How to Grow Dragon Fruit on a Trellis

Find a site that gets partial or dappled sunshine. Dragon fruit tolerates mild shade and gets burned in too much direct sunlight. The University of Florida IFAS Extension recommends shade for 30 percent of the time in the growing site. Make sure that any site is 15 to 20 feet from trees or power lines, as this is an aggressive plant that will climb anything in its path.

Dig holes that are as deep and twice as wide as the root ball of the cactus, and pack soil in around its roots. Plant dragon fruit cacti 10 feet from each other to avoid interference.

Mix quick-draining soil into the planting site to give the dragon fruit adequate drainage. Dragon fruit cacti do not require extensive nutrition in their soil but die if left in standing water or if water can't get to their roots.

Put a trellis immediately behind the dragon fruit for support. Make sure the trellis can support 300 to 400 lbs. of weight. Tie the main vines of the dragon fruit cactus to the trellis with felt ties to avoid damaging it, and allow the cactus to train itself along the trellis. Use one trellis per cactus to avoid overwhelming the structure.

Water dragon fruit cacti with 2 inches of water a week, and also spray cacti with a hose every time you water. Spread 2 to 6 inches of organic mulch over the soil around the cactus to maintain soil moisture. Replenish the mulch as it breaks down to maintain this safety layer. Spread new mulch two to three times every summer, then again in winter.