How to plant & grow dragon fruit in Spain

The pitaya also known as the dragon fruit is a weird looking tasteful fruit that comes in a lot of varieties. The pitaya plant is a cactus and therefore needs a lot of sunlight to thrive. Also, the plant is absolutely not a fan of the cold. This limits a lot of places where you can grow the plant. However, after a try out we discovered that some Pitaya plants actually do well in Spain. In this article we will discuss some crucial points that will have a big influence on the growth of your Dragon fruit plant in Spain!

On what ground in Spain should you plant the pitaya?

Dragon fruit plants prefer well drained soil, unfortunately in Spain you often have clayground which is not optimal for the plants. An option for this is to dig a small pit and make a mixture combined out of sand, charcoal and manure. You will put this in the small pit and put enough of the mixture in, so that the mixture will form a small mountain. Then you will put the Pitaya on the mountain, do not dig it in, the roots will then rot. Because of rain or wind the mountain eventually will sag. You want to prevent this by putting small stones around the hill.

5 steps on how to plant Pitaya in Spain

• Step 1: Dig a small pit in the ground.
• Step 2: Make a mixture combined out of sand, charcoal and manure.
• Step 3: Fill enough of this mixture in the pit so that the mixture will form a small mountain.
• Step 4: Make sure you put the Pitaya cutting on top of the mountain, do not dig the plant in, the roots will then probably rot.
• Step 5: We do not want the mountain to sag too much so you want to prevent this by putting rocks on and around the hill.

Can you grow a dragon fruit plant without a tropical climate?

Based on what we noticed when growing dragon fruit in Spain, is that it is possible to grow the plant without a tropical climate. However you have to take a few things into account before you start planting. First of all the plants will need a lot of sunlight, preferably a minimum of 6 hours a day. However, if the sun is too hot, or the plant is too exposed to direct sun you will have the risk that the roots of the plant will dry out. The temperature in Spain can rise to a high temperature with a lot of sun during summer time. The plants will therefore need some kind of protection against the sun, something that will provide the plant shadow. Remember that the Pitaya plant is a climbing cacti and will need a support to grow up against. The most common is a sturdy wooden skeleton. It will provide the plant with the support it needs.

Important note: A lot of people use tires but please don’t do this. The tire will get way too hot and is above all extremely toxic.

Temperatures

Temperatures below zero is something the pitaya really doesn’t like. Before you start growing your own pitaya plant you need to decide if the temperatures at your location will drop below zero at night often. If this is the case, it is recommended to grow your pitaya plants in a pot so that you can protect them from the cold by changing the place of the plant to a place that’s warm. If you’re at a place where it almost never freezes for instant the costa brava and you want to put your plant in solid ground, then you can protect your plant by laying hay on the roots around the plant. This way you will protect the plant from the cold and the cold will have no effect on the growth of the plant. Keep in mind this is only an option when it almost never freezes. If you want to read more about how to grow your dragon fruit then definitely read our page: How to grow dragon fruit.

Conclusion

These are the most essential tips for planting and growing your dragon fruit cuttings in a non tropical environment. Are you in a country that has a similar climate as the Costa Brava in Spain? Then you can definitely apply the tips and techniques that are mentioned in this article and probably successfully grow your own dragon fruit!