Dragon fruits in general like some big, wide space for their roots to expand out. Let's check out some good places to get your cuttings and containers to begin playing & training your dragons.
Choosing dragon fruit containers
Dragon fruits are excellent plants to grow in containers. They don't take up a lot of water like avocado trees, which is great for places where water may be scarce & expensive.
As for containers, a 20 x 20 pot or 50-gallon container would be best for the plant's growth. A smaller 15 gallon one is good if you're planting one variety in each pot.
If you're planting 2 or more, a bigger 20-gallon will have more room for root growth. But don't overcrowd the pot because that might cause a civil war (aka root competition). Getting a big pot from the start means you don't have to transplant them too much during their development.
The trick when choosing is the width of the pots & not so much their depth. Dragon fruits don't grow deep tap roots. Instead, they develop shallow, radial roots that crawl out pretty far out to find food. They tend to grow the fastest when the roots have not hugged all around the pots (a root bound condition). That's why they can do well in wide pots. Pots about knees-high are good enough.
These guys have some good big thick pots. They ship it to a local dealer: https://www.gro-pro.net/
Ken Ross has big containers up to 100 gallons. They are located in Texas. You can call them to ask for price & availability: 1-800-490-7811. Some nurseries may have these as well: http://www.growers-inc.com/brands/Ken-Ross.html
Alternatively, if you don't want to buy pots, you can make your own DIY pots. Some folks utilize the inner tub of an old washing machine. If you have one or two conveniently lying around, you could up-cycle them. Another thing you can try is the plastic drums. You can cut them in half for use as two containers for the plants.
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| Huge 20-gallon pots |
|---|
 |
| Thick, sturdy |
| Excellent drainage |
| Last for years |
And now for the cuttings:
Getting dragon fruit cuttings
Here are some good, well-known places to get dragon fruit cuttings:
Spicy Exotics
Tye, the owner of Spicy Exotics, has a massive collection of pitaya varieties (yellow, pink, white, red etc) that he stacks up over the years. Many people have had good experience buying here.
The price is acceptable compared to the other sellers. Plus, you get good service. We heard that he grows these organically & collects many good varieties over the years. So the guy knows his thing.
Facebook groups
Members of this private Facebook group may also exchange cuttings when they're available. You can check their latest posts to be informed: https://www.facebook.com/groups/339405923306378/
Some YouTubers that do their dragon fruit pruning in November or in the fall may also share the cuttings with their viewers. Leave them a comment to let them know. This lady is in San Jose, California: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLbTqhL4CyY
Nurseries
Three Lucky Mountains Farm has good quality cuttings. They are based in the Philippines & also do ship internationally. This farm is the home to over 100 different dragon fruit varieties. They are really a powerhouse in the field. The way to contact them is via Facebook or alternatively their phone number.
If you'd like some more cool hybrids, check out Matt's Landscape.
Florida Hill Nursery has a wide variety of dragon fruit at reasonable prices. If you're around the area, visit them for more cool stuff. Some folks say they even have live dragon fruit tissue cultures. They're not the most responsive team though.
#1 yellow dragon fruit seller in Thailand: https://www.kennydragonfruit.com/
A seller from Vietnam: https://thanhlongvietnam.vn/gioi-thieu/ (Takes 2 weeks for the cuttings to arrive in California/Texas)
Finally, Amazon always has some good ones.
Have fun getting started
With good containers & good cuttings, you're set on your way to grow and harvest good dragon fruits. Although it may be a long way, believe us you are going to love it. Have fun collecting different varieties & enjoy!
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