The bustling season of Tet flowers

With the Lunar New Year fast approaching, people in the flower villages of Thai Nguyen are busy tending to their flower beds. After days of hard work planting and caring for the plants, the Tet flower crop is the biggest source of income for flower growers this year.

Currently, many types of flowers in flower gardens throughout Thai Nguyen province have begun to bloom, serving the needs of flower enthusiasts since the beginning of the twelfth lunar month.

The flower gardens are in full bloom.

As November of the Year of the Snake draws to a close, the flower gardens in Tuc Tien (formerly Group 14, Tuc Duyen Ward, now part of Phan Dinh Phung Ward) begin to bud. According to the villagers, this year's weather has been favorable; from planting until now, it hasn't been too cold or too warm, so the flowers are developing quite well.

Previously, due to the heavy rains and storms in October, many flower fields were submerged in water and all the flowers died. Despite this, the people did not lose heart; they still cleaned and sanitized the fields, tilled the soil, and planted the seeds in time for the season.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Que, a flower grower in Tuc Tien, shared: "This year, Tet (Lunar New Year) came later, so we planted our seeds a month later (starting in October according to the lunar calendar). With two consecutive years of flooding, we ran out of flower seeds to propagate, so we had to order chrysanthemum seeds from Da Lat. We invested 4 million VND to plant over 10,000 chrysanthemum plants. If the price is good, we can earn over 20 million VND; if the price drops, we can still recover our investment, so we're not too worried."

For lily growers, the investment cost for seedlings is higher, potentially exceeding 20,000 VND per bulb, but thanks to experience in selecting seedlings and mastering the techniques of planting, caring for, and controlling pests and diseases, these flower growers, despite the hard work, are very confident in their results.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy, a long-time flower grower in Tuc Tien, said: "Lilies require meticulous care, but their selling price is much higher than other types of flowers."

Locals in the province are focusing on caring for and watering the flowers so they grow quickly and bloom at the right time.

Not only in long-established flower-growing areas like Tuc Tien, but also in mountainous areas like Lang hamlet, Yen Trach commune, some households have boldly invested in flower cultivation. Ms. Ngo Thi Nu, from Lang hamlet, said: "I used to work as a hired hand in several flower gardens in Da Lat for many years. When I returned to my hometown, I realized the land was fertile and combined with my existing experience, I have maintained a flower farm of 5 sao (approximately 0.5 hectares) for the past three years. With prices at the farm not too high, only 3,000 to 4,000 VND per chrysanthemum stem; 7,000 to 9,000 VND per gladiolus stem, my family's flowers always have a stable market."

Looking at the flower gardens preparing to bloom and show off their colors, we could feel the joy on the faces of the hardworking farmers. In just a couple of weeks, the flowers will be in full bloom, waiting to be picked and taken to the market for sale.

According to Mr. Nguyen Ta, Head of the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, Thai Nguyen has approximately 500 hectares of land dedicated to the cultivation of flowers and vegetables. Specifically during the winter-spring season, to meet market demand, Thai Nguyen has about 120 hectares planted with flowers for the Lunar New Year, focusing mainly on cold-loving varieties.

Hoping for a year of good prices.

Flower cultivation has been developing in Thai Nguyen for over 20 years. Specialized flower-growing areas have also emerged, such as: Cay hamlet, Ben Do, Linh Son commune; Tuc Tien (group 14), Phan Dinh Phung ward; Phu Thinh, Dai Phuc commune…

Flower cultivation has provided a livelihood for many households, enabling many families to build large houses, buy beautiful cars, and enjoy many modern amenities. This profession has also enabled the children of the flower village to grow up, receive education from their parents, and become successful members of society… Ms. Nguyen Thi Que added: If prices are good, one hectare of land planted with flowers can yield an income of 500 million VND. Many high-quality flower varieties such as lilies and gladioli can bring in nearly 1 billion VND.

Some households in the flower villages of the province plant early to provide high-quality flowers to people from the end of November in the lunar calendar.

For agriculture, especially in flower cultivation, flowers are considered a lucrative profession if one masters the techniques and the weather is favorable, ensuring the flowers bloom at the right time and fetch high prices. This year, after the storms and floods, both flower growers and flower enthusiasts have faced many difficulties due to damaged and lost property. Nevertheless, the demand for flowers is predicted to remain undiminished.

Ms. Dang Thi Hoa, from Group 90, Phan Dinh Phung Ward, shared: "Playing with flowers during Tet has become an elegant pastime, an indispensable habit of Vietnamese people in general, and Thai Nguyen in particular. Therefore, even though the economy is more difficult than in previous years, when Tet comes, every household arranges at least one to several vases of flowers…"

Thus, it can be seen that the flower market in Thai Nguyen is quite favorable. Especially since many flower lovers prefer flowers grown in Thai Nguyen because they are cut directly from the garden and brought to the market, making them fresher, more vibrant in color, and longer-lasting. The most important thing now is for flower growers to take good care of their flowers and apply scientific and technical advancements to ensure the flowers bloom at the right time.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tien, from Tuc Tien flower village, said: "This year, the cold weather came late, so it will be easier to delay the blooming of the flowers to coincide with the right time. Currently, we are limiting watering the flowers so that the buds can 'sleep' longer. In about 10 days, we will start 'forcing' the flowers to bloom so that we can sell them during the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, then the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, and the days after that."

Chrysanthemums are a type of flower that people grow year-round. Typically, chrysanthemums sell for 3,000 to 4,000 VND per stem at the garden, but during the Lunar New Year season, the price can reach 5,000 VND per stem or higher. High-quality flowers like lilies are predicted to sell for 40,000 to 60,000 VND per stem, while gladioli could fetch 8,000 to 10,000 VND per stem… With these prices, flower growers not only profit from the affection of flower lovers but also earn a considerable amount of money to cover living expenses and invest in future flower seasons.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/kinh-te/202601/ron-rangmua-hoa-tet-e427c33/