So far so good! Dragon Fruit babies survived the cold

11 years ago

These are rooted cuttings from my main plant "Halleys Comet" - no protection, mulch, nothing. And it sustained zero damage from our cold snaps so far here in North Florida. I've planted several others at various other crappy oak trees we have growing throughout the property, and they're all alive!

Perhaps this could be a way to grow this fruit in our climate. I've heard that we'll never be able to get fruit from these, but whether that's because there's not enough sun, or because they're too high to get to remains to be seen ? Time to invest in a ladder, methinks! :)

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sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)

11 years ago

One winter when it got down into the upper teens/low 20's I had a huge one in the ground that totally died.
Now I keep them all in large pots that I sink into the ground (the pots have holes on the sides and the bottom) after frost is over. They go into the greenhouse in the winter. They grow up a wood post that is in the pots. It isn't the greatest thing because I am always having pieces breaking off when I move them which limits the flowering. I have had some fruits but not as many as if I could just leave them all in one spot all the time. I don't keep my greenhouse up all year long or I might just leave them in there permanently.
This year I was thinking about building something over just the dragon fruit: like planting it all in one long raised bed and make a huge trellis over it all and then I could cover it all up with some type of small removable greenhouse and run a heater in there if it freezes. I could take it off the rest of the year. One of the other problems I have with them is fire ants. The ants get on the ends of the limbs and eat them. I have used NEEM, DE, all kinds of stuff they just come back again. I can't use anything too toxic due to free ranging chickens, ducks, etc.

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Comments (16)

kayjones
11 years ago
Jason, where do you live in N. Florida? I'm in Panama City.
jason83
Original Author
11 years ago
We are in between Orange Park and Middleburg off of Blanding. Terribly hot and dry here with very sandy, barren soil.
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katkin_gw
11 years ago
Has anyone gotten fruit from the dragon fruit? I had the plant for years, and got lots of flowers but never any fruit. I finally took them all out. I hope you have better luck with them. :o)
kayjones
11 years ago
OK, you aren't in my area.
kayjones
11 years ago
OK, you aren't in my area.
starryrider
11 years ago
I think Mark said he got fruit from his last year but I may be mistaken.
lizzardly
11 years ago
I live on the Treasure Coast and I get fruit from my voodoo child dragons every year.

Jason- if you'd like to swap a couple haley's cuttings for voodoo's let me know.
jason83
Original Author
11 years ago
I'd love a swap to add another dragon to my collection! :)
Here's a shot of what my cuttings look like (I've got tons of them overwintering indoors). I can easily unpot them and I'm sure they'll travel just fine ?? How does one do a plant swap on GW?
sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
11 years ago
I am not that far from you. Outside of Jax, and dragonfruit can freeze here once it starts getting to freezing and lower later in the winter. I think yours got some shelter from the tree it was growing up and the freezing temps haven't lasted very many hours yet this winter.
Last year I didn't have any damage but it was a warm year. The year before it was a colder winter in the teens etc many times and some dragonfruit I left out with protection got totally froze.
jason83
Original Author
11 years ago
Did they completely die, or did they return from the ground the following spring? It may very well do no good if the cactus itself lives, but the fruits all freeze off. Do you get much fruit in the summer? I'm absolutely crazy in love with these plants and I love the fruit, as you can probably tell! :)
jason83
Original Author
11 years ago
I'd like to build SOMETHING just for the purpose of cultivating these beauties. I thought about doing a greenhouse with center beams going vertical to support the plants, and having the sides/ends of the greenhouse for other tropical things, hanging orchids, etc. I don't think it would even need to be heated here in North Florida...maybe some barrels full of water painted black.

I like your idea of the raised bed with a trellising system too... that just might be the ticket, and much cheaper!

Sometimes I notice the stems/pads of the cactus get eaten by something...that must be what it is, as we have PLENTY of fire ants! Awful little monsters.. :(

This post was edited by jason83 on Tue, Jan 1, 13 at 18:49
User
11 years ago
i made the mistake of cutting the new growth last year to repot. no blooms, no fruit. m
flagirl69
7 years ago
That right there would be my secret hiding place from the world,lol
dirtygardener73
7 years ago
I have tiny babies I grew from seed, and it's nice to know they might do well up here, but honestly, I'm probably going to give them away. I'm cutting way back on gardening this year.
Corey McCain
7 years ago
I had my unknown red and white flesh dragon fruit cactus plants sustain a fair amount of damage at 35-36 degrees. This was on growth 3 months old or less.