How to Grow Dragon Fruit? A Full Breakdown of Planting Techniques and Timing
Dragon fruit is a fruit with relatively high nutritional value; it is fairly common on the market today, and its market prospects are stable. It is mainly and widely grown in southern China. Because it has relatively high temperature requirements for growth, some people do not get very ideal results when growing it. Today Qinong Net will walk you through dragon fruit growing methods.
I. Planting Time
Many people think dragon fruit can be planted in all four seasons, and that is true, but that is taking tropical regions as the example. In China, the most suitable time is still spring, generally starting in March-April. Dragon fruit is a fruit that leans tropical, and its temperature requirements are generally above 18°C; when temperatures rise above 40°C, the trees will be damaged. So in China, spring is generally just right, and by the hot summer we can already harvest, so yields will not be reduced.
II. Planting Methods
1. Land Selection
In fact, dragon fruit has very low soil requirements, and it can also be grown in somewhat barren places, but that requires broad application of fertilizer, and the size and taste may not meet standards, causing economic losses. Generally, normal cultivated land or sloped terraced soil is fine, but for high yields you should still choose land with long direct sunlight, good soil permeability, and easy irrigation and drainage, so that routine manual management requires much less worry.
2. Fertilizer and Water Management
Dragon fruit has multiple harvests and can be picked several times a year, so its fertilization should be frequent and in small amounts. Dragon fruit is a plant with a relatively shallow root system, so our routine watering needs to be concentrated at the roots; otherwise the water we pour seeps directly underground, and if the roots cannot absorb it, the watering is wasted. After each flowering, fertilization should begin, mainly with organic fertilizer, scattered around the roots to aid absorption. If conditions allow, some farmyard manure can be applied to maintain the plant's overall nutritional needs.
3. Field Management
After planting dragon fruit, supports should be set up around it, and the plant should be tied to the supports to help it grow. In daily field work, dead branches need to be cleared away. Generally, when the branches reach 1.2 m, the growing tip is removed; this is done to ensure that the dragon fruit's nutrients can be supplied to the other healthy branches to the greatest extent, so that it bears fruit better. When the weather is too hot, use broad watering to cool things down with water vapor; the water sprayed should ideally mimic fine rain, so as not to damage the roots.
The above is some relevant information about growing dragon fruit. As a fruit that leans tropical, if the winter temperature where you are is below 5°C, it is not recommended to grow it. Some people say you can build a greenhouse; here the editor tells you that in that case your costs are far less worthwhile and easy than growing something else.