Peach blossom villages in Nghe An are busy taking care of trees to serve Tet.

The bonsai peach gardens in Nghi Lien commune have been dug up and their roots tied, and will be transferred to pots by December. Photo: TP

With more than 30 years of experience growing peach trees, Mr. Phan Tat Giap (Kim Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district) clearly understands the time to strip the leaves so that the peach trees will bloom in time for Tet. Mr. Giap said: "Peach trees should be stripped 70 days before Tet, and peach trees should be stripped 60 days before Tet. That is the general formula, but the weather is different every year, so we have to adjust it based on the actual situation. Like this year, the cold came late, so the stripping of leaves was also later.

It is expected that the peach trees will "shed leaves" by the end of this October lunar month. We are currently focusing on pruning old leaves, removing dry branches and taking care of them. My family grows native peach trees and sells the branches, so we are now starting to strip the leaves from the young branches to nourish the buds. At the same time, we are completing the final fertilization so that the trees can nourish the buds and buds."

Currently, bonsai peach gardeners are focusing on turning the peach trees and tying the roots. Photo: TP

According to Mr. Giap's experience, the leaf stripping on each peach tree is also different depending on the age of the peach tree; on each tree, the young, weak branches must be stripped first, and the old, strong branches must be pruned later. Because long, young branches often flower later than short, old branches.

This year, the weather is forecast to be cold late and the temperature is also higher than previous years, so gardeners have a plan to slow down the peach blossoms. Mr. Nguyen Trong Tien, a peach tree grower in Kim Thanh commune (Yen Thanh) said: “At this time, peach growers have started to get busy. From determining the age of the peach, based on the weather to decide when to shed leaves. In previous years, from July and August, they would have turned the peach trees and ringed the bark so that the flowers would bloom in time for Tet. However, this year, the cold weather is late, the weather is warm, so the peach trees will be turned in early September and the bark will be ringed in mid-October.”

Mr. Tien said that this year's "castration" of peach trees was also done later than previous years due to the late cold weather and warmer winter. Photo: TP

This year, Mr. Nguyen Van Thang (Thanh Linh commune, Thanh Chuong district) took care of 50 peach trees for customers and 100 second-year peach trees to sell on the Tet market. At the beginning of the 9th lunar month, Mr. Thang hired someone to dig a hole 20-25 cm from the base, 20-25 cm deep (depending on the size of the tree), then covered the roots and covered with soil.

Mr. Thang said: “The purpose of root-suppression is to stabilize the peach tree’s root system. When transplanted into a pot for acclimatization, the tree will not be weak, will produce many buds, bloom on time for Tet, and will be durable. There are many trees that, after transplanting, have their leaves stripped and transferred to a pot for acclimatization; there are trees that are grown in the garden and have their leaves not stripped yet.”

Young, weak peach gardens are fertilized for the last time and leaves are stripped early. Photo: TP

As for pruning and cutting branches, currently, the main steps are pruning excess and dry branches, and creating an arch. “It will take about 15-20 days to strip the leaves. Stripping the leaves is not simple, you have to observe and understand the strength and weakness of the tree. In general, from now until Tet, peach growers like us will start the season, working from morning to night without stopping,” Mr. Thang added.

During this period, gardeners who grow and care for peach trees in Nghi Lien, Nghi Duc (Vinh City), Nghi Huong (Cua Lo Town), and peach trees in Nam Anh, Nam Xuan, Nam Nghia, Nam Thai, Nam Hung (Nam Dan) communes are also urgently taking care of Tet peach trees. In hilly gardens and home gardens, in addition to the main laborers in the family, many gardens also have to hire additional workers to dig pots, restrain roots, prune branches, and strip old leaves.

Many peach gardens have been visited by traders to see and ask for prices. Photo: TP

Mr. Le Thanh Hung, an agricultural officer of Nam Xuan commune, said: “Taking care of peach trees is a job that must be done all year round, from after the full moon of January until Tet. However, the busiest time is from October to the end of December. This is the time that determines whether the peach trees will have many buds or not, whether they will bloom on time for Tet or not, all depends on whether the care is done properly, how to restrain and stimulate the trees…”.

Peach growing has been associated with people in many rural areas in Nghe An. Peach trees are not only the main tree for household garden economy but also the brand for many localities in the province. In recent years, the weather has been erratic, but with many years of experience in planting and caring for peach trees, Nghe An peach trees are still growing well. Although it is only the 10th lunar month, traders from many places have visited the gardens, surveyed peach prices, and prepared to supply the Tet market.

Source: https://baonghean.vn/cac-lang-dao-o-nghe-an-tat-bat-cham-soc-cay-phuc-vu-tet-post280119.html