Hello dragon fruit enthusiasts! This is Jay with Hybridizing Dragon Fruit, where we teach YOU how to make your very own dragon fruit varieties! Today's tip of the day is about canopy grafting. This is a concept that isn't nearly as widely known as I had originally thought, and I know this is a method that will help you immensely in getting your dragons to flower and record time! So, what is canopy grafting? Let me explain in greater detail...

Most people learn to graft in the traditional way, using a mature root stock of a variety that grows well in your climate, and is roughly around 12 in or so in length. This is a fairly ideal situation for grafting a mature scion and will even work with seedlings as well. But if you do plan on grafting your seedling hybrid, there's a much better way!

What you want to do is wait until your root stock puts out a new growth about a few inches long, like this right here! Then you're going to want to cut that in half. Now this is where you should graft your seeding instead, because the new growth from your mature root stock has young cells just like the ones in your seedling, the graft will heal even faster and provide the best connection, so your graft has has the best chance possible!

Now, even though each variety will vary in how long it takes to flower for the first time, generally speaking, a graft such as the ones we just discussed will take anywhere from a year, to two years, to produce its first flower and fruit. THIS is where canopy grafting really shines, as it can cut down your flowering time down, from a couple of years, to as fast as a few months!

Here's how it works: Why settle for a tiny little root system for your mature scion or hybrid when we can use the incredible MIGHT of a full grown dragon! That's right, go big or go home! We are going to graft to the canopy of a well-established dragon. Your graft will not know the difference and think it's full grown as well! 

Here's how it works: If you are grafting a mature scion to your canopy, you will want to select a branch from your canopy that is similar in thickness and in maturity. This will make for a solid connection when it comes time to tape it down tightly.

If you're grafting a seedling, however, you will want to select branches that are fairly young. As we talked about earlier, young tissue grafts best, to young tissue. Just as mature tissue, grafts best to that.

Once you find a suitable branch that is close to the crown of your canopy, and is the right size and maturity. You will want to cut the end with a sterilized knife, and apply your graft here! Use twice as much tape as you would use in an indoor grafting situation. You want to make sure the connection is as tight as possible to ensure a mechanically strong connection after healing. After doing so, I recommend tying a dark colored shopping bag over the top of the graft, to protect it from both the sun ,and from drying out.

The reason this actually works so well, is you're essentially exploiting what dragon fruit naturally do in the first place... grow until it finds light... hang... and then finally fruit. In that order! Your graft once fully healed, cannot distinguish itself from the rest of the full-size dragon. It becomes ONE! It has full access to the roots, the nutrients, and even the structure it needs to fruit... an already hanging branch!

Canopy grafting can cut your flowering time down, from a couple of years, to just a few months! And when you are creating and evaluating hybrids, especially with limited space, this is a game changer! So next time you have a cutting laying around that is now five feet tall, and you don't know what to do with it. Don't throw it away! Canopy graft right to the top of it, and shortcut your way to some quick fruit!

If you'd like to learn more about creating your own dragon fruit hybrids, please give us a thumbs up, a subscribe, and be sure to join our Facebook group @ Facebook/groups/HybridizingDragonFruit

Grow something amazing!!!