Applying techniques to ensure peach blossoms bloom at the right time.
These days, the peach blossom fields in Cam Hoang village, Xuan Cam commune, are bustling with activity. Taking advantage of the warm sunshine, gardeners are carefully tending to their trees to ensure they bloom in time for the Lunar New Year. Mr. Nguyen Van Hai, head of Cam Hoang village with over 10 years of experience, shared that his family owns more than 100 peach trees. All are "VIP" varieties, with large trunks and rough bark, selected from high mountainous regions in the Northwest, where the climate is harsh, before being grafted with Nhat Tan peach varieties. To ensure the peach blossoms bloom in time for Tet, farmers must be present in the gardens constantly, closely monitoring the weather and the trees' growth to adjust techniques. Mr. Hai believes the most important step is stripping the leaves at the right time, in addition to regularly adjusting the temperature, humidity, and light in the garden. Leaf stripping is usually done in mid-November of the lunar calendar. He meticulously does this by hand to avoid damaging the branches and buds. When the leaves are removed, all the nutrients are concentrated in the buds, helping the flowers to grow larger, thicker-petaled, and more colorful later on. If the leaves are removed too early or too late, the flowers may bloom at the wrong time or be of poor quality. After leaf removal, gardeners continue to adjust the plant's growth process using techniques such as watering the roots with warm water or misting the branches to stimulate rapid flower development.
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The family of Mr. Nguyen Van Hai, in Cam Hoang village, takes care of their peach orchard. |
Some orchards even use electric heaters during severe cold weather to maintain a stable temperature for the trees. Thanks to advanced grafting techniques and a carefully controlled care regimen, the Cam Hoang peach blossoms bloom precisely during the Lunar New Year every year. The diverse flower colors, from the deep red of the Bích peach (from the Nhật Tân variety) to the pale pink with 5 single or double petals (15 to 21 petals), offer buyers a wide range of choices.
According to the owner of this peach blossom garden, last year his family earned over 200 million VND from selling and renting to customers. A "valuable" peach blossom tree is not only judged by its blossoms but must possess the "four auspicious elements": flowers, leaves, buds, and fruit; a large, gnarled trunk is believed to symbolize abundance, prosperity, good fortune, and fertility. Pointing to a peach blossom tree with an upright shape and three large branches growing from the base, Mr. Hai said that last year a customer rented it for 12 million VND for 10 days during Tet (Lunar New Year). This year, he "cultivated" a type of soft-stemmed plant to cling tightly around the base, creating a focal point and increasing the tree's value.
According to the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection (under the Department of Agriculture and Environment), the province has over 210 hectares of peach orchards, concentrated in the communes and wards of Bac Giang, Tu Son, Vo Cuong, Xuan Cam, Luc Nam, and Bao Dai. In the last month of the year alone, local residents earned between 18 and 20 billion VND, with many households earning between 350 and 700 million VND from peach cultivation. Along with preparing the supply, many households are actively promoting their products through Facebook, Zalo, TikTok, etc., helping them reach customers in many provinces and cities. |
Mr. Hoang Van Thai, Chairman of the People's Committee of Xuan Cam commune, said: "Peach trees took root in Xuan Cam more than 10 years ago. From just a few households growing them on a small scale, the commune has now formed a large-scale peach growing area with more than 300 households participating, covering a total area of about 40 hectares. Of that, more than 35 hectares are regularly maintained, mainly in Cam Hoang village." It is estimated that this crop brings in more than 20 billion VND annually, with many households earning 350-400 million VND in just the last month of the year. As a crucial source of income, families meticulously care for their trees and apply advanced techniques to production. From the twelfth lunar month to Tet (Lunar New Year), people are almost always present in their orchards, tending to the trees and conducting business; the entire peach growing area is brightly lit with electric lights from night until morning.
Similar to the Cam Hoang peach blossom growing area, the atmosphere in Bao Dai commune, the "peach blossom capital," is bustling and urgent these days. From trips to "hunt" for peach branches and trees in mountainous provinces to sell during Tet (Lunar New Year), people in Yen Thien and Dong Cong villages have learned the "secrets" of wealth creation from the locals and applied them directly to their own land, making this crop a sustainable economic development direction. While in 2024, the impact of Typhoon Yagi caused many trees to die or produce fewer flowers, resulting in significant losses for many orchard owners, this year the peach blossom growing area has revived. Currently, farmers are stripping leaves, bending, and pruning branches to stabilize them. It is expected that during this year's Lunar New Year, the locality will supply tens of thousands of peach blossom branches to the nationwide market, with common prices at the orchard ranging from 500,000 VND to 1,500,000 VND per branch. This year, some orchard owners are also applying techniques to make flowers bloom directly from the tree trunk, diversifying the supply for customers to choose from. According to Mr. Nguyen Van Kien, owner of Kien Lua flower garden in Yen Thien village, more than 70% of the plants have already been ordered (about 2,000 plants), mainly by wholesalers in the central provinces and Hanoi; the retail market will only start to become active after the 15th day of the 12th lunar month.
Increase the value of crops.
Bac Ninh province is located in a typical tropical monsoon climate zone, creating favorable conditions for the development of diverse crops. In many localities, farmers have actively transformed their farming structure, forming concentrated growing areas that generate high incomes. According to specialized agencies, the entire province has more than 210 hectares of peach trees, concentrated in the communes and wards of Bac Giang, Tu Son, Vo Cuong, Xuan Cam, Luc Nam, and Bao Dai. Depending on the farming practices and production experience of the people, the growing areas have unique characteristics, adding color to the spring season. Furthermore, although the planted area is not large compared to the total cultivated land area, this crop has high economic value. In the last month of the year alone, people in these localities earned between 18 and 20 billion VND, with many households earning between 350 and 700 million VND from peach cultivation.
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Many peach orchards in Bac Giang ward have started welcoming visitors. |
Observations at many nurseries show that, to keep up with customer demand, farmers have proactively researched market trends, focusing on pruning, shaping, and grafting... bringing to the market a diverse range of products, from trees to branches, with eye-catching shapes suitable for homes, offices, and workplaces. Along with preparing supply, many households are boosting promotion through Facebook, Zalo, TikTok, etc., helping them reach customers in many provinces and cities. Rental services for Tet peach blossom trees have also flourished, with prices ranging from a few million to tens of millions of VND per tree (including transportation and care). This approach both maintains income for nurseries and saves some costs for the owners.
Text and photos: Mai Toan
Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/bac-ninh-vung-trong-dao-tap-nap-vao-vu-tet-postid437056.bbg
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