We would like to introduce you to Lesley a Dragon Fruit grower in Emerald. Emerald gets around 559.7mm of rainfall per year most of that rain fall is in the wet season. 

In winter Emerald gets lows of around 9c and in summer the mean temperature in around 34c. 

I like how Lesley has used old baths and companion planted for water efficiency.

I too love planting around the chicken coop they naturally make a rich organic dust that coats all surrounding plants. I see this as a natural foliage fertilizer. 

Thank you for sharing. 

Emerald in Central Queensland. It’s generally dry and hot here. I question our living choices in January and February each year. 

How long have you been an avid gardener for?

We have always tried to have small veggie patches wherever we lived. We bought our 2.5 acre block 9 years ago and have steadily added gardens over time. 

What is your history with gardening and horticulture?

After Covid, we amped up the veggie and fruit tree growing. I have consumed as much gardening knowledge as I can - reading books, following gardeners in Instagram and YouTube and talking to other gardeners. 

We have then been experimenting with what works on our block. We have crappy black soil and poor drainage. We have raised garden beds, the beginnings of a food Forrest and direct sowed into the ground. 

What drew you to Dragon fruit?

We were given some cuttings from a family friend. 

Can you please walk me through your history with dragon fruit?

We were given some cuttings and fruit to try and my boys were hooked. So we planted them all throughout the garden, some under trees, in pots, directly in the garden, where ever a spare spot is. 

What was your 1st dragon fruit experience eating?

Our family shared a red flesh variety. We loved it.

What was your 1st dragon fruit experience growing?

We planted some cuttings into dodgy soil direct in the ground. They have t flourished. But a lesson none the less.

What is your Favorite variety and why?

No favourites

Best tip for growing dragon fruit. Biggest no, no for growing dragon fruit.

Best tip - plant them in pots so you can control the soil and drainage. They also love water.

No no-  dodgy black soil 

Biggest challenge for growing dragon fruit you have had?

Consistent watering

How do you fertilize?

We have chickens and so when the coop gets cleaned out the manure gets sprinkled underneath all the fruit trees. I also try to give them a drink of seasol every few months. 

How many varieties do you currently have?

No idea as most of them came as cuttings from friends. We have a bought yellow and a purple haze variety. The rest are red flesh varieties.

What soil did you pot your cutting in?

Some I have planted straight into the ground, some are in raised garden beds, others are in pots. The pots have produced better results. 

Here are some of Lesley's photos of how she has planted her dragon fruit. 

We watched a garden tour on YouTube and the gardener had put his dragonfruit in pots on tree stumps so we experimented with this technique. We also planted some more cuttings underneath for the water run off.

A dragon fruit cutting planted in the raised garden around the chicken coop. This one is planted with Malabar  spinach and cinnamon spinach. Only planted in last month.

We have numerous other dragon fruit plants growing in pots or in the garden beds.