Adding new floral colors to celebrate Tet.

Besides traditional flowers, farmers in Da Nang city also grow many new and unique hybrid varieties of flowers and ornamental plants to meet customer demand and market trends during Tet (Lunar New Year).

To meet market demand, Ms. Le Anh's flower garden has increased the number of hanging flower arrangements she grows for this year's Tet holiday. Photo: TRAN TRUC

Observations in many large flower-growing areas such as Hoa Chau, Hoa Lien, Hoa Phong… (Hoa Vang district) show that flower growers are busy tending to their plants to ensure the flowers bloom in time for Tet (Lunar New Year). Besides the main flower, chrysanthemum, which accounts for the majority of the crop, miniature hanging flowers and ground cover flowers are being grown in greater quantities than in previous years. On an area of 4,000 ^m² , Mr. Phan Dinh Phung (Van Duong flower village, Hoa Lien commune) is growing more than 20,000 pots of various flowers such as petunias, snapdragons, begonias, sunflowers… Specifically, there are 3,000 pots of petunias, 3,000 pots of snapdragons, 2,000 pots of rough-leaved chrysanthemums, 2,000 pots of pico chrysanthemums, and 2,000 pots of sunflowers…

Mr. Phung shared that he didn't grow chrysanthemums like most other households in the area because he lacked experience, so his approach was to cultivate newer, less risky varieties. These flowers are sourced from the Mekong Delta, known for their ease of cultivation, resistance to disease, and minimal need for pesticides. In particular, the "deer eye" flower is the newest variety introduced to his garden, boasting vibrant colors and long-lasting freshness – remaining fresh even a month after Tet (Lunar New Year). Besides the "deer eye," other flowers also have good sales and have been trending in the market for the past two years. Consumer preferences are increasingly favoring brightly colored flowers such as yellow, red, and purple, with the added benefit of long-lasting color and a compact, lightweight design suitable for tabletops or hanging, ideal for smaller spaces.

In Go Giang flower village (Duong Lam 2 hamlet, Hoa Phong commune), thousands of potted Tet flowers are being meticulously cared for by gardeners. In the more than 1.5-hectare garden of Ms. Le Anh (Thuy Du Garden), a high-tech hanging flower cultivation model is flourishing with vibrant colors. To meet the increased market demand during Tet, her garden has increased its quantity to over 70,000 pots (a 30% increase compared to last year) with more than 20 types of flowers such as petunias, evening primroses, firecracker flowers, begonias, and ixora...; each type is grown in 5,000 to 15,000 pots.

Ms. Le Anh said: “This year, I introduced Korean chrysanthemums with a striking red color to serve customers. This is also a new type of flower in Da Nang, while it has been popular in the Mekong Delta for the past two years. The garden has 5,000 pots, but it's still not enough to meet customer demand. Therefore, next year the garden plans to increase the quantity and invest in a pipe irrigation system for this type of flower. On the other hand, hanging flowers are currently experiencing rapid growth in consumption and are very popular with customers. To ensure the flowers are beautiful and stay fresh for a long time, growers need to select high-quality flower varieties and master the technical processes for each type. Currently, various types of mini hanging flowers are priced from 30,000 to 50,000 VND per pot.”

Meanwhile, in the concentrated flower production area of the Duong Son Flower Production Cooperative (Hoa Chau commune), flower growers have increased the variety of flowers. Members of the cooperative regularly innovate with high-quality flower varieties such as Mokara orchids, hanging petunias, roses, bougainvillea, bellflowers, portulaca, and various feng shui decorative plants…

Mr. Ly Phuoc Dang, head of the Duong Son Flower Production Cooperative, informed that the cooperative has 21 flower growers, including 3 households growing hanging flowers. However, the number of growers is still not large. High-tech flower cultivation requires households to have knowledge and experience in applying scientific and technical methods to ensure the flowers grow well and bloom at the desired time. This season, about 10,000 hanging flower baskets from the cooperative will be exported to the market, and in the long term, some new flower varieties will continue to be researched, tested, and widely propagated, such as: lisianthus, petunias, begonias, etc. Through this, new flower varieties will gradually replace some popular varieties that are no longer favored by the market.

Currently, the kumquat market in Da Nang is mainly supplied by nurseries in Hoi An. This type of tree is not widely grown and is difficult to cultivate successfully in Da Nang due to weather conditions. However, Mr. Nguyen Ba Minh (Khuong My village, Hoa Phong commune) is known as a successful kumquat grower, cultivating 100-150 trees over the past 5 years. This Tet season, Mr. Minh planted more than 150 kumquat trees on an area of about ^500m² .

“Although growing ornamental kumquats in Da Nang is more difficult than elsewhere, if I succeed, it will be an inspiration for other households in the city. I learned about growing ornamental kumquats from relatives who are growing them in Hoi An – considered the capital of ornamental kumquat cultivation in Central Vietnam. This year, I planted more than in previous years, but due to unfavorable weather, about 30% of the total number of trees were damaged. I expect to supply the market with nearly 100 potted ornamental kumquat trees this Tet holiday, with the highest price being 3 million VND per pot,” Minh said.

According to Le Dinh Ca, Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Hoa Vang District, chrysanthemums remain the main flower grown in the area for this year's Tet (Lunar New Year) season. In addition, the production scale of other flowers and hanging flowers has increased by 20% compared to last year. Specifically, the number of chrysanthemum pots is over 114,000, other flowers nearly 120,000 pots, and hanging flowers nearly 50,000 pots. Flower production areas in the district mainly supply the city market and surrounding areas. The district's agricultural sector is very attentive to and supportive of seeds, as well as focusing on investing in infrastructure such as greenhouses and net houses for households growing hanging flowers. At the same time, the district also encourages farmers to grow new types of flowers and ornamental plants suitable to the local weather and climate to keep up with market trends and achieve economic efficiency.

TRAN TRUC - THANH NHAN

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