Gardening 101: How to grow dragon fruit at home?

But before that, let’s understand more about the fruit. “The name ‘dragon fruit’ is believed to come from its appearance. It is scaly and the bright leathery texture reminds us of the dragon skin. Apart from its visually appealing look, this fruit is highly nutritious and full of antioxidants,” said Ananya Chowdhury, software engineer, gardener, and anthophile in Pune.

Here’s Adamjan’s guide as he detailed the steps.

*Don’t just eat the seeds. Instead, rip off a little piece of toilet paper. Slap the dragon fruit on it. The seeds are going to stick to the paper.
*Fold the paper. Grab a pot. Put some soil in it. Place the toilet paper with the seeds. Sprinkle some more soil over it.
*Mist with water.
*Cover with a zip-lock bag or plastic.
*Place it somewhere warm and well-lit.

“Then you will have dragon seedlings soon,” Adamjan commented.

But is it as easy as he makes it look?

Growing dragon fruit from seeds can be a challenging experience as dragon fruit seeds may not always produce plants similar to the parent plant, shared Ananya.

Germination of dragon fruit seeds typically takes 1-5 weeks depending on the favourable conditions, she added.

“Dragon fruit seed requires consistent moisture to germinate. Once seedlings start showing up, water lightly and keep the soil moist. Once seedlings are transferred into bigger space, water only when it’s needed,” the expert said.

It is important to pay attention to detail. (Source: Pixabay)

What is the ideal temperature?

The seeds need to be placed in a warm place (around 75-85°F) to speed up germination. “Dragon fruit plants love indirect sunlight for 6-8 hours per day to grow healthy seedlings,” said Ananya.

When seedlings are big enough (2-3 true leaves), transfer them to individual planters with well-draining soil. Ananya shared that one should keep a distance of 6-10 feet between plants when planting in the field.

Water-soluble fertiliser is required during the growing season, generally every 4-6 weeks. “Use balanced NPK fertiliser to boost growth and flowering,” mentioned Ananya.

Since dragon fruit plants are climbers, to promote upward growth, provide a sturdy stick as support and tie gently. “Pruning is necessary to eliminate damaged or unhealthy parts. It controls the shape of the plant as well as helps to grow new flowers. Later hand pollination can be done using cotton sticks to encourage fruit production,” said Ananya.

 

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A post shared by Armen Adamjan (@creative_explained)

Typically, within 6-9 months from planting, dragon fruit gets ready to be harvested. When it’s properly ripened, the skin becomes vibrant and slightly softer. “It will only take proper care and a little patience to grow dragon fruit in your home garden. Happy farming!” she said.

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