Extreme weather from late October to early December has affected the growth of apricot trees. Many apricot gardens in the old Binh Thuan area recorded leaf loss, burning leaves and the risk of blooming early if the weather continued to develop abnormally.
At an apricot garden located along the Ca Ty River (Binh Thuan Ward), Mr. Nguyen Van Bach - the owner of the garden said that thanks to its location in a high position, the garden was not flooded when the river water rose. However, prolonged heavy rain and then severe sunshine also partly affected the apricot trees.
At this time, gardeners focus on pruning branches and fertilizing microorganisms to keep the plants healthy and prepare for the Tet crop. The biggest worry is that at the end of December, if it rains, the next morning will easily be affected by frost and salt, Mr. Bach shared.
According to Mr. Bach, gardeners must closely monitor weather developments to take appropriate care measures such as spraying water, covering or adjusting their nutritional regimen to limit the impact of frost and cold weather.
In Han Huy apricot garden (Ham Thuan commune), because it is located on high terrain and mainly grows apricot in pots, it is less affected by storms and floods. The garden owner said that the advantage of pot-growing apricot trees is that they are easy to move and flexibly respond to bad weather.
At this time, apricot trees are growing leaves and creating buds, so gardeners have to adjust the amount of water and fertilizer very carefully to avoid the apricot buds opening early. The branch bending and shaping have been done for 2 months now,
Meanwhile, in the traditional apricot growing area in the old Ham Hiep commune, now Binh Thuan ward, some gardens along the river have been affected by floodwaters. After the water recedes, gardeners urgently water the soil, spray root canal, care the leaves, and care the buds for each plant to retain the goods for Tet.
The harsh weather after storms also causes the apricot buds to expand faster than normal, increasing the risk of blooming early, affecting the value of the products.
"This year, natural disasters have occurred in many places, people's lives have been affected, so predicting the supply and demand of the apricot market for Tet is difficult to be accurate" - an apricot garden owner said.
Despite facing many challenges, apricot growers in the old Binh Thuan area are still working hard every day to take care of their gardens, hoping to keep a quality apricot source, contributing to bringing brilliant spring colors to the upcoming Tet market.
