When is the best season to plant dragon fruit?

Pitaya is a kind of tropical fruit . Many people have only seen pitaya in fruit stores or supermarkets, and rarely grow it at home. Pitaya is grown in Hainan, Guangdong and other regions of China. So when is the best season to grow pitaya? Let’s take a look below.

1. When is the best season to plant dragon fruit?

Dragon fruit can be grown all year round, but the best time is in spring, March and April. The temperature during this period is the most suitable growth stage for pitaya to accumulate nutrients, so this period is the most suitable time to plant pitaya.

2. How to plant pitaya

1. Seed selection and seedling cultivation

Choose healthy dragon fruit seeds or cuttings. If you use cuttings for propagation, choose healthy, pest-free, mature 1-2 year old branches with a length of about 40-50cm. After cutting, place them in a cool and ventilated place to dry, and then plant them after the incision has scabped over.

2. Soil and Fertilization

Red dragon fruit has high requirements for soil drainage and is suitable for planting in loose, fertile, high-organic-matter and well-drained soil. During the planting process, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium fertilizers, and an appropriate amount of organic fertilizer need to be applied regularly to meet the nutritional needs of red dragon fruit.

3. Irrigation

Although dragon fruit is a tropical plant, its demand for water is not high. Excessive water will cause the roots to rot. Therefore, irrigation should be based on the principle of not soaking the soil to avoid the soil being too wet for a long time. Generally speaking, irrigation should be done 1-2 times a week in spring and summer, and the number of irrigations should be reduced appropriately in autumn and winter depending on the temperature and soil moisture conditions.

4. Brackets and pruning

Red dragon fruit is a vine plant and needs sufficient support to support its growth. Generally, scaffolding, columns, etc. can be used to provide support for it. At the same time, the vines should be pruned regularly to avoid being too dense and affecting ventilation and sunlight.

5. Pest and disease control

Common diseases and pests of red dragon fruit include pitaya rust, dieback disease, pitaya mites, etc. It is necessary to observe the condition of the plants regularly and deal with diseases and pests in a timely manner. Various methods can be adopted, including physical control, chemical control and biological control.

6. Harvest

It usually takes 30-50 days for dragon fruit to mature from flowering to fruit ripening. The fruit is bright in color, has a slightly hard skin, and is elastic when pressed lightly, so it can be harvested.

That’s it