Can dragon fruit be planted in October?
Today's introduction covers whether dragon fruit can be planted in October, as well as the planting techniques and timing related to green plants and flowers. Specifically:
Dragon fruit, also known as red dragon fruit and cactus honey fruit, is a plant of the cactus family, originally from Central America, including Mexico. It is now widely cultivated in Taiwan and mainland China. Dragon fruit has a beautiful appearance, is rich in nutrition, and is rich in various vitamins, amino acids, and minerals. Eating its fruit has significant effects such as lowering blood pressure, lowering blood lipids, diuresis, and reducing internal heat. It is one of the few nutritional and health green foods currently on the market.
I. Growth Habits of Dragon Fruit
The best natural growth and germination period for dragon fruit plants is from October of each year to May of the following year, but cutting can be done throughout the year. Seedlings planted in January, with strong roots and stems, will bloom and bear fruit from July to August. Under normal temperature conditions, the plant will bloom and bear fruit from mid-April each year until the end of the production period in November. It can produce more than 8 batches of fruit per year, with the largest batch being four, and the annual yield is over 2,500 kilograms per mu.
II. Production Conditions for Dragon Fruit
1. Temperature
Dragon fruit is native to tropical and subtropical regions and is not cold-resistant. If the temperature is below 5℃ for an extended period, the leaves will be frostbitten, but this will not affect growth. Therefore, it is not suitable to plant in high, cold mountainous areas or where frost occurs frequently.
2. Water
Dragon fruit is drought-resistant but害怕湿。 During planting, avoid long-term waterlogging in the soil, as it can easily lead to root rot and seedling death. Although it will not die from prolonged drought relying on dew, it cannot lack water during the growth period, and keeping the soil moist and breathable is beneficial for its growth.
3. Soil
Dragon fruit does not have high requirements for soil quality. It can be planted on flat land, hillsides, paddy fields, and dry land. Loamy soil with good breathability and rich organic matter is most suitable.
III. Key Points of Dragon Fruit Cultivation Techniques
1. Variety Selection
Dragon fruit comes in varieties with red skin and white flesh, red skin and red flesh, yellow skin and white flesh, etc. The best seedlings are those with stable traits, high self-pollination rate, and fruit-bearing branches or cutting of proven seedlings. The main variety planted in this region is red skin with white flesh.
2. Ridge and Pillar Establishment
The ridge should be 3 meters wide, 0.3 meters high, with a trench depth of 0.3 meters. The pillars should be made of reinforced concrete pillars or stone strips, 0.1 meters x 0.1 meters x 2.5 meters, to support the climbing vines. Stone pillars should be buried 50 centimeters into the ground, with a general spacing of 2.0 meters x 3.0 meters between the two pillars.
3. Planting Density and Method
When planting, 4-8 seedlings are planted around the stone pillars, slightly obliquely inserted into the soil 5 centimeters away from the pillar to facilitate vine climbing. When transplanting, dig a circular trench about 5 centimeters deep around the pillar, sprinkle 150 grams of ternary compound fertilizer mixed with soil or use decomposed animal manure, then place the seedlings in and cover with a thin layer of soil, pressing down firmly, and finally water well to settle the roots.
4. Support Structure at the Top of the Pillar
At the top of the concrete pillar, a steel reinforcement with a diameter of 0.8 centimeters and a length of 85 centimeters can be welded at both ends into a hook shape facing inward to form a十字架 support and fixed. Place an old bicycle tire on the cross frame to support more branches for extension, which is beneficial for flowering and fruiting.
5. Watering
After transplanting, water every 3-5 days, and after the seedlings have survived, adjust the watering frequency according to actual needs. Mature seedlings should be watered regularly, especially before topdressing, to keep the soil in the whole garden moist.
6. Fertilization Management
After transplanting and confirming that the seedlings have survived, fertilization can begin. Use liquid fertilizer during the seedling stage, apply thin fertilizer frequently, twice a month, and gradually increase the amount of fertilizer; for adult plants (especially fruiting plants), heavy fertilization with phosphorus as the main component and nitrogen as the secondary should be applied in May each year; and phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be applied five days before each fruit harvest. Generally, each application involves 40-50 kilograms of high-potassium compound fertilizer and 30-40 kilograms of high-phosphorus compound fertilizer, applied by灌溉 after mixing with water and then sprinkling on the ridge surface. During the flowering and fruiting period, special attention should be paid to the supply of fertilizer and water to facilitate large fruit size and continuous flowering and fruiting.
7. Comprehensive Control of Diseases, Insects, and Weeds
The orchard has shallow roots and generally does not require weeding. Straw can be used to cover and suppress the growth of weeds; diseases and insects rarely occur and usually do not require spraying. Only in the seedling stage, to prevent damage from ants and snails, calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer can be applied on the ground.
8. Harvesting
For successfully pollinated flowers, the fruit swelling is明显 after 5 days, begins to turn red after 25 days, and can be harvested when there is a shine on the fruit after another 5 days. It usually takes 30-35 days from flowering to fruit maturity, but in October, as the temperature drops, the maturation period can extend to about 40 days.
9. Pruning of Branches
After the end of the production period each year, the fruit-bearing branches of the year should be cut. Old and weak branches that are somewhat shaded should also be pruned promptly to facilitate the growth of new, stronger branches and lay a solid foundation for the next year's abundant yield. Pruning is appropriate when the seedlings are 1.2 meters high, with the top of each plant pinched and all other auxiliary branches removed. New branches growing after 1.2 meters should be allowed to climb naturally. For flowering branches, 2-3 strong flower buds are selected from different directions, and 1-2 fruits are left on each branch 5 days after flowering, with the rest cut off. When the aerial roots of the branches are still tender and weak, they are prone to being blown off the pillar by strong wind and rain, causing them to droop and break. They should be promptly tied to the pillar with coarse cloth strips or plastic twine.
The above is the full content of whether dragon fruit can be planted in October and the planting techniques and timing, hoping to be helpful to green plant enthusiasts!