Fire dragon fruit, also known as red dragon fruit, green dragon fruit, belongs to the cactus family, genus Trigonella. It is mainly composed of roots, stems, prickly seats, flowers, flower buds, and fruit seeds. Dragon fruit can usually be planted in spring, summer and fall, but spring planting is the most common. In order to get a high yield of dragon fruit, you have to do to understand the growth habit of dragon fruit, coupled with scientific and reasonable management tools, then dragon fruit planting to get a high yield is not a difficult thing. Below I will introduce in detail the growth habit of dragon fruit and high yield cultivation in various stages of management tools.

A, dragon fruit growth habit

1, suitable soil

The dragon fruit on the soil quality requirements are not high, in the south of the open field cultivation to choose a well-drained, fertile soil, loose, rich in organic matter sandy loam grow faster, the most suitable soil PH value The most suitable soil PH value is between 6 and 7.5.

2, the appropriate temperature

The dragon fruit like high temperatures, fear of frost, open-air cultivation of the optimal growth temperature of 25 ~ 35 ℃. Temperature below 10 ℃, higher than 38 ℃ dragon fruit will stop growing. Too high a temperature will inhibit the formation and differentiation of dragon fruit buds, resulting in not flowering and fruiting.

3, suitable light

The dragon fruit is a sun-loving plant, the optimal light intensity of 8000 lux or more. Dragon fruit for shade and humidity environment also has a strong adaptability, but the light below 2500 lux will affect the accumulation of fruit sugar.

4, suitable precipitation

In areas where annual precipitation is 1200-1500 millimeters, open field cultivation is more suitable. Drought will induce plant dormancy and stop growth. Meanwhile, excessive air humidity can also trigger some physiological diseases.

The red meat dragon fruit has a high content of anthocyanin, which has antioxidant and anti-aging effects. Growing red meat dragon fruit has high economic benefits, we take Xianglong fruit as an example, detailed introduction to the high-yield management techniques of dragon fruit.

Two, high-yield management techniques of dragon fruit

1, cuttings nursery

Southern open field cultivation of dragon fruit using cuttings nursery method, in the spring, summer and fall seasons can be nursed, nursery time generally need 30 ~ 40 days. Take spring, mid-March cuttings as an example.

①, nursery land selection

Open field nursery land should be selected ventilation to the sun, fertile soil, near the water source, drainage and irrigation water convenient field. First of all, the land should be rectified to make beds, after deep turning the land, add rotted organic fertilizer, the ratio of soil and organic fertilizer is 5:1, mix well, and then make beds, bed height of about 25 cm, bed width of 1 ~ 1.2 meters.

In the process of nursery land preparation, if the soil is too sticky, you can add fine river sand, mainly to increase the permeability of the soil, easy to drain, easy to root, and improve the survival rate of seedlings, nursery land is ready to prepare cuttings.

②, cuttings selection and pruning

Cuttings should be selected from dragon fruit plants on the old, strong growth, no pests and diseases of the stem. Cut the stems into 20~25 cm stem segments, and then trim the bottom into a tapered slant to facilitate cuttings. Use 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder according to the instructions, dilute it with water, put the stem segments into the liquid and soak them for a while, this is to sterilize the stem segments.

③, cuttings

With a wooden stick in the seedbed to open a small hole in the hole, and then gently insert the stem section into the soil, cuttings depth of 35 centimeters, followed by mulching, plant spacing between the rows are 10 centimeters or so, and then watering the root of the water, the water must be watered through. After the cuttings, watering according to the situation, generally every 2~3 days watering; if the weather is dry, you should water once a day, keep the soil about 60%~70% humidity as a principle.

④, watering and fertilization

The cuttings are completed until the rooting of this period of time, generally do not need to do other management work. The stems can be rooted in half a month or so. After the cuttings are alive and cultivated for 15~25 days, fertilizer is needed during this period. Generally use 45% (15:15:15) of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium compound fertilizer, compound fertilizer per acre of the application rate of 2.5 kg. Every 10 days or so can be applied, watering once after fertilizer application can promote the absorption of fertilizer. The general situation of watering twice a week, keep the soil 60% ~ 70% humidity.

5, weed

Nursery land long weeds to pull, can be manually pulled, generally every two weeks.

6, stem blight control

The dragon fruit cuttings are susceptible to stem blight, stem blight generally occurs in March, the disease began to aggravate the disease in early April, the formation of irregular lesions, lesions without a clear edge, slightly sunken, the edge of the yellow, the center of the grayish-white, with a small black granule attached to the top of the point, it's difficult to control the spraying, need to be directly The plant is not a good place to get rid of the disease.

Treating stem blight, we should take prevention as the mainstay, and spray the cuttings after cutting in order to effectively prevent stem blight and other fungal diseases. Generally available 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 600~800 times liquid, every 7~10 days spray, *** spray 1~2 times. When the height of the cuttings is more than 30 cm, the stem flesh is plump, and the length of the fibrous roots reaches 10 cm, they can be prepared for planting out of the nursery.

2, garden planting

Planting before, we have to prepare the garden, dragon fruit planting in the open ground to spring, summer, fall three seasons planting better, we planted in late April as an example, to give all the fruit farmers friends to do a detailed introduction.

①, garden selection and construction

Choose sufficient water, convenient transportation, no pollution sources around the place to build the garden. Dragon fruit is drought-resistant and not flood-resistant, but needs enough water during the growing period, open field cultivation needs to repair raised beds, bed height of about 50 centimeters or more, and to fix the drainage ditch. If in more than 20 degrees of slopes, garden land can be repaired into terraces. The width of the terraces is about 1.5 meters, and the water source for planting is retained on the hill.

②, varieties with

Cultivation of red meat varieties of Xianglong dragon fruit to build a garden, you can configure the white meat type White Jade Dragon Dragon Fruit as a pollinator variety. Because Xianglong dragon fruit self-pollination affinity is poor, low fruiting rate, with white-fleshed varieties to facilitate artificial pollination, improve the fruiting rate. The ratio of main plant varieties and pollinated varieties is 9:1 is more suitable.

③, build support column

Open-ground cultivation of dragon fruit to choose a solid, heavy pressure, typhoon resistance and to soil corrosion resistance but low cost of support columns, generally choose a cement column as a stand-alone support columns, columns on the top of the installation of the cement round plate frame, a variety of a variety of seedlings around the cement column. To wait until the seedlings grow to the height of the plate frame and then ride on the plate frame distribution, specifically how to do it?

After the garden is selected, the first dragon fruit to build a support column, this support column can be used specifications for the length of 10 centimeters, width of 10 centimeters, height of 200 centimeters of cement columns, digging out the garden to bury the columns of the pit. For accuracy, you can use a ruler to determine the exact position and mark it. Set up support columns also determine the spacing of dragon fruit plants and row spacing, generally 2 meters between plants, row spacing of 3 meters, the cement columns planted, cultivate the soil after stepping on the solid can not fall, the height of the soil so as to facilitate manual operation is appropriate.

On the support column around the whole ground to do beds, if the soil is more viscous, you can add fine river sand, increase soil permeability. Mix the fine river sand with the soil, the ratio of fine river sand to soil is 1:1, and finally form a round border with a height of 25 centimeters and a diameter of about 80 centimeters.

④, planting

After the garden is ready, you can select seedlings for the nursery. The cuttings are gently pulled out directly from the nursery ground and sent to the planting garden to prepare for planting. Before planting, dig planting holes around the support columns, the depth of the hole is about 10 cm, the hole is applied to 1 kg of rotted organic fertilizer, and mixed with the soil. Each hole into a seedling, the depth of 3 ~ 5 cm, and then covered with thin soil, in each column next to the planting of 4 seedlings, and then tied with a thin rope. It is not advisable to tie too tightly, so as not to affect the growth and development of the plant.

After planting, water the rooting water, the water must be drenched to ensure the survival of dragon fruit seedlings. At the beginning of planting, water every 2~3 days, soil humidity is maintained at about 60%. About a month or so, grow stem buds, dragon fruit is alive.

3, nutritional growth period management

The period of time after the planting of dragon fruit to the flowering and fruiting is called the nutritional growth period. In the production management we will be attached to each dragon fruit on the support of a stem upward growth is called the main stem; the main stem grows to the height of the plate frame, after the beginning of cultivation of the stem is called the fruit stem.

①, the main stem pruning

After 30 days of planting, the main stem will grow some side stems, but we only keep a main stem growing upward, other side stems should be pruned in time to reduce nutrient consumption, to ensure that the nutrient supply of the main stem, rapid growth. Pruning should be removed from the base of the stem, can not hurt the main stem. Every time the main stem grows about 20 centimeters high, it should be fixed with a rope to prevent breaking, so that the main stem grows upward. When the main stem is about to exceed the cement column, according to grasp the disk frame of the cement column.

②, fertilizer management

May to October, the need for nitrogen fertilizer, in one side of the arc ditch, the ditch width of about 20 cm, about 10 cm deep, sprinkle urea, about 100 grams per column, once a month, can promote the growth of the main stem of the dragon fruit, fertilizer mulching. Dragon fruit nutrient growth period, to ensure that there is no weed around, you can weed once a month.

At the same time, according to the soil condition watering at the right time, soil humidity is maintained at about 60%. From November to the following year between March, to give the dragon fruit to apply a rotted organic fertilizer, first of all, open a circular ditch, ditch width of about 20 cm, depth of 10 cm, each column of about 15 kg, can promote the growth of new stems, for the next year to blossom and fruit to lay a good foundation. Cover the soil after fertilization, the tree tray can be covered with grass to keep the soil moist.

③, the cultivation of fruiting stems

After half a year of cultivation, the height of the main stem more than the plate frame, it is necessary to cut off the top of the main stem, called topping, in order to promote the growth of stems below the cut, the new stems grow, the upward growth of stems to cut off the stems, selected to stay 5 ~ 8 drooping stems, to the flowering and fruiting period, the stems of the drooping growth, as long as growth These drooping stems, as long as the growth is strong and the color changes to dark green mature stems, can become fruiting stems.

Fruiting stems usually last 2 to 3 years. After 12 months of long growth, dragon fruit will soon enter the flowering and fruiting period, dragon fruit will be divided into batches of multiple flowering, multiple fruit, multiple harvesting, harvesting period from May to the end of November, up to half a year.

4, flowering and fruiting period of management

Open-ground cultivation of dragon fruit in May of the second year can draw the first batch of flower buds, bud fertility is 10 ~ 12 days, flowering time is usually after 8:00 p.m., to the next day early in the morning when the complete withering from the flowers until the fruit tree maturity, it will probably take about 30 days of time. Dragon fruit is usually every 10~15 days to bloom a batch of flowers, a year can bloom 12~15 batches of flowers.

①, apply pre-flowering fertilizer

In early April, you need to apply pre-flowering fertilizer to give dragon fruit to increase nutrition and promote the development of flower buds. In the plant next to open ring ditch, usually ditch width 20 cm, depth in 10 ~ 15 cm can be, each column of organic fertilizer 10 kg, fertilizer after covering the soil. Dragon fruit plant growth process should be removed in a timely manner growing weeds, usually about 20 days to remove grass.

②, bud thinning

If the plant is very fruitful, the fruiting stem can flower from May to November, the bud development period is 10 to 12 days, a fruiting stem can generally bear 5 to 10 buds, but too many buds will affect the size of the fruit, affecting the quality of the fruit. Some fruiting stems do not have enough nutrients for the buds, so they naturally drop flowers, and the excess buds are removed within 8 days after the buds appear. Each fruiting stem if the distance between two buds in the same direction is less than 15 centimeters, you need to remove one of the buds to ensure the normal supply of nutrients to the buds and enough space for growth, generally retaining 1~2 robust growth buds per fruiting stem.

③, artificial pollination

After 8 o'clock at night, the flowers gradually open, you need to collect the pollen from the flowers of the White Jade Dragon to pollinate the Xianglong Dragon Fruit, gently brush the pollen in the stamen flowers with a hairbrush to collect in the container. Then dip the pollen into the stigma of the pistil of Xianglong dragon fruit, pollination is complete, this can make the success rate of heterogamous pollination to more than 95%.

④, root fertilizer

May to November for the flowering and fruiting period, the same support column on the fruiting stems are constantly batch flowering, fruiting, need to consume a lot of nutrients, respectively, in May to June and August to September, you need to apply two times of strong fruit fertilizer. Open a ring-shaped ditch next to the plant, ditch width of about 20 cm, about 10 cm deep ring-shaped fertilization hole, apply 15 kg of organic fertilizer, cover the soil after fertilization.

⑤, snail control

Southern hot and humid, open-air cultivation of dragon fruit snails have become the main pests, they harm the stems of dragon fruit in April to June, for the high incidence of pests. Generally in cloudy days, rainy days or at night when the dew is bigger to jeopardize the stem. Prevention and control of snails can use 4% tetrapolyacetaldehyde wettable powder 2000 times liquid spray, spray every 7~10 days, spray 2~3 times in a row, you can effectively prevent and control the damage of snails.

6, extra-root fertilizer

In the flowering and fruiting period, in addition to root fertilization also need extra-root fertilizer, spraying 0.3% of urea or potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, using foliar fertilization method, every 15 days, to replenish nutrients to meet the needs of its growth and development. If the weeds grow more vigorously, you need to weed, usually about 20 days of manual weeding once.

⑦, cracked fruit control

In the fruit ripening period, dragon fruit cracking is also a more frequent disease. Because of the sudden rise in soil water content, so that the fruit water content suddenly increased, the fruit flesh develops too quickly will squeeze the peel.

Prevention methods: to do a good job on the ground water evacuation, in the paddy fields occurring cracked fruit than the slopes planted dragon fruit cracking fruit to be more for this type of cracking fruit, planted in the paddy fields to start raised beds, digging deep drainage ditches, to reduce the water table. In addition, in the opening and fruiting period, the use of foliar fertilization methods, spraying stem surface fertilizer containing calcium elements, sprayed every 15 days, can improve the resilience of dragon fruit plants, enhance the toughness of the fruit skin until the fruit harvest, can effectively reduce the occurrence of cracked fruit.

5, harvest

When the dragon fruit fruit reaches 9 mature can be harvested. Picking time must take scissors, aligned with the middle of the fruit stalk of the wood, cut to keep the cut flat, can not hurt the skin, after picking to be gently put, can not be thrown, so as not to damage the skin.

The dragon fruit is not only nutritious and flavorful, but also disease-resistant, cold-resistant and other characteristics, cultivation of dragon fruit to obtain the economic value is also very high, open field cultivation is not only low-cost, but also fast recovery, I hope that my knowledge of the dragon fruit cultivation can send you some help, so that you can achieve a bumper harvest in the dragon fruit planting.