Growing peach blossoms for Tet - a new profession for Nam Anh farmers

(Baonghean) - In addition to the profession of growing green vegetables for sale, in recent years, farmers in Nam Anh commune, Nam Dan district (Nghe An) have also had a new profession of growing peach trees, bringing in a significant source of income.

The first advantage for Nam Anh people to develop peach growing is the mountainous, sandy soil conditions. Previously, Nam Anh peach trees grew naturally in the hills and mountains, and every year, people in the area still cut them down to display in their homes or give to friends and relatives during Tet and spring. Grasping the market's preference for natural peach trees, mixed with the roughness of the tree trunk, up to now, the whole Nam Anh commune has 400 households bringing mountain peach trees to grow in their gardens.

Mr. Nguyen Tat Duong's family in Hamlet 9 was the first household to bring peach trees from the mountains to their home garden and plant them on a large scale. Currently, his peach garden has over 300 peach trees that are budding and sprouting, each tree is growing evenly and beautifully. Mr. Duong excitedly said that 70% of the peach trees in the garden have been ordered by customers. The largest tree with shape, flowers, fruits, buds... costs 3 million VND, small branches are only about 600,000 VND.

In Nam Anh, there are peach trees that are about 10 years old. Many customers come to buy these ancient peach trees, but the people do not sell them. In addition to preserving the breed, each ancient peach tree produces 4-5 peach branches of good quality and sells for a very good price.

Illustration photo. (Source: Internet)

Leading us into the peach garden, Mr. Vo Huy Minh, a long-time peach grower in Hamlet 9, Nam Anh Commune, said: To have beautiful peach branches, you don't have to cut down every branch that the tree produces, but you have to know how to choose beautiful branches to sell. "Weak" branches must be cut early to save nutrients to nourish the remaining branches on the tree. With that fertilization method, although his garden only grows more than 40 peach trees, each tree has a beautiful shape and many buds. Many units and individuals have come to his peach garden to order peaches, but he hasn't sold them yet because "the price will be higher by Tet" - Mr. Minh shared.

The experience of growing peach trees in Nam Anh is very simple, partly because buyers prefer the natural shape of peach trees, and peach growers do not have to be fussy about shaping them. Peach trees are easy to care for, so besides timing the fertilization, leaf stripping and tree care, peach growers do not have to invest too much.

Unlike other localities, to create new trees, people have to use grafting or cutting methods, but in Nam Anh, people take the seeds of the peach tree to plant new trees. To have flowers bloom and fruits bear fruit in time for Tet, people here also water with warm water or pump water from wells.

With its natural curving shape, slightly rough trunk, even blooming flowers, and a faint fragrance, mixed with buds and fruit, Nam Anh peach trees are very popular with consumers. Peach trees are only harvested during Tet, bringing in an income of 7-30 million VND for each family from peach growing.

Nam Anh people are very confident and excited to grow peach trees and have plans to expand their peach gardens because the products are consumed quickly, people do not have to sell peach trees but visitors from all over the country come to buy them right in the garden./.

Bich Hue - VNA