How to Propagate Dragon Fruit? A Detailed Introduction to Common Propagation Methods
Dragon fruit is a perennial climbing succulent plant, and it is usually not propagated by seed. In our daily life, the most commonly used method for growing dragon fruit is cutting propagation, followed by the newer dragon fruit grafting technique. Below, let us take a closer look at these two dragon fruit propagation methods.
1. Cutting Propagation
Cutting propagation is the most commonly used and also the simplest propagation method, and the best time for cuttings is generally spring. First, we need to select thick, vigorously growing stem segments to use as planting stems, then cut the planting stems into small sections of about 15 cm, and let the wounds air-dry, while at the same time keeping the planting stems moist. Once the planting stems are prepared, they can be inserted into a sand bed for cultivation. No watering is needed within the first week; generally, you have to wait about ten days before watering. Under normal conditions, roots will form in about half a month, but special cases cannot be ruled out, and roots will form within about one month at the latest. When the root system of the dragon fruit seedlings grown from cuttings has grown fairly vigorously, they can then be transplanted to the field.
2. Grafting
Dragon fruit grafting has actually only become popular in recent years, but its grafting technique is still very difficult. This is because there are not many types of rootstock to choose from, and the grafting method differs somewhat from grafting other fruit trees. Let us analyze this in detail below.
1. Selection of Rootstock and Scion
Because dragon fruit varieties differ, the choice of rootstock also differs, and if the rootstock is not chosen correctly, grafting success will be very difficult. For example, yellow-fleshed dragon fruit requires wild triangular cactus (Hylocereus trigonus) or queen of the night (Selenicereus grandiflorus) as rootstock, while red-fleshed dragon fruit can use white-fleshed dragon fruit as rootstock. For the scion, we need to select current-year, robust, pest- and disease-free scions of excellent varieties.
2. Grafting Time
When dragon fruit is propagated by grafting, it also has requirements for the grafting time. Moreover, the suitable time for grafting dragon fruit is actually very ample; generally, from March each year all the way to October, grafting can be done. During this period, the temperature is basically between 20 and 30°C, when dragon fruit grafted seedlings have a strong healing ability, which can increase the survival rate of grafting.
3. Grafting Methods
Before grafting, the grafting tools must be disinfected to avoid bacterial infection and prevent it from affecting the grafting survival rate. Next, there are two dragon fruit grafting methods, namely the flat grafting method and the wedge grafting method. The flat grafting method mainly involves making a horizontal cut on the rootstock, then closely joining the rootstock and scion, fixing them with a special tool, and tying them tightly with fine string. The wedge grafting method involves making a vertical slit in the rootstock, then cutting the scion into a duck-bill shape and inserting it into the slit, finally fixing it with plastic adhesive tape and wrapping it with cling film.
That is all for today's sharing of dragon fruit propagation methods. In fact, if dragon fruit is grown in pots, it can also be propagated by seed. The temperature for seed cultivation should be kept at around 25°C, and it also has relatively high requirements for the growing medium. If you would like to know the specific methods, you can leave us a message below.