Care and management of pitaya potted plants

1. Water and fertilizer: Dragon fruit is a drought-tolerant plant. It would rather be dry than wet, and do not water until it is dry. Pour an organic fertilizer solution based on nitrogen fertilizer once a week, not too thick. The principle of fertilization should be sufficient, small amount, and multiple times, and be applied thinly and frequently. Due to the long harvest period of dragon fruit, organic fertilizers must be applied heavily, and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium compound fertilizers must be applied in a balanced and long-term manner. Complete use of fertilizers with high nitrogen content in pig and chicken manure will make the branches thicker, dark green and brittle, and easy to break in strong winds. The fruits will be larger and heavier, with poor quality, low sweetness, and even sour taste. Or salty.

2. Flowering period: Dragon fruit has a long flowering period, with many large flowers and high nutritional requirements. Therefore, in addition to strengthening fertilizer and water management during the seedling stage, organic liquid fertilizer containing phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be applied once half a month before flowering, and once every 5-7 days. Potted dragon fruit on balconies and rooftops is limited by the small amount of pot soil and nutrient supply, so the side branches cannot be left too long, and each branch cannot have more than 3 flowers. In the end, two flowers must be picked for consumption, and only one flower will bear fruit. Dragon fruit can be self-pollinated and set fruit, but cross-pollination has a higher fruit set rate. The fruit is large and delicious, so it should be artificially pollinated if conditions permit. In the evening when the flowers are in full bloom, use a new brush to dip some pollen from the stamen anthers of one flower and flick it onto the stigma of the pistil of another flower.

3. Fruit period: Dragon fruit matures in one month from flowering to fruiting. After the dragon fruit bears fruit, the fruiting branches need to be pruned in autumn, and the cut branches can be used for cuttings. After pruning in autumn, fertilize as little as possible. The more fertile new branches will be, the more new branches will be left. Generally, 3-4 new branches will be left as fruiting branches a year.

4. Winterization: In most places in the north, it is necessary to protect it from the cold, just move it indoors. It is best to place it on a sunny windowsill. It should be noted that fertilizer cannot be applied during the winter. Properly control watering. Don't leave the house too early after spring begins. Generally, you can be confident of leaving the house after mid-May. After leaving the room, first cut off the side branches that received the fruit in the first year near the root. The purpose is to encourage the growth of new side branches and lay the foundation for early flowering and fruiting that year. Otherwise, the original side branches will no longer be able to bear fruit.