Growing flowers on trellises - A distinctive feature of Sa Dec Flower Village.

The Sa Dec flower village in Dong Thap province has been established and developed for hundreds of years. What's special about this century-old flower village is that farmers grow flowers and ornamental plants on trellises, not in the ground as is typical.

Growing flowers and ornamental plants on trellises is a traditional farming method of Mr. Nguyen Van Sang's family in Sa Dec ward.

This is a traditional farming technique, adapted to natural conditions, helping to reduce production costs and maintained through many generations, contributing to the unique characteristics of Sa Dec Flower Village. The upcoming Sa Dec Flower and Ornamental Plant Festival, taking place from December 27, 2025 to January 4, 2026, with the theme "Colors of Flowers for a New Day," will feature many cultural, artistic, and investment promotion activities… aiming to help the flower and ornamental plant industry develop to its full potential and reach its full potential.

Why grow flowers on trellises?

Visiting Sa Dec Flower Village, many visitors are likely impressed by the long, straight trellises for growing flowers and ornamental plants, ranging from 0.5m to over 1m in height. In flooded areas, farmers can paddle boats between the trellises to tend to their plants. According to many farmers, growing flowers and ornamental plants on trellises creates a well-ventilated space, reduces pests and diseases, and prevents weeds from affecting the plants. With these advantages, farmers in Sa Dec have maintained this method of growing flowers and ornamental plants on trellises for generations. If flowers and ornamental plants were grown directly on the ground, their roots would take hold in the soil. When selling them, the plants would have to be moved, which would inevitably damage the roots and affect their health.

Growing flowers and ornamental plants on trellises, which are not flooded, allows for year-round production.

Since following in his family's traditional footsteps, Mr. Tran Thanh Khang in Khanh Hoa hamlet, Sa Dec ward, has been growing chrysanthemums, roses, lotus flowers, and other ornamental plants entirely on trellises. Mr. Khang explained that, according to his grandparents, in the past, due to the lack of dikes to protect crops, rising river levels would flood and damage the flowers and plants. To overcome this problem, previous generations creatively built trellises to grow flowers and plants at a height, rather than on the ground.

All 10,000 potted flowers and ornamental plants belonging to Mr. Nguyen Van Sang in Tan Khanh Dong hamlet, Sa Dec ward, are grown on trellises. With this method, even though his 2,000m2 plot of land is quite low-lying and frequently flooded, he can still cultivate flowers and ornamental plants year-round. “Three generations in my family have grown flowers and ornamental plants on trellises. The plants grow better, and it’s easier to control diseases. If you plant them in the ground, there’s too much moisture, making them susceptible to pests and diseases, and it requires a lot of care. Growing flowers and ornamental plants on trellises reduces pesticide costs and labor by 30-40%,” Mr. Sang explained.

Farmers in Sa Dec grow chrysanthemums on trellises, and they thrive.

According to farmers in Sa Dec, the more sturdy the trellis, the longer it will last. Previously, farmers used bamboo trellises, which were less durable and only lasted about a year before needing replacement or repair, wasting both money and effort. Now, many farmers in Sa Dec Flower Village are using metal trellises (aluminum, steel), which last over 10 years and are quick to install, but the investment cost is 4-5 times higher than bamboo trellises. For example, for an area of ​​1,000m2, investing in a bamboo trellis costs about 10 million VND; while a metal trellis costs about 50 million VND.

Mr. Le Ha Luan, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dong Thap province, said that stemming from the traditional flower and ornamental plant cultivation, growing plants on trellises has existed for a long time. In the past, farmers didn't have many choices regarding fertilizers and pesticides. They mainly chose good substrates to grow plants and then placed them on trellises, limiting pests and diseases. Growing flowers on trellises creates a good environment for the growth and development of flowers and ornamental plants; it also creates a unique landscape for tourism development. This method of growing flowers and ornamental plants on trellises helps reduce the use of pesticides, which is a current trend. In the future, further research is needed to promote this positive aspect in order to create clean flower and ornamental plant products to better meet market demands.

A century-old flower village

For many years, Mr. Nguyen Nhat Thong, former Head of the Propaganda Department of the Sa Dec City Party Committee, has researched local culture, including the Sa Dec Flower Village. According to researcher Nguyen Nhat Thong, the flower and ornamental plant growers in Sa Dec from the late 19th century to 1930 are considered the pioneering generation, opening up the craft village. At that time, flowers and ornamental plants only met the needs of individual families and were not yet available for sale everywhere. However, the shaping of a new profession in agriculture had begun, built up, and established a certain position in the lives and activities of the residents of Sa Dec at that time: the flower and ornamental plant growing profession. The contributions to this must be attributed to the families of pioneers such as Mr. Pham Van Nhan, Mr. Vo Van Phu, Mr. Tran Van Dau, Mr. Pham Van Xoai…

The flowers are grown on trellises, so they are not attacked by weeds.

To date, Sa Dec Flower Village has had five generations of flower and ornamental plant growers, and from 1990 to the present, it is considered the fifth generation. Over time, the flower and ornamental plant growing profession in Sa Dec has continuously developed and expanded to neighboring localities. Sa Dec has produced many artisans who cultivate, care for, prune, and shape flowers and ornamental plants. Sa Dec Flower Village is increasingly thriving, creating products that beautify life while helping people develop their economy .

To date, Mr. Tran Van Binh (75 years old) in Sa Dec ward has over 40 years of experience in growing and selling flowers and ornamental plants. Mr. Binh shared that before the Liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country (in 1975), Sa Dec had a few households growing flowers and ornamental plants mainly for display during the Lunar New Year. Afterward, the flower and ornamental plant growing profession gradually developed strongly and has survived to this day, with most farmers growing them on trellises. This profession has helped his family develop economically and enjoy a prosperous life for several decades.

The multicolored chrysanthemums of the Tan An Flower and Ornamental Plant Production and Supply Cooperative (Sa Dec ward) are grown on trellises.

Flower and ornamental plant growers in Sa Dec are striving every day, demonstrating keenness and creativity to "keep the flame alive" for their craft, pass on their skills, and develop and expand their business. The entire Sa Dec ward has approximately 4,000 households producing flowers and ornamental plants; and over 200 flower and ornamental plant businesses. Sa Dec boasts about 2,000 varieties of flowers and ornamental plants. Popular flowers include chrysanthemums, forget-me-nots, sunflowers, petunias, daisies, marigolds, periwinkle, peonies, and various types of orchids… Along with flowers, many gardeners earn high incomes from growing ornamental plants such as yellow apricot blossoms, various types of foliage plants, and antique bonsai trees.

Over the past 10 years, many farmers in Sa Dec Flower Village have combined flower and ornamental plant cultivation with tourism services, both enhancing the value of the flower and ornamental plant industry and contributing to promoting the local image.

According to Mr. Le Ha Luan, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dong Thap province, the flower and ornamental plant cultivation industry serving the market year-round is concentrated in Sa Dec ward and neighboring communes such as Lap Vo, Lai Vung, Tan Duong, and My Phong ward, mainly growing flowers for Tet (Lunar New Year).

Growing flowers on trellises is a traditional farming technique of the farmers in Sa Dec Flower Village.

The total area for growing flowers and ornamental plants in the province is approximately 1,400 hectares; of which, Sa Dec ward alone accounts for about 1,000 hectares. Farmers mainly sell flowers and ornamental plants in the traditional way, selling to traders. In the future, the agricultural sector plans to guide businesses to expand sales on e-commerce platforms and through various sales channels so that customers can proactively find them.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/trong-hoa-tren-gian-net-dac-trung-o-lang-hoa-sa-dec-20251222122242037.htm