Every year, around the middle of the 11th lunar month, people in the largest flower village in Thanh Hoa (in Dong Cuong ward, Thanh Hoa city) are busy preparing the land, lighting lamps and taking care of the flowers, to be ready to serve people during the Lunar New Year.
Sharing with Lao Dong Newspaper reporters about this year's flower crop, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lien (52 years old, residing in village 6, Dong Cuong ward, Thanh Hoa city) said that as scheduled, around the 11th lunar month, flower growers are busy harvesting old flower fields, improving the soil, planting and taking care of flowers to serve people celebrating the Lunar New Year.
“This year, my family has about 1 hectare of land for growing flowers. Compared to previous years, this year the weather is somewhat more unfavorable with more sunshine and less cold. Meanwhile, most flowers are mainly suitable for cold weather, with more favorable growth and development time. If the weather gets hot and the flowers bloom early, it will be a disaster,” Ms. Lien shared.
Like Ms. Lien's family, these days, Ms. Le Thi Lan's family (in village 5, Dong Cuong ward, Thanh Hoa city) is busy taking care of flowers. According to Ms. Lan, flower growing in Dong Cuong flower village takes place all year round. However, the busiest time is near the Lunar New Year.
“These days, the flower village becomes busier, flower growers are present almost day and night in the flower fields. The work is tiresome from preparing the soil, planting flowers, cultivating, lighting... to harvesting flowers. Even on peak days near Tet, flower growers have to hire more workers,” said Ms. Lan.
According to many flower growers in Dong Cuong flower village, most of the flower growers are middle-aged, past working age. Although flower growing is hard work, it brings in a decent income, so for many years, flower growers here have always stuck with the job.
“The biggest concern for flower growers like us is the weather and prices. If the weather is favorable and the flowers sell at high prices, then the flower growers will have a full Tet. If the harvest is bad and the prices are low, then that year is considered a failure. Hopefully the weather from now until Tet will be favorable, and the flowers will sell at high prices,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Lien.
According to the representative of the People's Committee of Dong Cuong Ward, Thanh Hoa City, there are currently about 200 households growing flowers in the locality, with an area of about 100 hectares. Flower growing has also helped many families in the area have high income, especially during the Lunar New Year every year.
