Unlike the yellow apricot blossom, the single-branch apricot blossom has buds that are faintly pink, and when fully bloomed, reveal a distinctive pure white color. Its petals are thin, and its stamens are light yellow, creating an elegant and luxurious feel. This is why the single-branch apricot blossom has become a familiar choice for many families in Northern Vietnam every spring.
However, this year's Tet flower season presents numerous challenges for flower growers. This is a leap year, with a long gap between the Gregorian New Year and the Lunar New Year, while the weather has been unpredictable. Heavy rains, high humidity, and warmer-than-average temperatures in the final months of the year have affected plant growth, particularly increasing the risk of premature blooming. To ensure the apricot blossoms bloom at the right time for Tet, growers have had to intensify care, adjust flowering techniques, from pruning and watering to shading and closely monitoring weather conditions.
In some gardens in Sa Pa ward, it's not uncommon to see flower growers diligently inspecting each apricot blossom tree and every tiny bud. This seemingly familiar task requires considerable experience and precision. Adjusting water levels and pruning by just a few days can cause the flowers to bloom too early or too late, directly impacting the economic value of the entire Tet season.
Having been a long-time fan of the Japanese apricot blossom, Ms. Dinh Thi Kieu Nga, a customer in Sa Pa ward, shared that her family often chooses Japanese apricot blossoms to decorate their home during Tet (Lunar New Year). According to Ms. Nga, Sa Pa Japanese apricot blossoms have a unique beauty, with delicate pink buds and pure white flowers that bloom for a long time, potentially lasting for many days. In previous years, she usually bought the flowers around the Gregorian New Year when the trees only had a few buds and let them bloom gradually until the Lunar New Year. However, because the Gregorian New Year and the Lunar New Year are quite far apart this year, she only started choosing flowers now.
Ms. Nga shared her experience: "Since there's about a month left until Lunar New Year, I prioritize choosing plants with tiny, dense buds to decorate with, so that the flowers bloom slowly and last longer. When I want the flowers to bloom profusely, I water them more, and combine this with providing light and warmth for the plant. Sa Pa is quite cold, so to delay blooming, I just need to limit the light and avoid keeping them at room temperature; they should be placed outside."
From the perspective of a producer, Ms. Le Thi Ngan, owner of Bao Ngoc garden, said: "This year, my family has about 1,000 apricot blossom trees, and we also buy more from neighboring farmers to serve customers. Although the weather is not favorable, the care still follows the procedures of previous years, mainly adjusting the pruning of leaves and branches according to the weather and leap months so that the flowers bloom at the right time for Tet."
Regarding prices, Ms. Ngan said that the market this year is quite stable, with prices not fluctuating much compared to previous years. Small plum blossom trees range from about 1-3 million VND/tree, medium-sized ones from 5-10 million VND/tree, and large ones from 10-20 million VND/tree depending on shape and style. Among them, the boat-shaped style is considered special and is the most popular with customers this year. According to the nursery, most customers choose medium-sized trees because they are suitable for most display spaces and have a reasonable price.
Besides providing income for flower growers in Sa Pa ward, the cultivation of apricot blossom trees also plays an important role in the agricultural economic structure of Ta Phin commune. Mr. Ta Duy Hung, a specialist at the Economic Department of Ta Phin commune, said: "There are more than 17,000 apricot blossom trees in the commune. During last year's Lunar New Year, the entire commune sold more than 10,000 apricot blossom trees, along with about 9,000 pots of orchids and many other types of flowers and ornamental plants such as peach blossoms and dwarf peach blossoms. The total revenue from flowers and ornamental plants during Tet was estimated at over 65 billion VND, significantly contributing to increasing the income of local people."
According to Mr. Hung, Ta Phin commune has about 600 households growing flowers and ornamental plants. Overall, the results of planting and caring for flowers last year were generally good. However, due to the influence of warm weather, heavy rain, and the leap year, some flowers bloomed earlier than expected, forcing growers to adjust their techniques to minimize risks.
At this time, the Tet flower market in Sa Pa ward and Ta Phin commune is starting to liven up. Customers from localities within the province, and even from provinces in the delta region, have come directly to the gardens to choose and buy apricot blossoms. Buying flowers early allows buyers to proactively adjust the blooming time, and also enables gardeners to distribute their supply more efficiently throughout the season.
Despite facing many unfavorable weather conditions, growers of apricot blossoms in Sa Pa and Ta Phin still hope for a stable Tet season, with reasonable prices and favorable sales. With years of experience cultivating this traditional flower and a keen understanding of the market, flower growers in Lao Cai 's "apricot blossom capital" are entering the Tet season with the belief in a prosperous spring, adding the pristine white blossoms to the Tet celebrations of many families.
Source: https://baolaocai.vn/thu-phu-nhat-chi-mai-vao-vu-tet-post891506.html
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