter control water. Flood irrigation will leave the root system in a long-term oxygen-deficient state and cause death, while sprinkling water will make the humidity uneven and induce red spots (a physiological disorder).