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OT Dragon Fruit

Is there anyone here growing Dragon Fruit in Texas? I have gotten several varieties and would like to compare notes. There isn't much info out there (like there is here for figs) and I'm thinking it might just be a big crap shoot. Trial and error to the death?

I grew them back in high school. I used the school's greenhouse to house them. Man those things grow fast!! In SW Houston there is a large Asian population that grow them too. Give it a shot. 

I don't live in Texas but I do grow Dragon Fruits. They are easy to grow and very fast growers. I also have several varieties.

I really appreciate input from both of you. I'm not trying to exclude anyone from the discussion by location, I am trying to get a firm handle on cold hardiness if you can even call it that. Some sources say they can't take the back end of 40F and others insist they can go through a light freeze unscathed.

You both know these things can be several hundred pounds of just plant never mind dirt and a bit unwieldy to move back and forth. I would prefer to get to building a greenhouse on my own time not because I've stocked up on something so delicate that you can't blow cold air on it for a minute :)

Those of you not familiar with the greater Houston area, it can be warm and sunny then the news comes on and they say, a cold front is coming through and by 4:30 this afternoon we will be to 34F, just for example. You can almost set your watch because right around 4:30 the wind turns cold all of a sudden. It will probably last for 1 or 2 nights then back to normal temps. I remember when we first moved down here I laughed really hard because I got up and the newscaster was quite upset and harried stating "Houston has been under a freeze for 6 hours" meaning they had been at 32F for 6 hours. I was thinking to myself "and? so?" being used to temps dipping slightly below freezing regularly in the winter in Seattle.

I understand now, the poor bugger was probably losing all the tender sub tropical plants in his yard not thinking he was going to freeze to death. It sucks that we learn these things by experiencing them. I lost every singly Pygmy Date Palm in my yard that year. I now understand that they can be annuals if it gets into the mid 30's and stays there for a couple of days. I also know my bananas will die back to the ground and start over in spring. :( I'm never gonna taste fruit off them!

just remember that the pitaya is a cactus. they root very fast as some root grow out of nowhere along the plant. Thay also uses those to grab a hold of something as they grow because they get very top heavy. If I had the space I would grow one. YouTube should have on growing them.

Youtube is surprisingly bereft of much useful information on this.

Here is a picture of my Halley's Comet. The other varieties have much larger pots. This one will have to be partially buried to keep it from tipping over.

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Tami, here is a pic of mine. There one forum member who is a wealth of knowledge about growing dragon fruit. Maybe he will comment.

That's awesome Mike, maybe I can give you some starts in the fall.

That would be nice. If you don't have these three maybe we can swap. I will have to build a trellis soon, that is if we ever get sunshine again. Two days now without and about to
pour again after over 4 inches yesterday.

I have;
American Beauty
Purple Haze
Voodoo Child
Physical Grafitti
Halley's Comet
Dark Star
Cosmic Charlie
2 unknown

Wow,, nice collection. Roger White is only one I have that you don't and its growing the least so far.

After purchasing a dragon fruit at the store in chinatown I got to eat what tasted like a big fat mouthful of unflavored yogurt with crunchies in it. Ever since I have an aversion to white fleshed dragon fruit. If yours actually tastes good please let me know and I might try to grow some. (I'm getting the creepies just remembering that!)

Thank you so much Dave, I've got some reading to do and I'm excited!

I got my Dark Star potted up today. It is surrounded by my Berbera, Black Madiera, Flat Black Madiera and, Fracazzano Nero.

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Very nice

Nice setup Javajunkie!

I am growing a good deal of dragon fruit vines, I have many in 1 gal containers (keeping it that way until I move them to permanent spots). Physical Graffiti is one of the fastest growers for me and will multiply segments quite fast.

For those growing Dragon Fruit below zone 10a, I suggest you stay away from Selenicereus megalanthus. It did not flower until the fall and set fruit into the winter (which dropped off when we got a cold spike in the low 30s) Dragon fruit should overwinter inside fine, as long as its kept in a dry location with 4 hours or so of sunlight and temps above 30 degrees. Watering can be kept with a minimum especially if temps are below 60 (once every 2 weeks, or depending on medium moisture).

The fruit flowers and sets in the summer (around August). Depending on the selection it may fruit in late July to September (later if its Selenicereus megalanthus). The vines like high intensity filtered light in the majority of the plant with the top end of the vines reaching for full sun. If you have some humidity in the climate and temps are under 85 (don't worry to much about vine burn). Those in intense summer heat like AZ and TX, shade cloth might be a good idea. Don't be to shy with organic fertilizers during the long warm days of summer. Vines are receptive to foliar feeding at night especially feeding through the aerial roots.

You can get decent yields (from what I seen) in 10 to 15 gal containers. A porous well draining mix is optimal with 2-3 watering per week during hot days of summer. Once the vines get enough mass and are given some potassium flowering should commence in June.-July. I recommend that some of the watering cycles during the last phases of fruit development is withheld, so BRIX can increase and vines can use excess store of water and nutrients.

Thank you nullzero, that is exactly the information I was looking for. I was afraid of putting them in the sun because it seems like this year in particular it is burning everything, even my in ground Black Mission! I will hold watering as you suggest but I was worried because my figs want it every day now. It's just been stifling until this week and we are getting a short reprieve, but it did get to 94F today.

dragon fruit interests me. but i heard they bloom at night and need to be hand pollinated during that time? 

bullet08,

Some dragon fruit selections are self pollinating, while others needs hand pollination at night. Purple Haze is a self pollinating variety.

what are some self pollinating varies? i keep plumerias that flower every yr and kept in garage over the winter. 

Self pollinating varieties;

Condor
Vietnamese White
Sugar Dragon
Purple Haze
American Beauty
Dark Star
Delight
Makisupa
Neitzel
Voodo Child
Zamorano
Cosmic Charlie

many others... not sure where to find out the info yet on them. Btw this is a great site for reference http://www.tropicalfruitnursery.com/dragon/

why do i have feeling whoever named these fruits was big time jimmy hendrix fan? 

Nullzero,
I was under the impression that Sugar Dragon and Voodoo Child were the same variety, what is the difference do you know by chance?

Pete,
I've heard some people hand pollinate to increase production but I've also heard it was a pretty simple process with a soft brush. I believe the blooms are open yet for a little while in the morning so could be done in the light. 
Please correct me if I've heard wrong.

I have heard that Sugar Dragon is the same as voodoo child. I have both vines but have not hand fruit yet to compare side by side.

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