Dragon fruit plants start yellowing when they get too much sun because it’s damaging their leaves.
Dragon fruit plants are one of the most popular plants, it is native to tropical areas of Mexico, Central America and parts of South America. It is a climbing vine that is easy to grow and produces exotic fruits with an unusual color, texture and taste. It can be grown indoors or outdoors, in pots or in the ground. The only thing you need to do is take care of them properly and they will thrive.
But sometimes, even when we do everything right, we find ourselves with a dragon fruit plant that’s started yellowing. It’s a little disheartening and as much as we’d like to blame it on something or someone else, it’s likely our fault. So let’s talk about why this happens and how we can fix it.
Too much exposure to the sun
Dragon fruit plants start yellowing when they get too much sun because it’s damaging their leaves. The sun can cause the leaves to dry out and turn yellow, which makes it harder for them to absorb water.
This is a common problem in dragon fruits that are grown in areas with very hot summers or where they’re exposed to direct sunlight.
To prevent this from happening in hot summer months, you’ll want to intercrop your dragon fruit with other plants that provide shade during these times. This will help keep the dragon fruit cool and prevent it from turning yellow due to exposure to too much sunlight.
Please note that overwatering in hot summers while the plant has turned yellow can cause fungus to attack the plant, which makes it even more important to keep an eye on how much water your dragon fruit plant gets when temperatures are high. Just remember: keep the soil moist so that the plant gets only the amount of water required to survive.
Too much fertilizer
Another most common reason for a dragon fruit plant to turn yellow is too much fertilizer. The goal with fertilizing a dragon fruit plant is not to feed it constantly, but rather to provide just enough nutrients in the soil so that the plant can take what it needs when it needs it.
Fertilizers are designed to provide nutrients in their most concentrated form, and if you give your dragon fruit plant too much fertilizing, then the excess will build up in the soil and prevent other nutrients from being absorbed into its roots. This can cause yellowing on the leaves as well as stunted growth or other problems.
In order to fix this problem, you’ll want to stop giving your dragon fruit plant any additional fertilizer until they start growing normally again which should happen within 2-3 weeks. Then, once they’re back on track, start feeding them with half-strength fertilizer every few weeks until they’re ready for full strength again usually around two months after starting. This will help ensure that you’re giving them only what they need and nothing more!
Too much water
Too much water could be another reason why your dragon fruit plant is yellowing. The plant needs water but not too much. If there is too much water in the soil then it will all go into the roots, which are located at the bottom of the plant. This will cause root rot and other fungal infections on your dragon fruit plant.
The best way to avoid this issue is to make sure that your soil drains well that is why sandy soil is more preferable to grow dragon fruit plants in because it drains quickly and doesn’t stay soaked for too long.
Dehydration
This is a common problem that occurs when your dragon fruit plant doesn’t get enough water. If your dragon fruit plant is wilting and turning brown, it may have been subjected to drought conditions for too long. This can happen if you don’t water your dragon fruit plants enough, or if they get too much sun and heat while they’re outside. When a dragon fruit plant is dehydrated, the leaves turn yellow and begin to wilt away from their stems. If left untreated, this will kill the entire plant.
Fortunately, there’s an easy fix: just give your dragon fruit plant some more water! You can also try moving it into an area with more shade during hot summer days so that it doesn’t suffer any further dehydration-related stress.
Compacted Soil
Dragon fruit plants need to be planted in a sandy loam that drains well and has a pH between 5.0 and 7.0 slightly acidic. Sandy loams are made up of mineral particles like quartz, clay, and silt mixed with organic matter like decomposing leaves, animal dung and plant roots.
When the soil is compacted and dry, it can cause yellowing of your dragon fruit plant. This is because the plant needs water to survive. When the soil is dry, it can’t absorb the water from the roots of your dragon fruit plant. The roots become unable to draw in nutrients from their surroundings and are not able to grow as quickly as they should be growing. Without proper growth, they are unable to support the rest of the plant, causing yellowing leaves.
If your soil is more clay-like than sandy, it’s likely too dense for dragon fruit plants to thrive in it. You could test the soil by taking a handful of dirt from the top layer and squeezing it in your hand; if it forms a ball that stays intact when you open your fingers, then your soil is too dense for growing dragon fruit plants. You’ll need to add some organic matter like compost or manure to loosen up the clay particles so they don’t clump together when they dry. This is a common problem for farmers who live in areas with very little rainfall or who have poor drainage systems in place on their farms.
Diseases
Bipolaris cactivora
Bipolaris cactivora is a fungus that causes the most common disease of dragon fruit, known as “fruit rot.” This disease can be devastating to dragon fruit farmers, as it reduces the quality and quantity of their harvest, and can even lead to total crop loss.
The most common symptom of this disease is sunken lesions that appear on the surface of the fruit. These lesions are often pale yellow-green in color, but may also be brownish or pinkish. The lesions develop quickly after infection and can grow up to 1/2 inch in diameter. As they grow larger, they become sunken into the flesh of the fruit.
If you notice these symptoms on your dragon fruits, immediately contact your local agricultural extension office for treatment advice.
Anthracnose
Anthracnose is a serious disease of dragon fruit. It causes browning to the outer leaves, which then turn black. The fungus also attacks the fruit, causing it to rot and fall off. In addition, the flowers can be affected by anthracnose. Both Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and C. truncatum cause anthracnose on dragon fruit plants. Anthracnose is most common during rainy seasons when humidity is high.
There are several ways to prevent anthracnose on dragon fruit plants:
- Prune off diseased leaves immediately after they appear
- Avoid overhead watering
- Plant resistant varieties of dragon fruit/li>
- Water early in the morning so that plants have time to dry out between waterings
- Avoid overwatering or overfertilizing your plant
Stem Canker
Neoscytalidium dimidiatum is a fungus that causes stem canker disease. It’s most common in dragon fruit plants that are under stress, and it can be devastating to a farmer’s crop.
The first signs of this disease are small brown spots on the stems of your dragon fruit plants. These spots will grow larger and darker, and eventually cause the plant to die.
Like so many diseases, Neoscytalidium dimidiatum is spread by spores in the soil. The spores are wind-borne and can travel long distances from where they were first released by infected plants. If you’re growing dragon fruit in an area where there have been prior outbreaks of this disease, it’s important to take steps to prevent it from spreading to your own crop.
Prevention
To prevent diseases from happening in dragon fruit plant, you should use fungicides like Mancozeb which is sold under various brand names such as Bordeaux mix or Dithane-M-45 among others depending on where you live.
These products contain copper sulfate which kills off harmful pathogens but does not harm beneficial organisms such as earthworms or bees as long as you follow the instructions on the label carefully. You can also apply some organic fertilizer like compost or manure around your dragon fruit plants to improve their growth and health.
FAQS
Q: Dragon fruit is native to?
A: The dragon fruit plant is native to Mexico and Guatemala, where it thrives in humid tropical forests. The dragon fruit plant is also known as pitahaya or strawberry pear because of its appearance and taste. The fruit is eaten raw or used in desserts such as ice cream or sorbet; it’s also used to make jellies and wine.
Q: How to care for dragon fruit plant?
A: In order to grow healthy plants that bear well-formed fruits, you need to provide them with proper nutrition and drainage. Dragon fruit plants thrive best when planted in rich soil that drains well but retains moisture; they need plenty of sunlight but not too much heat so their leaves get sunburned or scorched if planted too close together.
Conclusion
Now that you know that, you can be sure to look out for these signs in your own dragon fruit plants. If you do notice them, don’t worry you’re still in good shape, and there’s plenty of time to take action before the plant starts to suffer.
If you have any questions or concerns about your dragon fruit plant, feel free to leave a comment below.
Also Read: Why Is My Creeping Jenny Dying and How Can I Fix It?