Preparing Your Plants for Extreme Weather Events and Managing Climatic Impacts to Your Orchard

Many people assume that because dragon fruit is a cactus, it is naturally adapted to extreme heat and drought. However, this is a misconception. While Hylocereus (dragon fruit) and Selenicereus (yellow dragon fruit) require significantly less water than traditional orchard crops, they are still tropical, jungle-adapted plants that need proper care.

Climatic impacts on your orchard can be either predictable or unexpected. These impacts fall into specific categories, which can be managed accordingly.

Extremes of Temperature

The optimal temperature range for dragon fruit growth and fruiting is between 25°C and 35°C. Different cultivars have varying tolerances for temperatures below 5°C and above 40°C, influenced by relative humidity. However, both cold and heat damage can occur at these extremes.

Minimizing Cold Damage

• Keep plants relatively dry, as freezing damage increases with excess water in plant cells. Reduce irrigation during cold months.
• Apply a thick mulch around the roots to protect against “cold collaring,” where the stem freezes at the soil surface.
• Use mechanical protection, such as frost guard cloth, hessian, or straw, to wrap around plants.
• Certain regions may be too cold for dragon fruit cultivation outside of heated greenhouses.

Minimizing Heat Damage

• Ensure plants are well-hydrated, as hydrated plants tolerate heat better.
• Use thick mulch to keep the soil cool and moist, preventing “hot collaring” (burning of stems).
• If using tires as trellis tops, whitewash them to reflect heat.
• Consider light shade cloth screening in areas with high temperatures and low humidity.
• Extremely high temperatures during flowering can lead to poor pollination.
• Cultivar choice is crucial; some cultivars tolerate high temperatures with humidity, while others withstand high temperatures with low humidity or colder conditions.
• Strengthen plant cell walls using fertilizers with Calcium and Silicon. The most cost-effective options are diatomaceous earth (Silicon) and pelleted gypsum (Calcium sulfate), applied annually.

Insolation and Sunscald

Dragon fruit cladodes can suffer from sunscald or sunburn due to intense sunlight, especially in low-humidity conditions.

Prevention Strategies

• Cultivar choice:
  • Plants with blueish-grey (glaucous) cladodes and a silvery powder coating are adapted to high light, low humidity.
  • Thicker cladodes with minimal wing sections are better suited for extreme sun exposure.
  • Tropical cultivars with light green cladodes and thin wings should be grown under 40% shade cloth in areas with intense sunlight.
• Whitewashing main stems can help prevent sunscald as a seasonal measure.

Drought vs. Excess Rainfall

Dragon fruit requires summer irrigation in most regions, except in areas with extremely high rainfall. Winter irrigation should be minimal, just enough to prevent desiccation.

Key Considerations

• Drought: Insufficient water can significantly stunt growth.
• Too much water in winter can lead to rot, especially in certain cultivars.
• Some cultivars are better suited for Mediterranean rainfall patterns.
• In high-rainfall areas, dragon fruit should be grown on mounds for better drainage.
• Persistent rain during flowering can lead to poor pollination.

Windburn and Sea Spray

Windburn Prevention

• Persistent dry winds like berg winds can cause windburn.
• Row orientation: Arrange your orchard so that seasonal winds blow between rows, not against them.
• In areas prone to tropical storms, consider a Tatura trellis system, which can withstand low-category cyclones.

Sea Spray Protection

• No dragon fruit cultivar tolerates sea spray well.
• If planting near the coast, use windbreaks.
• Ideally, avoid orchards within sight of the sea.

Get Expert Support

As a member of the Amorentia Marketing Company and a grower of Amorentia Sweet Dragon Fruit cultivars, you have access to scientific support through the ASDF Technical WhatsApp group. Our scientific consultant, Jason Sampson, is available to assist you. Contact our offices for more details.