Hanoi's flower villages are in full Tet preparation mode

Just over a month to Tet (the Lunar New Year), gardeners in Hanoi's famous horticultural villages such as Me Linh, Tay Tuu, or Tu Lien are working around the clock to ensure that peach blossoms, lilies, mums, dahlias, violets, roses and others bloom on time.

The Nhat Tan peach blossoms are in full bloom, creating a breathtaking scene that draws visitors from all over, especially during the festive Tet season. Photo: BOP

Nguyen Trung Viet in Nhat Tan Ward, Tay Ho District, Hanoi, said that despite the enormous damage caused by Typhoon Yagi, his family still hopes that the remaining peach trees, as long as they are well cared for, will blossom in time and partially compensate for the loss.

His family has bought tiny peach trees to replace the dead ones and now potting the new trees for special care while calculating the defoliation timing for perfect bloom.

The prices of peach trees this year are estimated to not be much higher than in previous years. However, the blossoms may not be very satisfactory.

Similarly, Pham Dinh Huy, whose family has been growing bonsai peach trees in Phu Thuong Ward, Tay Ho District for years, admitted that his family's peach garden suffered about 50% damage.

Farmers in Nhat Tan village work hard to restore peach blossom gardens after the damage caused by storm Yagi. Photo: Duy Minh/ The Hanoi Times

"In Nhat Tan, there are three terraced areas for planting peach trees: the lowest area, the middle area, and the highest area. Each household here gets a share from top to bottom, so even though the lowest area was severely flooded and damaged, the high areas were spared. As a result, beautiful peach trees of assured quality are still available for the market in time for Tet, and there won't be a shortage of supply," he said.

In Tu Lien Kumquat Village, farmers have spent much time growing kumquat trees like peach trees. Currently, the local gardens are in the final stages of preparing the ripe kumquats for the Lunar New Year. Bonsai kumquat trees, in particular, require extra care because they are planted in pots.

Vu Van Dung, owner of a kumquat garden in Tu Lien Ward, Tay Ho District, said the first visitors have come to look around and place their Tet orders. The garden was damaged after the devastating storm but not significantly. The affected trees, which will be left out this year, will be gradually rehabilitated for next year. Meanwhile, families who plant kumquat trees in low areas suffered more damage, with a rescue rate of about 20-30%.

The breathtaking beauty of the Four Seasons Chrysanthemum, grown in the flower village of Tay Tuu. Photo: Phuong Dzung

Locals are also pruning and tending the plants around the clock in the capital of growing roses, lilies, mums, garden petunias, and others in Me Linh District. To ensure sufficient supply for customers, the gardeners have entered the final stage so that the flowers will bloom beautifully and in time for Tet.

Nguyen Thi Nu in Me Linh Commune, Me Linh District, Hanoi, revealed that after Typhoon Yagi, local people are growing mums even more because they are a short-day plant and bloom on time. Her family's mums have been planted for over 30 days, and now it's time for the grow lights to shine. The market is still stable because the supply is not too abundant.

Also in Me Linh Commune, Pham Duc Tai, owner of Tai Ly Flower Garden, said the garden currently houses about 800 pots of bonsai rose trees and foreign roses in various shapes and colors. His family will select the most beautiful works to display at this year's Me Linh Flower Festival, the biggest of its kind in the northern region.

A bonsai orange tree in Me Linh village in preparation for sale before the Tet holiday. Photo: Ha Nguyen

Likewise, Nguyen Thi Thuy, owner of Melinh F Farm in Dai Thinh Commune, Me Linh District, said: "This year, Melinh F Farm has planted 80,000 moth orchids with many different varieties and colors, and is ready to meet customer demand from now until the Lunar New Year."

According to economists, to develop the flower and ornamental plant industry, Hanoi needs to make effective policies and take advantage of large research institutes to select key products for long-term development.

This new variety of lili is widely grown in Tay Tuu Flower Village and promises to become a favorite for many this Tet holiday.

Nguyen Xuan Dai, Director of the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the entire floodplain, where the climate and soil are suitable for the development of such plants, will be reserved for this activity. At the same time, unproductive rice fields in Ba Vi, Soc Son, Gia Lam, and Thuong Tin districts, as well as Son Tay Town, will be turned into flower and ornamental gardens.

In addition, Hanoi continues to support existing horticultural villages to introduce new varieties to meet market demand. With technological and market advantages, the capital can certainly look forward to exporting these products.