There is only more than a month left until Tet Nguyen Dan, at this time, flower gardens and peach gardens in Son La are busier than usual. Flower growers focus on taking care of, adjusting growth, and closely monitoring weather developments to ensure flowers bloom on time.
In group 7, Chieng Sinh ward, many peach gardens have been neatly pruned, water hyacinths, and leaves removed. Ornamental peach trees are shaped, carefully cared for, ready for the Tet crop.
Mr. Pham Van Hoang's family, one of the long-time peach growers here, plans to supply more than 4,000 ornamental peach trees and peach branches to the market during Tet this year. Thanks to proactively peeling leaves from December of the solar calendar, combined with weather monitoring experience, most of his family's peach area has been ordered early by traders and people.
According to Mr. Hoang, this year's peach prices increased by about 10–20% compared to previous years. This helps gardeners be more excited and have the motivation to invest and take care of to improve product quality.
Not only peach blossoms, Tet flowers are also a key commodity in Chieng An ward - the locality with the largest flower growing area in the center of Son La, with more than 30 hectares. People here have been attached to the flower growing profession for many years, mainly roses and chrysanthemums sold year-round. During Tet, many households expand the area of seasonal flower growing such as gladiolus and lilies to increase economic value.
In Ban Panh, Chieng An ward, chrysanthemum and gladiolus fields are entering an important stage of care. Mr. Luu Van Quang, who has more than 10 years of experience in growing flowers, currently cultivates 2 hectares of flowers of all kinds. In which, 1 hectare is planted with roses, 1 hectare is planted with chrysanthemums and gladiolus to serve the Tet market.
These days, Mr. Quang's family and dozens of workers regularly fertilize, prune, water, and light night lights to regulate the growth of flowers.
Mr. Quang said that his family has sown chrysanthemums and gladiolus flowers since the beginning of October, planting in batches so that the flowers bloom on time for Tet and the full moon of the first lunar month. It is expected that this Tet crop, the family will supply about 20,000 flowers to the market.
Besides cut flowers, the Tet ornamental plant market in Son La in recent years has become increasingly diverse. At Mr. Nguyen Ha Giang's ornamental plant garden, Na Ha 2 village, Chieng Mung commune, the buying and selling atmosphere is bustling. The garden currently has nearly 50 ornamental pomelo pots, 100 kumquat bonsai trees and about 500 peach trees of all kinds. More than half of the trees have been ordered by traders.
According to Mr. Giang, in addition to traditional peach and kumquat trees, many customers currently prefer ornamental grapefruit, bonsai kumquat, and Buddha's hand fruit to display for Tet. Selling prices range from several hundred thousand to tens of millions of VND per tree, depending on shape and age.
According to statistics, Son La province currently has over 60 hectares of flowers and ornamental plants, concentrated in localities such as Chieng An, Chieng Sinh, Chieng Mung, Ngoc Chien, Moc Chau. The main types of flowers include Tet peach blossoms, roses, chrysanthemums, gladiolus, orchids.
The profession of growing flowers and ornamental plants not only brings a stable income of 200-300 million VND/ha/year, but also creates regular jobs for hundreds of local workers, contributing to making the flower and ornamental plant market bustling every Tet and Spring.
