Tet apricot growers in Binh Thuan worry about early blooming flowers

There are still more than 60 days until Tet. However, in many Tet apricot gardens in Ham Hiep commune (Ham Thuan Bac district, Binh Thuan), the garden has been seen blooming with bright yellow apricot blossoms, in some gardens almost every tree is in bloom. This makes many apricot growers sad and worried about an unsatisfactory harvest.

Close-up of the apricot flowers that have finished blooming on the branches. Photo: Duy Tuan — There are still more than 60 days until Lunar New Year, but apricot blossoms are already blooming. Photo: Duy Tuan

The apricot garden of Mr. Tran Bay in Ham Hiep commune - a person with more than 15 years of experience growing apricot flowers for Tet - has the same blooming yellow apricot flowers as other apricot gardens. Mr. Bay's land is large, so he has 3 gardens with hundreds of apricot trees.

Reassuring visitors to the garden, Mr. Bay said that even though the apricot blossoms are blooming, it's okay, there are still beautiful apricot blossoms blooming on the right day for people to enjoy Tet.

Many apricot trees have bloomed in Mr. Bay's garden. Photo: Duy Tuan

Mr. Bay also confirmed that he only sells quality apricot trees. Farmers will nurture unqualified apricot trees to sell next year.

Talking about the reason why the apricot blossoms bloom early, Mr. Bay said it was due to the erratic weather: "In the past, the weather had four seasons, each season had its own season, but now, the rain and sunshine are erratic. It should be cold at this time, but now it's very hot. When the weather is hot and it rains, the apricot blossoms are stimulated to bud and bloom early."

Faced with the situation of early blooming apricot flowers, gardeners have to apply methods to restrain and care for the trees so that they can bud in time for Tet. Photo: Duy Tuan

In previous years, when the weather was favorable, on the 15th day of the 12th lunar month, apricot growers would pick leaves and add fertilizer. Around the 23rd - 25th of the 12th lunar month, the apricot trees began to bud and would bloom around the 29th - 30th of Tet.

Yellow apricot blossom symbolizes wealth and prosperity, so apricot blossom blooming at the beginning of the year means luck and prosperity; every family wants to choose a satisfactory apricot tree for Tet.

However, with the current situation of early blooming apricot flowers, apricot growers must use their experience to slow down the early blooming, preserve the apricot tree's strength and take care of it so that it buds again at the right time.

For apricot growers, taking care of apricot gardens all year round is just hoping for Tet, favorable business to have money to fully enjoy Tet.

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