The bustling scenes of buying, selling, and transporting trees for the holidays have been replaced by the sight of residents cleaning their gardens, pruning branches, planting, and caring for the trees destined for next year’s market.

During a tour of the local gardens, Lò Thanh Tuấn, an official from the Thanh Nưa Commune Economic Office, explained that the area for growing flowers and ornamental plants in the old Điện Biên district was previously concentrated in Thanh Luông and Thanh Hưng communes. However, following the reorganization into a two-level local government model, Thanh Nưa commune was formed by merging the communes of Hua Thanh, Thanh Nưa, Thanh Luông, Thanh Hưng, and Thanh Chăn.

Consequently, the majority of the ornamental trees for the Tết market are now concentrated within the boundaries of the new Thanh Nưa commune. To prepare for the new season, many gardeners began cleaning and improving their soil even before the holiday ended, proactively gathering topsoil, straw, and moisturizing materials to create the best conditions for the trees.

In Việt Thanh village, Bùi Đình Tình has been busy retrieving peach trees that were rented out to various families and offices. To simplify logistics and care, he moved his 1,000m2 garden closer to the main road this year. Currently maintaining about 300 trees, most of which have been shaped over several years, he noted that even his smallest specimens are at least four or five years old. Once the trees are returned to the garden, usually by the middle of the first lunar month, he immediately begins a recovery process. This involves preparing the soil, replanting the trees firmly, and using root stimulants alongside specialized watering and fertilizing to ensure they recover quickly. He believes that meticulous care in these early months is the only way to ensure the trees have beautiful shapes and abundant buds by the end of the year.

Similarly, Nguyễn Văn Lũy, another experienced farmer in Việt Thanh village, is focusing his efforts on caring for his peach trees while maintaining a smaller number of kumquats. For him, producing a high-quality tree for the market is a year-long marathon of patience. His process involves constant pruning, shaping the canopy, and adjusting the timing of fertilization to ensure the flowers bloom exactly during the next Tết. His garden currently holds about 200 ancient peach stumps, which he primarily offers for rent. This year, it took until the 17th day of the first lunar month to retrieve all his rented trees to begin the revitalization process.

Currently, Thanh Nưa commune manages approximately 143,000m2 of land dedicated to flowers, peach, and kumquat trees. The former Thanh Hưng sector accounts for about 65,500m2 across several villages, while the former Thanh Luông area provides 77,500m2, including a significant 50,000m2 dedicated to kumquats in Thanh Đông village. As one spring departs, the cycle for the next one begins immediately. The gardeners of Thanh Nưa are now looking forward to a year of favorable weather to ensure another successful harvest, providing the market with the most beautiful specimens for the next Lunar New Year.