Sowing the seeds of spring, wishing for a golden season

As the West enters the sunny days of the end of the year, people in my hometown whisper to each other: “Tet is coming!”. For them, planting Tet flowers brings with it the hope of a good harvest and good prices.

Tet flower crop

We entered the chrysanthemum nursery in Nhon My commune, the working atmosphere was bustling. Mrs. Nguyen Thanh Giau, 55 years old, was quickly planting the cuttings and smiling gently: "I have been growing Tet flower seeds since the 8th lunar month until now. On days when I am not working in the fields, I am hired to weed and plant flower seeds." Although she has to expose herself to the sun, Mrs. Giau has a stable income. With a salary of 240,000 VND/day, working from 6am to 2pm, she has a significant amount of savings. "In the afternoon, I am free, I can do housework or help take care of my grandchildren," Mrs. Giau said.

Farmers sow flowers for Tet. Photo: PHUONG LAN

Accompanying Mrs. Giau is Mrs. Bui Thi Hue, 58 years old, who shared: “At this time, we are hired to plant flowers for Tet. After that, we do steps like fertilizing, picking flowers, grafting branches, etc. This seasonal work lasts all year round, with only a short break after Tet. With this income, working from now until Tet is very stable.”

With more than 20 years of experience in the profession, Mr. Phan Minh Man, 51 years old, residing in An Chau commune, is one of the largest and second largest suppliers of seedlings in the region. He said that this year the Tet flower market has shown signs of slowing down, many people have reduced planting. Predicting the situation, he proactively reduced the output from 20,000 flower pots of all kinds to about 10,000 pots. However, supplying seedlings is still the mainstay of Tam Man flower garden. "In the past, in a Tet flower season, I sold about 200,000 seedlings to all provinces and cities. But this year, the number has decreased by half," Mr. Man said.

What makes his experience is the ability to "call flowers" - lighting lamps to grow Tet flowers. Mr. Man shared: "The purpose of lighting lamps is to prevent the plants from flowering. I have to light the lamps from the time of planting until the end of the 10th lunar month, then stop lighting them so that the plants can mature and start to flower." The number of light bulbs he uses is up to several hundred, each bulb is 3m apart. He also creates a miniature landscape space with many Tet flower varieties with an area of ​​more than 1 hectare, serving spring photography, creating a significant additional source of income.

Enhance technical application

According to the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, chrysanthemums and marigolds are planted at the end of the 10th lunar month. Crystal chrysanthemums have a long growing period (5 months), and are planted from the 7th lunar month. The focus is on An Thanh flower village, Hoi An commune, An Khuong ornamental flower village, Chau Thanh commune. Farmers also produce Tet flowers scattered in Cho Moi, Long Xuyen, Giong Rieng, Hon Dat, An Chau areas...

Lighting the lanterns so that Tet flowers bloom on time. Photo: PHUONG LAN

Regarding the general planning orientation for the flower and ornamental plant industry, the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center is completing the draft plan for the development of the provincial flower and ornamental plant industry for the period 2025 - 2030. In particular, promoting the application of high technology in the production, preliminary processing and preservation of flowers; building a model for the production of seedlings and commercial flowers and ornamental plants with the application of high technology and techniques to increase productivity, quality and product value; building a nursery for high-quality seedlings, providing seedlings for production.

“Selecting varieties is very important. Currently, the weather is changing and there are potential pests and diseases, so choose flower varieties that are resistant and ensure quality. Green worms, leaf-eating worms, thrips, mealybugs, leaf spots, anthracnose, and downy mildew often appear, affecting the yield and quality of flowers.

Farmers need to take care and check carefully from leaves and buds to detect pests early, prevent them, especially after rain, when watering the garden is moist, the risk of harmful fungi is very high; increase the use of organic fertilizers, helping plants stay healthy and flowers bloom longer. At the same time, monitor and regularly update weather forecasts to adjust light and control appropriate humidity to help flowers bloom at the right time," Mr. Phan Thanh Tam - Head of the Agricultural Extension Department, Provincial Agricultural Extension Center recommended.

According to Mr. Tam, in the weather conditions of late rain, high humidity, sunny days, cold nights at the end of the year, depending on the actual situation, farmers need to pay attention to cover the darkness with black nets (4pm - 7am ​​the next day) to prolong the night, limiting the formation of early buds. If the weather is cold early, increase lighting at night.

Despite many worries, farmers are still diligently sowing seeds of hope. From the green buds, hundreds of thousands of Tet flower pots will be sent everywhere, bringing the colors of spring and hopes for a prosperous new year.

The main channels for selling Tet flowers in An Giang are traders, wholesale markets, concentrated Tet flower selling points, and retailers. The Provincial Agricultural Extension Center supports product introduction through fairs and the unit's communication information page; consults and introduces farmers and cooperatives to the main units responsible for connecting agricultural product consumption and trade promotion, in order to expand the consumption market.

PHUONG LAN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/geo-mam-sac-xuan-uoc-hen-mua-vang-a468182.html