6 Easy Steps to Grow Dragon Fruit in a Pot Harvest Fruit

Dragon fruit is an exotic tropical fruit which is also known as pitaya. You might have come across them in stores. It tastes like kiwi but way more subtle. It belongs to the family of cactuses which have the most impressive flowers in the world. The fruit is native to Central America. It usually grows in the sub-tropical and tropical climate. Take a look at the steps to grow dragon fruit in a pot. But before you start with the process, you need to keep in mind that it is planted in the hot summer months.

Choosing the Pot
Choose a ball as per the size of the plant’s root ball. Keep in mind that it has to be one or two sizes larger.
Start with the planting in 10-12 inches deep and 5-gallon pot.
Make sure that you keep repotting when the plants appear to be root bound. A pot that is 20-24 inches deep and is 25-30 gallons is capable of holding a mature dragon fruit plant.

Requirements to Grow the Fruit

Location

Like mentioned earlier, it is a cactus, this means that it loves sun and heat. So, plant in a place where it is sunny and dry. Choose a location that is partially shaded.

Support

The plant is a climbing cactus which means it requires support for climbing. With maturity, the plants develop aerial roots from the branches and get something to climb. Keep something for supporting the plant.

Soil

Choose well-drained soil which is loamy and sandy. Better get a mix of garden soil.

Water

Being a cactus, it needs moderate water. Water if only the soil dries out.

Fertilizing the Dragon Fruit

You have to fertilize the plant using a balanced fertilizer. You can do this month during the active growing season of the plant. Do not fertilize in winter in case you are growing it in cold weather. Occasionally, you can side-dress with compost or aged manure.

Pruning of the Dragon Fruit
You have to prune for training the plant on a trellis,
Prevent fungal infection
Enhance air circulation, and maintain the height. If you don’t, it might grow up to be 20 feet tall.
Prune it annually and remove the deceased and overcrowding stems.

Pollination of the Dragon Fruit

Most of the varieties are self-pollinating. However, there are some that need cross-pollination. In such cases, you will have to grow two or more of these plants closely for the purpose of cross-pollination. The flowers of the fruit are nocturnal; the pollination takes place through bats and moths.

Harvesting the Dragon Fruit

Inappropriate climate, the plant bears fruit multiple times, starting from summer until late fall and at times, in winter. However, when grown in the temperate region, fruits are borne between summers to mid-fall. The plant produces flowers with the establishment. It happens 1-2 years within the planting. Harvest the fruit when you see the color change from bright green to pink or red.

How long does it take for dragon fruit to grow?

If dragon fruit has intrigued you, the small seeds scattered throughout its flesh can be sprouted easily and grown into a dragon fruit plant of your own. Plants can begin flowering in as little as six to eight months, although container-grown plants may take up to two years to bear fruit.

Is dragon fruit easy to grow?

It’s especially easy in warm environments, but if you have a greenhouse or sun porch, you can grow dragon fruit in colder environments. Dragon fruit is an exotic fruit, and in most of the southern US, you can grow a dragon fruit plant in pots on your patio if you’re careful to protect it from cold weather.

How do you grow dragon fruit at home?

Dragon fruit grow easily from seed or cuttings. To grow from seed, squash some flesh onto paper towel and keep moist in a warm position but away from direct sunlight. Seeds will sprout 2-3 weeks later and can be potted up into punnets.

What is the growing season for dragon fruit?

The summer (June through September) is the main season for fresh dragon fruit. August and September are the peak months for most varieties; however, varieties of Selenecereus megalanthus produce fruit during the winter months of November through February (Lobo et al, 2015).

Does dragon fruit need full sun?

To grow a dragon fruit from a cutting: Prepare the soil bed. Dragon fruit needs full sun—choose a sunny area in your garden or a sunny windowsill that gets at least six hours of sunlight a day—and good drainage to avoid “wet feet.”

What is the best fertilizer for dragon fruit?

Fertilize plants once in early spring and again after the plants finish flowering with a water-soluble fertilizer such as 20-20-20. Mix 1 tablespoon of fertilizer for every gallon of water.

How do I increase my dragon fruit yield?

in length. To encourage fruiting you should give your cactus a tall, sturdy trellis to climb. Always remove damaged or dying branches. Prune the tips of the uppermost branches to encourage more lateral growth and fruit development.

How do you make dragon fruit grow faster?

Is cow manure good for dragon fruit?

If you garden organically and want to avoid chemical fertilizers, dragon fruit respond well to an application of cow manure alone. Dragon fruit do best in well-drained soils.

How do you help a dragon fruit plant?

To support a small dragon fruit plant, you can use some supporting bamboo sticks so they won’t fall over. For bigger dragon fruit trees, people build cement, plastic, or cedar trellis to hook up to 4 plants on each side. A tomato cage can also work.

What soil does dragon fruit like?

How much does dragon fruit cost?

While it’s well-known that cactus prefers “cactus mix” potting soil with plenty of sand, dragon fruit actually likes regular ol’ potting soil. You may want to add a little more sand or perelite to your mix, but any sandy loam potting soil will do.

How do you build a dragon fruit trellis?

Sometimes a dragon fruit can cost as much as $10 just for one piece of fruit. Considering that the dragon fruit is not much bigger than a large pear or a mango, this is a lot of money to spend. For those who really love dragon fruits or believe in their health benefits, there is always the option of growing your own.

How tall should dragon fruit trellis be?

How do you train a dragon fruit tree?

The height of the post can be around 5-6ft (1.5-1.8m). It’s just enough for a person to pick the fruits. And it’s not too high that the dragon fruit branches will keep climbing on forever.

Do you have to pollinate dragon fruit flowers?

How can you tell if a dragon fruit is self pollinated?

If you grow the dragon fruit cactus as a houseplant, you will have to undertake the task of hand pollinating the flowers to ensure fruit production. The dragon fruit cactus is capable of self-pollination, so you will only require one plant to produce fruit.