When is the best time to plant dragon fruit?

There is a kind of fruit that is jokingly called "See you tomorrow" by many netizens. As for why it is called this name, those who understand will naturally understand. Yes, this fruit is pitaya . There are mainly two types of pitaya: red heart and white heart. The price of red heart is slightly higher than that of white heart. Let’s find out together when is the best time to plant dragon fruit?

When is the best time to plant dragon fruit?

Dragon fruit is a tropical and subtropical fruit , suitable for year-round cultivation, especially in spring. After planting dragon fruit, it takes about 12 to 14 months for it to start blooming and bearing fruit. The main fruit-producing period of pitaya is from April to November each year, and it usually takes 30 to 40 days from the withering of the flowers to the ripening of the fruit.

Common diseases and pests of pitaya

(1) Red spider mites: They belong to the class Arachnida, order Acarina, family Tetranychidae and can harm more than 110 plant species. In pitaya orchards, it mainly harms new shoots. The female mites are dark red and oval in shape. Prevention and control methods include spraying with 1.8% avermectin emulsifiable concentrate, 73% cypermethrin emulsifiable concentrate and other agents.

(2) Looper pests: mainly poisonous looper and green-fronted looper, which harm new shoots. The adult body is about 11mm long and has a wingspan of about 25mm. Prevention and control methods include manual capture of adult insects, biological control, and spraying with 1.5% emamectin benzoate emulsifiable concentrate and other pesticides.

(3) Pests of caterpillar moths: mainly two-lined caterpillar moth, yellow caterpillar moth and green caterpillar moth, which harm the tender stems of plants. Adults are 10-20 mm long and larvae are 21-31 mm long. Prevention and control methods include light trapping of adult insects and chemical control, such as 1.5% emamectin benzoate emulsifiable concentrate.

(4) Soft rot: It usually occurs during the pitaya growing season (June to August). After infection, spots will appear on the surface of the plant. The spots will then increase in size and darken in color. Finally, the plant will become soft and rot.

(5) Ulcer disease: It is prone to break out in high temperature and high humidity environments and is a disease caused by fungi. The lesions are initially infiltrative and translucent, and in the later stages the diseased tissues appear soft and rotten.

(6) Stem blight: occurs in the fleshy stem of pitaya, mostly in the middle and lower nodes. The lesions dry up and turn into gray-brown or gray-white, with a slightly sunken center.

(7) Scab: The disease often occurs between the two edges of older nodes, and irregular brick-red necrotic spots or rust necrotic spots appear on the outside of the diseased stems.

(8) Blackthorn whitefly: The nymphs live in the dark side of pitaya, sucking juice and inducing severe sooty mold.

(9) Wax mealybug: It mainly harms new shoots. It attaches itself to the edge of the stem and inserts its beak-like mouth into the stem to absorb nutrients.

(10) Scale insects: They often attach themselves to the branches and leaves of pitaya, sucking juice and causing harm. In severe cases, they can cause the death of the entire plant.

In short, as a tropical fruit, pitaya is only suitable for cultivation in a few qualified areas in my country, and it is also necessary to pay attention to planting at the right time.