Dragonfruit
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Dragon fruit, also called pitaya or strawberry pear, looks like something straight out of a Dr. Seuss book: On the outside, it’s a pink oval with green scales (hence the “dragon” name). Inside, it has white flesh with tiny black seeds. The fruit’s strange appearance also gives off “psychedelic artichoke” vibes.
“It’s a tropical fruit that comes from a cactus. It’s available everywhere around the world, but it’s indigenous to Mexico and South America,” Ilic notes.
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“If you like kiwi fruit and pears, then you’ll probably like dragon fruit. It’s sweet and crunchy.”
Dragon fruits come in a variety of shapes and colors:
Pink skin with white flesh. This is the most well-known kind, but it’s the least sweet. It’s sold under the names including Alice, Cosmic Charlie and Guyute.
Pink skin with red or pink flesh. Bigger and sweeter than its white-fleshed cousin, this variety is sold in stores under names such as Red Jaina and Bloody Mary.
Pink skin with purple flesh. Look for the name “American Beauty” in stores.
Yellow skin with white flesh. Yellow dragon fruit is the hardest to find, but it’s also the sweetest.
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The flesh of the dragon fruit is low in calories and fat-free. It also contains plenty of:
Fiber
Dragon fruit is an excellent source of fiber, Ilic says. The daily recommendation for adults is at least 25 grams — and dragon fruit packs 7 grams in a single 1-cup serving.
“Fiber, may benefit gastrointestinal and cardiovascular health,” notes Ilic. “Fiber is also filling, which is helpful if you’re trying to lose weight. People who eat whole, fiber-rich foods are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.”
Nutrients
Dragon fruit has a ton of beneficial vitamins and minerals, including:
Carotenoids (may reduce cancer risk).
Lycopene (may improve heart health and reduce cancer risk).
Magnesium (important for cell function, and dragon fruit provides 18% of the recommended daily amount).
Iron (important for healthy blood and energy, and dragon fruit contains 8% of the recommended daily intake).
Vitamin C (helps your body absorb the iron and boosts immune system health).
Improves gut health
Healthy bacteria in your gut may help digestion and even reduce colon cancer risk. “Some studies appeared to show that dragon fruit promoted the growth of healthy gut bacteria,” says Ilic. “It may have a positive effect on the gut microbiome, the good bacteria in our intestines.”
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If you can’t find dragon fruit in your local supermarket, you may have better luck in a specialty food store or Asian market.
To pick one out, Ilic recommends trusting your gut. “Follow your fruit know-how,” she says. “It should be slightly soft when you’re testing it with your finger. If it’s overly firm, you can still bring it home and leave it on your counter to ripen.”
Peel and cut it into sections when you’re ready to eat it. Much like an avocado, you eat the flesh and discard the skin. You could also cut it in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon or melon baller.
Dragon fruit is best eaten raw, but you can throw it on the grill like some other fruits. Enjoy it on its own or add it to:
Cocktails.
Desserts.
Fish, especially cod, tuna and mahimahi.
Salads.
Smoothies.
“Once you cut it up, wrap it tightly and put it in your fridge,” says Ilic. “When your dragon fruit starts to get mushy and brown, throw it away.”
Source: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/get-to-know-the-incredible-edible-dragon-fruit/
Rooting Dragon Fruit
Preparation:
Have your dragon fruit cuttings ready. It can be:
Segment cut (my preferred choice)
Tapered
Flat cut.
All of them will root, make sure they are dry… really dry. Leave them outside in a bright place or shade, make sure there is no direct sunlight and wait for 1 week to let them dry. Segment cuts are less prone to rotting, don’t worry roots will come out of that middle core. If you can’t get a segment, then do tapered cut, is my second choice. For the flat cut, I find them to have the highest chance of rot on the edges and you have to plant them deeper.
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I use cactus soil, garden soil (for in-ground), potting mix. It doesn’t matter for rooting purposes, they will do just fine. Place them in a bright area but no direct sunlight. With a planter, pot or bucket with holes. Just let them stand in soil, up to 1 inch deep only. Do not plant them too deep. That’s it. Lightly water twice a week, just to make the soil moist. Remember they don’t have roots so there is no use drenching them with water. Slowly introduce to sunlight when it roots.
Optional: Apply some rooting powder on the end before planting them. It could help but there is no way to verify the effectiveness because they will root without the powder anyways.
Check once a week for roots. To check, thug upwards a little. If there is resistance and you see the soil move, that is an indication that it is already rooted. I’d like to wait 2 weeks more before moving them to a bigger pot to let them establish more roots.
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In water rooting, leave them in a cup or bucket of water. Place them in a bright area but no direct sunlight. There are things to consider:
Replace water if it gets slimy or murky
Water level should be just right, enough to cover the bottom end
Water may dry up and needs a refill
I’m not sure what it is… sometimes an orange colored stuff appears on the bottom end, you can wipe it off
If it splits, rots, become soft an mushy, better to cut and start over again 🙁
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Which is faster?
On average is 2-3 weeks and you’ll see roots both in soil and water. Fastest root I got in soil and water is about 1 week but it is a rare occurrence. Some people water roots consistently faster than soil but you have to transfer the water rooted cuttings to soil and it takes some time for it to acclimate to the soil. Sometimes water rooting rots the stem and you’ll have to start over again.
Conclusion:
If you are in a position of having lots of cuttings, then do both. If not, soil the way to go in my opinion. I prefer soil more because in water, sometimes creatures die drowning down there (believe me, it’s not a pretty sight and it wasn’t an insect) and the 5 extra things to watch out mentioned above in water rooting. Some people say roots are stressed when you move from water to soil which I cannot validate. On the other hand, if you are going to put them in soil eventually, so why not start in soil? Out of many successful rootings, failures, trials and errors, I hope to share what I have discovered.
Again, there is no ONE definitive, guaranteed and fastest way to root so choose whatever method works best for you. Happy planting 🙂
Source: https://growdf.com/rooting-dragon-fruit/
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How Dragon Fruits Climb
Unlike other climbers, dragon fruit does not twine up a support and does not have tendrils or discs to grip a wall. What it does have is aerial roots that emerge from the joints in the stems. However, in the garden, these are insufficient for connecting the plant to a support system. Dragon fruits in a container or the garden need to be tied to the support.
Choosing a Trellis
When choosing a trellis, each has advantages and disadvantages:
Plastic is inexpensive and won’t rot; may not be heavy enough for a mature dragon plant.
Metal is more expensive than most materials but won’t rot and is very strong.
Wire is unlikely to be able to hold the weight of the plant.
Wood is sturdy, inexpensive and can be treated to resist rot.
Support for the Plant
It is critical to choose a trellis that can support the full weight of a dragon fruit. In the wild, the plant may grow up to 20 feet in length and can weigh several hundred pounds. Gardeners can manage the growth by pruning the plant. Commercial growers often use a single 4X4-inch wooden post to which they tie the plant and prune the top branches in an umbrella shape.
Attaching the Plant
Dragon fruit plants must be attached to the supporting structure. However, like most cacti, their stems are jointed and relatively easy to break. Training a single stem up some distance from the ground and securing it at multiple places with soft plastic or cloth ties offers a good solution. Don’t use wire as it can cut through the stems.
Source: https://www.garden.eco/dragon-fruit-trellis