Nghe An farmers share secrets of growing guava to produce fruit all year round
(Baonghean.vn) - In recent years, guava trees have taken root and become a crop with high economic efficiency, each hectare of guava brings farmers an income of 50 - 70 million VND. However, not everyone can earn nearly 200 million VND per hectare like farmers in Nghia Dan (Nghe An).
Mr. Le Hoang Diep's family in Tan Thanh hamlet, Nghia Hieu commune (Nghia Dan)He has been growing 700 guava trees for 4 years now. To grow guava for high income, Mr. Diep's secret is to "catch" guava to bear fruit all year round and intercrop with other valuable short-term crops.
According to Mr. Diep, guava is a plant that requires a lot of time to take care of. In addition to wrapping the fruit and pruning the branches, it is necessary to weed and water. Guava has two seasons: June, July and the end of the year. Guava in June and July is the main season, but due to the sun and rain, it is not delicious. This is also the time when guava is cheapest.
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| Mr. Le Hoang Diep's guava garden bears fruit all year round. Photo: Dinh Thuy |
Not all guava growers can stop guava from bearing fruit at this time and keep the tree bearing fruit all year round. Mr. Diep said: "If you want guava to flower and bear fruit all year round, you have to make the guava tree "hurt" by pruning the branches. Thanks to regular pruning and care, the guava tree has fruit to sell every season. Thanks to selling all year round, each year the income from the guava tree brings the family 90 - 100 million VND".
Looking at the guava garden of Mr. Le Hoang Diep's family, which has been planted for 4 years but the trees are very short, just within reach of pickers, Mr. Diep explained: To prevent pests and diseases, when the fruit is about 1 month old, it must be wrapped in foam and cloth. To facilitate the wrapping of the fruit, the tops must also be regularly pinched so that the guava does not grow too high, making it difficult to wrap the guava.
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| Guava price at this time is from 25,000 - 30,000 VND/kg. Photo: Dinh Thuy |
Besides, the distance between guava trees is sparse, so if not intercropped, it will be a waste of time to weed. Therefore, at the beginning of the year, Mr. Diep intercropped beans, and after 3 months of harvesting, planted lemongrass. The income from beans is 40 million, and preparing to harvest lemongrass is about 50 million more. Intercropping beans and lemongrass helps to limit weeds. In the past, we had to hoe the grass once every few months, but now we almost don't have to weed the guava trees. Besides, lemongrass helps to retain moisture, so in the summer, it also saves watering the guava trees. Thanks to planting lemongrass, the guava trees are also less susceptible to pests and diseases.
Mr. Diep also added: "If we intercrop turmeric, the harvest will be late and the price of turmeric will be unstable. I choose lemongrass because the output of lemongrass is much more favorable, each kg of lemongrass fluctuates from 4,000 - 8,000 VND/kg.
Mr. Phan Trung Vinh - Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Nghia Hieu Commune added: Currently in Nghia Hieu, the trend of growing guava is more because the orange trees are old and the price is unstable. To increase economic value, farmers often intercrop short-term crops. The guava garden of Mr. Diep's family is really effective when it has maximized the ability to produce fruit as well as intercropped with other valuable crops.