Growing Pitayas

I am often asked about the best way to grow pitayas, they are a climbing cacti which require a support structure to grow on. It is common to see them scrambling up trees, however picking the fruit from the top of a cacti covered tree presents its own obvious problems. In my view John Picone has the best technique for growing these interesting fruits getting a bumper crop within reach so the delicious fruits can be easily harvested.



John grows his pitaya's on chest high round posts, they are ideal. The vines reach the top of the post and are allowed to form multiple arms off the top of the post, this way the vines produce bumper crops in a small space. Some of the round posts are connected with a board along the top of the posts which the pitayas are trained along.



And what do they taste like? The pitaya or dragon fruits are delicious, they have a delicate flavour, the flesh is watery and textured with the small black edible seeds. They are lovely eaten fresh out of hand or sliced into a fruit salad. If you are local you will find John at the New Brighton Farmers Market on Tuesdays and the Byron Bay Farmers Market on Thursdays.