The 65-Day Dragon Fruit (Pitaya) Cycle

Dragon fruit, or Pitaya, is a tropical superstar, highly valued for its vibrant appearance and sweet, nutritious flesh. The resilience of this cactus-family plant allows for multiple harvests throughout the year, with a surprisingly rapid fruit development cycle of typically 60–65 days from the initial bud to a ripe fruit.

This intense growth period demands high-level care and technical expertise from farmers, especially in regions like Southern Vietnam, which experience distinct rainy (favorable) and dry (off-season) cycles. Through innovative techniques like using electric lights for off-season fruiting, growers have managed to extend production, resulting in multiple harvests annually. Data from the Southern Horticultural Research Institute suggests up to 8 crops can occur during the favorable rainy season (March to October) and up to 4 crops during the dry off-season (November to February).

Here is a breakdown of the critical 65-day journey from flower bud to ripe fruit:

Phase 1: From Small Bud to Full Bloom (The 35-Day Miracle)

This is the longest and most crucial phase for forming the flower and shaping the plant structure. The initial bud, as small as a pencil tip, undergoes an astonishing transformation over 35 days to become a massive flower measuring approximately 25−30 cm.

• Nutrient Demands: The plant requires a high volume of nutrients during this time to support the rapid growth and development of the flower.
• Fertilizer and Care: Based on farmer experience, the plant typically receives 3-4 rounds of foliar fertilizer sprays to nourish the developing fruit and one major ground fertilization (top-dressing) during this cycle, often scheduled around days 7, 12, 18, and 21.

Phase 2: From Flower Opening to 60-Day-Old Fruit

The dragon fruit flower is hermaphroditic (possessing both male and female parts). Since it produces abundant pollen, active hand-pollination is often unnecessary for fruit set. However, a key challenge is that the flowers bloom late at night.

• Protecting the Bloom: To prevent damage and pollen loss from heavy rain or other factors—which can lead to fruit rot or hardening (scarring)—experienced farmers often cover the flowers before they open.
• Rapid Fruit Development: Once the fruit sets, the young, green fruit enters a critical stage where it rapidly absorbs all applied nutrients—including root fertilizers, foliar feeds, and growth regulators—to size up quickly.
• Intensive Care: This stage requires significant attention, with up to 10 rounds of pesticide/fungicide sprays (approximately every 3-5 days) and the complete application of NPK and organic base fertilizers to support the growing fruit.

Phase 3: Ripening, Coloring, and Harvest

The final days are focused on improving the fruit’s quality and market appearance. This is when the skin develops its iconic, deep color, and the flesh accumulates sweetness.

• Quality Focus: Essential treatments include specific compounds for enhancing color and Potassium (Kali) fertilizer to boost sugar content, alongside maintaining sufficient irrigation.
• Market Standards and Safety: For high-value markets, ensuring the fruit meets strict import standards is paramount. The most critical step is adhering to the mandatory pre-harvest interval (the safe period after the final pesticide application) to guarantee minimal or zero chemical residue (MRLs – Maximum Residue Limits) on the harvested fruit.

By managing these three intense phases with precision and high-level technique, Vietnamese farmers successfully produce high-quality dragon fruit across multiple cycles each year.

OURCE OF SUPPLY OF DRAGON FRUIT

If you have not found a reputable and abundant source of fruits. You can refer to and come to FRUIT95’s direct production system to choose for yourself products that meet quality standards, feel secure about the origin at the best price.

Mail: Ad.fruit95@gmail.com / Phone: (+84) 934 01 62 82 Mr.Triển

Mail: Ad1.fruit95@gmail.com / Phone: (+84) 987 364 651 Mrs.Sophia

 

XNK FRUIT95 COMPANY LIMITED

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