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Do you want to grow your own dragon fruit? If you live in a warm, humid area, you might be in luck. [1] X Research source These plants aren’t hard to care for, but they do require a specific fertilizer regimen. Not to worry—we’ve answered all your frequently asked questions, so you can grow healthy, delicious dragon fruits from the comfort of your home.
Steps
Question 2 of 6:
How often do you fertilize dragon fruit?
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Fertilize young, 1-to-3-year old plants once every 2 months. Apply both traditional fertilizer and manure or compost to your plant at the same time. Between March and September, apply the the chelated iron or ferrous sulfate 4-6 times total. [7] X Trustworthy Source EDIS Electronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articles Go to source
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2Nourish older plants with traditional fertilizer 3-4 times a year. Scale back the manure or compost, applying it twice a year. Between March and September, continue to fertilize your plants with chelated iron or ferrous sulfate 4-6 times each year. [8] X Trustworthy Source EDIS Electronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articles Go to source
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Question 3 of 6:
How much fertilizer do you need?
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Use ¼ lb (118 g) of fertilizer and 4 lb (1.2 kg) of manure for a new plant. Dragon fruit plants don’t need that much fertilizer and manure, especially when first starting out. If you’re growing multiple fruit plants, you’ll need ¼ lb (118 g) of fertilizer and 4 lb (1.2 kg) of manure or compost for each one. [9] X Trustworthy Source EDIS Electronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articles Go to source
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2Apply extra fertilizer and manure as your plant matures. When your plant is 2-3 years old, add an extra 0.3-0.4 lb (136-182 g) of fertilizer. Similarly, nourish each dragon fruit plant with 6 lb (2.7 kg) of manure or compost during this timeframe. [10] X Trustworthy Source EDIS Electronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articles Go to source Once your dragon fruit is at least 4 years old, regularly apply ½ to ¾ lb (227-341 g) of fertilizer and 5 lb (2.2 kg) of manure. [11] X Trustworthy Source EDIS Electronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articles Go to source
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Question 4 of 6:
What other nutrients can you use in addition to fertilizer?
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Some gardeners use chelated iron or ferrous sulfate to adjust the soil’s pH. [12] X Trustworthy Source EDIS Electronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articles Go to source Dragon fruits thrive in soil that’s slightly less than 7 pH. [13] X Research source To help your plant grow as healthy and strong as it can, experts recommend treating acidic soil with ferrous sulfate, and nourishing basic soil with chelated iron. [14] X Trustworthy Source EDIS Electronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articles Go to source
- Use a small amount of chelated iron or ferrous sulfate on 1-year old plants. Spray 0.25 to 0.5 oz (7-15 g) of chelated iron over any basic soil, or scatter a small handful of ferrous sulfate over acidic soil. [15] X Trustworthy Source EDIS Electronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articles Go to source
- Apply extra chelated iron to plants that are 2 years or older. As your dragon fruit matures, treat the soil with 0.75-1 oz (22-29 g) of chelated iron, if needed. If your soil is more acidic, continue treating it with a small amount of ferrous sulfate. [16] X Trustworthy Source EDIS Electronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articles Go to source
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2Organic fertilizer, like manure or compost, is a good nutrient source. Pick up decomposed manure at your local home improvement store, or make your own compost at home. Along with traditional fertilizer, both manure and compost are a great source of nutrients for your dragon fruit. [17] X Trustworthy Source EDIS Electronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articles Go to source
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Question 5 of 6:
How do you apply the fertilizer?
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Apply traditional fertilizer with granules or an irrigation system. If you only have a few plants, you might have an easier time applying the fertilizer around your plants. Depending on your set-up, you might have an easier time applying the fertilizer through your irrigation system. [18] X Research source
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2Spread manure along the base of the plant. If your plant is only a year old, don’t apply the manure around the stem. Once your dragon fruit is at least 2 years old, apply the manure around the base of the stem and plant. [19] X Trustworthy Source EDIS Electronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articles Go to source
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3Spray chelated iron and spread ferrous sulfate. Experts recommend spraying around your plant with chelated iron, and spreading ferrous sulfate along the bottom of the plant. [20] X Trustworthy Source EDIS Electronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articles Go to source
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References
- ↑ https://www.bhg.com.au/growing-dragon-fruit
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/how-to-calculate-a-fertilizer-ratio
- ↑ https://dpir.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/232933/778.pdf/
- ↑ http://apps.worldagroforestry.org/downloads/Publications/PDFS/BC07324.pdf
- ↑ https://dpir.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/232933/778.pdf
- ↑ https://www.urbanharvest.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Dragon-Fruit-2020.pdf
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/hs/hs30300.pdf
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/hs/hs30300.pdf
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/hs/hs30300.pdf
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/hs/hs30300.pdf
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/hs/hs30300.pdf
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/hs/hs30300.pdf
- ↑ https://www.bhg.com.au/growing-dragon-fruit
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/hs/hs30300.pdf
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/hs/hs30300.pdf
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/hs/hs30300.pdf
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/hs/hs30300.pdf
- ↑ https://dpir.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/232933/778.pdf
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/hs/hs30300.pdf
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/hs/hs30300.pdf
- ↑ https://www.bhg.com.au/growing-dragon-fruit
- ↑ https://unpeeledjournal.com/how-to-cut-what-is-dragon-fruit/
- ↑ https://unpeeledjournal.com/how-to-cut-what-is-dragon-fruit/
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