Farmers in Ho Chi Minh City are busy with the Tet melon crop.

Planted since the tenth lunar month, the watermelon growing region east of Ho Chi Minh City is entering a crucial stage. The watermelons are developing well, and farmers are hoping for a bumper crop and good prices during Tet (Lunar New Year).

To ensure the melon crop is ready for Tet (Lunar New Year), farmers in the eastern part of Ho Chi Minh City started planting in October of the lunar calendar. To date, the melons are developing well, and farmers are actively caring for them, hoping for a bountiful harvest and good prices.

Watermelon farming has been a long-standing occupation for farmers in Long Dien commune (Ho Chi Minh City). Thanks to suitable soil conditions, the watermelon plants thrive, producing large, round fruits with red flesh and a sweet taste, which are popular in the market, especially during Tet (Lunar New Year). The most popular varieties chosen by farmers this season are Trang Nong Long Stripe, Thanh Long 2014, Rong Xanh, Phu Dong, and Hac My Nhan, among others, due to their rapid growth and resistance to pests and diseases.

Farmers in Long Dien commune tend to their melon crops for Tet (Lunar New Year). Photo: Dong Hieu .

Mr. Le Van Cay (Long Dien commune) planted Trang Nong long-striped melons, Thanh Long 2014 variety, nearly a month ago. The melon vines are developing well, with green leaves and thick stems. Mr. Cay said that the weather so far has been quite favorable for melon growth. At this time, the melons are in the stage of supporting the vines, pruning, and spraying pesticides, so farmers must take careful care, promptly detect and treat pests and diseases to help the fruit develop. After more than two months of planting, around the 23rd to 28th of the 12th lunar month, the melons will begin to be harvested simultaneously, in time to supply the market for Tet (Lunar New Year).

Not far away, Mr. Nguyen Van Luom from Long Dien commune is also busy tending to his Tet melon crop. According to Mr. Luom, the melons are currently growing well, promising a bountiful harvest; however, the price will only be known closer to Tet. Farmers only hope that traders will buy at a slightly higher price so they can make a profit and have a prosperous Tet.

To prepare a supply of watermelons for the Lunar New Year market, starting from the 24th day of the 10th lunar month, Mr. Dang Van Bau's family (Ba Ria ward) planted about 7 sao (approximately 0.7 hectares), mainly yellow watermelons and long watermelons. At this time, his family is focusing on tending and watering the plants to ensure the watermelons grow well. Mr. Bau said that this year the weather has been favorable, so the watermelons are growing well.

To produce large, round, delicious, and beautiful watermelons ready for harvest during Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year), in addition to the weather, farmers must pay attention to many factors in cultivation techniques, from soil preparation to selecting good watermelon varieties. During the watermelon's growth, they must select the best fruits to leave behind, focus on spraying pesticides, and nurture the plants and fruits.

“The weather is favorable for melon growth, and at this time my family is focusing on caring for the plants to ensure the melons are of good quality when harvested. We expect to harvest our melon garden around the 25th of the 12th lunar month with a yield of about 5 tons of fruit to supply the market for Tet,” Mr. Bau said.

Besides traditionally grown melons, many growers in greenhouses have also planted their crops and are busy tending to their melon plants for the Lunar New Year.

Ms. Pham Thi Tho takes care of the cantaloupe melons grown in a greenhouse. Photo: Dong Hieu .

The cantaloupe garden, planted in greenhouses by Ms. Pham Thi Tho's family (Dat Do commune), has been carefully tended for nearly three weeks to ensure it's ready for sale during Tet (Lunar New Year). According to Ms. Tho, the Tet melon crop, planted at the end of the year, is heavily affected by stormy weather. However, thanks to cultivation in greenhouses, the melons grow well, have fewer pests and diseases, and yield higher productivity. With five greenhouses for growing melons, if conditions are favorable, this season is expected to yield about 40 tons of fruit.

"In recent years, cantaloupe has had a more stable market compared to other agricultural products. The melons are currently in the fruit selection stage, and will be harvested for Tet (Lunar New Year) in about a month. Wholesale markets have already started buying and transporting them to other provinces," Ms. Tho said.

This year, the eastern area of ​​Ho Chi Minh City is expected to cultivate approximately 150 hectares of various types of melons for the Lunar New Year. With prices during the Tet season typically ranging from 8,000 to 10,000 VND/kg for watermelons, and 20,000 to 25,000 VND/kg for cantaloupes and honeydew melons, farmers can expect a profit of 70 to 200 million VND per hectare.

From now until harvest, the weather is expected to be unpredictable. The Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ho Chi Minh City advises farmers to regularly inspect their fields and check for pests and diseases in order to detect and treat them promptly, preventing the spread of diseases on melon plants. They should also focus on improving soil quality using organic and biological fertilizers to reduce costs and increase profits.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/nong-dan-tphcm-tat-bat-vu-dua-tet-d793449.html