How To Grow Dragon Fruit From Seeds | SEED TO FRUIT

Dragon fruit grow easily from seed. It will only take proper care and a little patience to grow dragon fruit in your home garden. The dragon fruit known for its vibrant appearance and unique taste is a tropical delight. It can be cultivated even in your home garden. Here's how to grow dragon fruit from seed so you can enjoy your own plant. If you have not yet subscribed to Urban Gardening then click the subscribe button and hit the bell icon to subscribe and receive notifications as I upload new videos. Choose a dragon fruit that is overripe and slice it in half and use a knife or spoon to scrap out some seeds. Dragon fruits have a scaly skin that can be pink or yellow while the inside flesh may be red or white with tiny black seeds. Mix three to four tablespoons of seeds into one cup of water. Once you give the seeds a light stir let them sit for up to 24 hours. The seeds swell as water penetrates the seed coat and the embryo inside begins to plump up. Take a small container with some drainage holes at the bottom and fill it with the soil mix. Cactus mix is a good growing medium for growing cactus family plants. If cactus mix is not available make your own mix with 50% garden soil, 30% cattle manure and 20% river sand. Scatter seeds across the soil surface and cover with a thin layer of soil mix. For seed planting ideal temperature should be 20 to 35 degrees celsius. They need light to germinate so don't bury them deeply. A light sprinkling of soil to just cover them is sufficient. Press lightly to get good seed to soil contact. Water or mist the soil bed constantly keeping it evenly moist. Fresh or undried seeds will germinate quite rapidly usually within just a few days. Keep the pot in a sunny area where your seeds will get a full day's worth of exposure. Germination typically takes 7 to 12 days. Watch the soil closely and water only when the surface feels dry. During this stage the plant establishes its root system and develops its first set of true leaves. At this stage the plant grows into a young small cactus like structure. Meanwhile tender shoots stretch towards the sky sealing sustenance from the sun's radiant embrace. During this stage plant continues to grow and develop more branches and stems. At this stage you can transplant seedlings into bigger pots. With the help of a small trowel carefully pull on the base of the dragon fruit plants to remove them entirely without damaging the roots. Handle the delicate roots gently ensuring minimal root disturbance during transplanting. Choose a pot that is at least 20 to 25 inch wide and 25 to 30 inch deep and it should have proper drainage holes at the bottom. For the soil choose potting soil that is well draining and rich in organic matter. For that use 50% garden soil, 30% cattle manure and 20% river sand. Dig a hole that's twice as wide and just as deep as the dragon fruit's root ball. Place the plant in the hole ensuring it's no deeper than it was in its previous pot. Lightly backfill the hole with the excavated soil by pressing lightly with your hands to make sure the plant is firm and not wobbly. After planting thoroughly water the plants to settle the soil around the roots. It starts to develop more branches and the main stem becomes thicker. Choosing the right location for your dragon fruit is crucial. This tropical plant prefers a sunny warm environment and will thrive best when it receives six to eight hours of sunlight daily. Dragon fruit are light feeders so apply fertilizer every two months only while the plant is actively growing. It is recommended to use fertilizers with low nitrogen levels for the cactus plants. Stems will rapidly multiply over the next few months. Long shoots bearing small thorns emerge. Over time shoots may grow six inches per day during active growth periods. At this point dragon fruit plants will need support for growth. Install your stake or trellis and gently tie the plant to it. Keep a check on the support system. Make sure it is stable and secure and the plants are fastened but not tightly bound. When using a string or garden twine wind it once or twice tightly around the support and knot in place. This way the tall and bent branches will not snap due to their weight. The plant blooms in late summer season mainly in July and August months. The flowers first form some small buds within 13 to 15 days for their formation and these buds transforms into fruit after the flowering. The dragon fruit plant produces flowers throughout the fruit bearing season. When the plant begins to flower prepare for a treat. Buds develop for several weeks then when ready to bloom they open for just one night. The average time for a bud to flower is three weeks. Their showy flowers are among the largest in the plant world and release an intoxicating scent. Pollination often done by pollinators like moths and ants is essential for food development. Usually if you grow dragon fruit from seed it will take about three to four years before it can reach its reproductive stage ready for flower differentiation and fruiting. As flower fades the dragon fruit forms at the base of the flower. The fruit starts as a small bud and gradually enlarges over a couple of months. Educate sunlight water and nutrients are crucial for healthy fruit development. Fruit is ripe approximately a month after flowering but this can vary with local conditions. You can tell that a dragon fruit is ripe when the skin turns red or yellow depending on variety. The skin will also feel slightly soft when squeezed but not mushy. Pick by twisting the fruit off the plant or cut with a sketeer. Fruit will not ripen off the plant so pick once completely ripe. The fruit will have a bit of give in it when squeezed and the winged scales on the outside of the fruit will have started to wither. It is better to harvest after four days of color changing. Harvesting is typically done with care to avoid damage to the fruit. Once the fruit is harvested the plant may produce more flowers for subsequent fruiting cycles. Red dragon fruit offers numerous benefits. It is high in antioxidants, high in fiber, high in magnesium, stabilizes blood sugar and it is rich in phytonutrients which helps prevent diseases and keep the body working properly.