Sa Pa gardeners worry about losing billions because peach blossoms bloom before Tet

More than a week until Lunar New Year, but peach blossom gardens in Sa Pa (Lao Cai) have almost all bloomed, causing many gardeners to worry about heavy losses.

Sa Pa peach blossoms, a pale pink variety, come in two types: double and single petals, of which double petals are more popular.

Mr. Vuong Xuan Phuong, who has nearly 20 years of experience growing ornamental flowers in Sa Pa (Lao Cai), said that growing peach blossoms requires a lot of care so that the double flowers can bloom in time for Tet. But this year, 90% of the double peach blossoms in his garden have bloomed with about ten days left until Tet Giap Thin.

"Currently, my garden only has 90 trees that are expected to bloom in time for Tet. I estimate that this crop will cost me nearly 2 billion VND because there are no products to sell," said Mr. Phuong.

A few kilometers away, nearly 1,000 peach trees in Mr. Thuong's garden have also bloomed since early January. "Easygoing customers can take the blooming trees, but picky customers won't choose them. I have to prune many trees, keeping the roots to replant next season," said Mr. Thuong.

Not only the two gardeners above, dozens of other peach growers in Sa Pa this year are also in the same situation, certain to lose from several hundred million to billions of dong because the flowers bloom before Tet.

90% of Mr. Phuong's peach garden has blossomed before Tet. Photo: Xuan Phuong — 90% of Mr. Phuong's peach garden has blossomed before Tet. Photo: *Xuan Phuong*

The weather in the North, especially Sa Pa, is unusual, hot and cold only near Tet, which is the reason why peach growers have lost their harvest this year. Gardeners say that when the trees accumulate enough warm sunlight, they will bloom naturally, so it cannot be stopped even though many care techniques are applied. In addition to unfavorable weather, Quy Mao is a leap year (with two February lunar months), which also causes the flowers to bloom early.

According to Mr. Phuong, usually in the 11th lunar month, gardeners will pluck all the leaves so that the peach trees will sprout and bud in time for Tet. This year, there is an intercalary month so the leaves were plucked later, but the peach trees still do not bloom on time. Gardeners are trying to "push their goods" before Tet, but purchasing power is weak.

"This type of flower is very difficult to care for. Many planting, tending and covering techniques are applied, but the flowers still bloom and the gardeners still lose money," Mr. Phuong shared.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh, Deputy Director of Lao Cai Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that every year, Lao Cai supplies the market with nearly 1 million peach trees of all kinds, half of which are grown in Sa Pa, 30% in Bac Ha district. Mr. Vinh said that the supply of peach trees to the market this year is still stable, some gardens have peaches blooming early "is localized".

According to the leader of the Lao Cai Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, normally every four years there is a leap year, so long-time peach growers will have to calculate care and cultivation so that the flowers bloom in time for Tet. "Households whose flowers bloom early this year will have more experience to grow peaches better in the following seasons, reducing damage due to unusual weather fluctuations," he said.

Gardeners said the amount of Sa Pa peach blossoms sold this Tet holiday has decreased compared to before, but the price is still the same as last year. Currently, each peach blossom tree costs 1-10 million VND.

In recent years, garden owners in Sa Pa have worked hard to shape and wrap moss around the tree trunks to create beautiful, ancient shapes. The moss that clings to peach trees lives for a long time, as long as it is kept moist all year round and can grow deep into the peach tree trunks. Peach trees shaped like ancient trees and wrapped in moss are often worth tens of millions of dong.

Thi Ha

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