Grow healthy, organic Dragon Fruit easily at home.
Dragon Fruits are easy to grow! Dragon Fruit can be planted in pots or directly into soil. Read our post on how to grow Dragon Fruit at home to get started.
How do I grow Pitayas / Dragon Fruit?
GROWING DRAGON FRUIT FROM CUTTINGS
You can start dragon fruit seedlings from the seeds inside the fruit, but it is recommended that you grow dragon fruit from cuttings/cladodes.
There are many varieties of dragon fruit that range in color, flavor, and production. Some dragon fruit need to be hand pollinated, some rarely set fruit even when pollinated. Some take longer to ripen, and some take a very short period to ripen.
Be gentle with the roots of your cutting, and try not to disturb them too much. Gentle loosening of the small roots on the surface of the rootball is adequate. Plant your dragon fruit in fertile, sandy soil level with the rootball.
HOW TO GROW DRAGON FRUIT IN A CONTAINER
Choose a container that is at least 10 inches deep and 24 inches wide. This equates to about a 10-gallon pot.
Dragon fruit, also known as Pitaya, is a vining cactus, so you will need to provide a sturdy support in your container. Otherwise, the cactus will grow over the edges of your container and sprawl along the ground until it finds something to climb.
Make sure to use a sandy, well draining soil made for cactus plants. If your container does not have several drain holes, then you will need to add them so the roots of the plant never become soggy.
Pick a sunny location for your dragon fruit plant. At least 6-8 hours of sun. The plant will tolerate some shade, and may even require it in very warm environments.
Remember, anything over 100 degrees Fahrenheit will damage your dragon fruit.
Over watering will kill your dragon fruit. So give it a light mist or drip when the soil is dry, but the plant is not wilting. A drip line or mister from above works well for these plants.
To accomplish this, install a drip line and attach it to the center support in your container. Place the drip nozzle at the top of the support line and let it run down the pole.
This is the most effective way to water your dragon fruit and will keep it very happy.
