Growing Dragon Fruits in Pots 🌱
Dragon fruits are rich in vitamins and minerals, high in fiber and antioxidants—but they’re usually grown in wide open fields. So when a high school classmate who owns a dragon fruit farm in Bulacan gave me five stem cuttings, I wondered how can I make them grow and bear fruits on our veranda.
But the plantito in me took up the challenge. I got large pots, built trellises for the stems to climb and hang, pruned them from time to time to guide their growth and encourage new shoots, regularly fertilized the soil, and hand-pollinated the flowers when they began blooming (there aren’t many bees in the area).
The result? For the past five years, I’ve been harvesting fresh dragon fruits—just a few steps from our living room.
It’s been a deeply rewarding and sustainable hobby. If you’ve ever thought of growing your own food or fruit—even in our urban space—give it a try. You might just find joy (and fruit!) where you least expect it.
– Dr. Francis Evangelista, Dean of School of Arts, Sciences, and Education
