Does Pitaya Grow in Pots?

Determine whether you will grow the plant outdoors or indoors, outdoors or in a container.Believe it or not, dragon fruit can grow just fine in pots.If you are going to grow it in pots, make sure that it is at least 45-60 cm in diameter and at least 30 cm in depth.Since these are climbing plants, planting a climbing stick in the pot will make it easier to grow.Do not forget that these plants can be quite heavy with their fruits, you can choose the bar to be made of iron instead of wood, or you can put your pot at the bottom of a fence.

Although a pot with a diameter of 45-60 cm is sufficient for pitaya at the first stage, if your plant likes the conditions, know that this pot will not be enough for it.Be prepared to transplant it into a larger pot at the point it starts bearing fruit.

Can Pitaya Grow at Home?

Since Pitaya is a cactus plant, it can survive even in the most difficult conditions like many cacti.However, if you grow it in an indoor environment that does not receive a lot of sun, the branches of the plant will grow weakly.If you are considering growing it at home, the ideal environment is a part of your balcony that receives plenty of sun.

Make sure your pitaya gets plenty of sun at all times.The roots may be in the shade, but the tips of the plant must be in the sun to bloom.If you live in a warm region with long, warm seasons, you can leave your pitaya on the balcony all season.Pitaya plant can cope with temperatures up to 40 degrees and very light frost, but if you are in a climate with harsh winters, you should definitely take your plant indoors in winter.

What Kind of Soil Does Pitaya Grow in?

Use well-drained sandy cactus soil.After all, this plant is a type of cactus, so its least favorite type of soil is wet and dirty soil.They don't need you to supplement with a lot of nutrients.If you are growing it in the garden, plant it in a corner where water will not accumulate.If your area is a place with heavy rainfall, prepare a mound before planting your pitaya or plant it at a higher point where water can drain away on its own.

If you are planting in a pot, add a good quality cactus potting soil that is sandy and slightly acidic to a large pot with drainage holes in the bottom.If you do not have ready-made cactus soil, you can make your own using a mixture of sand, potting soil and compost.Fill your pot with soil until it is 8-10 cm from the brim.

How to Plant Pitaya?

Plant the seedling you bought so that it is completely buried in the ground.If you are going to plant it vegetatively (with cuttings) from the branches of another plant, you should first leave the branch you cut in the open for about a week.When the cut becomes white, you can plant this branch so that the white part remains in the soil.

You can consider adding a type of fertilizer that mixes very slowly into the soil at the bottom of the soil you plant.Normally pitayas don't need fertilizer very often, and too much can kill them.You can use a moderate amount of low nitrogen and slow release fertilizer types every 2 months.

Since pitayas are cacti, you should treat them like a cactus.If you overwater and the bottom of the pot does not have holes for drainage, the roots can rot immediately.For this reason, water your plant only when you feel that the soil is dry.

How Does Pitaya Fruit?

Within weeks you will notice a bloom begin to develop.However, the pitaya plant usually only blooms for one night and these flowers wilt in the morning.Some pitayas are capable of self-pollination.The animal that provides natural pollination is the fruit bat.

If your plant is not self-pollinating, you can try hand pollination;pour the natural pollen of the pistil into the flower with a brush.If a fruit will develop from the pollinated flower, you will notice that the flower has wilted and the base of the flower has begun to swell.Pitaya plant bears fruit with low yield at temperatures lower than 28 degrees.

How to Prune Pitaya?

Some species of pitaya can reach heights of up to 6m.If your pitaa starts to grow too big, start pruning by cutting some branches.Less weight can make it stronger, so the remaining branches better take up nutrients and encourage the plant to bloom.

You can plant the branches you cut into other pots after waiting for the cut parts to heal.

When Does Pitaya Fruit?

Although the pitaya plant usually produces mature fruit in late summer or autumn, it can bear fruit almost any time of the year when adequate water and temperature conditions are available.You can tell when a pitaya fruit is ripe by its skin turning red or yellow, depending on the variety.