There’s always conflicting advice on the best way to grow dragon fruit cuttings, so I decided to run an experiment using six different growing mediums to see which would perform the best.
For this test, I used small, new growth cuttings from the same variety (Kathy Van Arum), ensuring they were all around the same age and size. Keep in mind that some dragon fruit varieties can take longer to root—Sugar Dragon, for instance, always takes much longer for us.
The growing mediums I chose were:
- Mushroom compost
- Yates seed raising mix
- Water
- Searles premium potting mix
- Coconut coir
- Searles premium potting mix with the cutting dipped in Root X
I planted the cuttings in glass containers so we could monitor root development. They were watered once a week and kept indoors in a well-lit, warm room. The experiment started on August 16, 2022, and concluded on September 16, 2022.
Results:
- Mushroom compost: Significant root growth—the cutting developed a strong root system and was the best performer by far.
- Coconut coir: Some root growth, though noticeably behind the mushroom compost by a few weeks.
- Yates seed raising mix: No growth.
- Water: No growth, and some signs of rot.
- Searles premium potting mix: No growth.
- Searles premium potting mix with Root X: No growth.
