Hong Ha village, O Dien commune (formerly part of Dan Phuong district), currently has about 20 households growing peach trees. Over 20 years ago, residents introduced the Nhat Tan peach variety for cultivation. The nutrient-rich soil is ideal for growing peach trees with dense, deeply colored blossoms. With Tet arriving late this year, many peach gardens are already in full bloom.

{"caption_all":"In 2004, Nguyen Van Quyet, 50 years old, was the first to bring the Nhat Tan peach variety to be cultivated locally. He once studied carpentry in Phu Thuong village but was unsuccessful, later committing to peach farming. His family's peach garden spans 7,2 ha, primarily grown from seed. Having accumulated experience, Quyet proactively controlled the peach trees' blooming early this year, ensuring the flowers opened as scheduled. Last year, his family earned about 400 million VND, and this year's income is expected to be higher, he stated.","caption_items":"["",""]"}

Grown from seed, the peach blossoms have thick petals and a deep red color.

Alongside the already blooming gardens, many growers actively controlled their peach trees from the 7th-8th lunar month by girdling the bark, stopping irrigation, and applying appropriate fertilizer, helping the trees retain their buds until Tet.

Traders from various regions flock to the peach gardens to make their selections. Nguyen Duy Tuan (right) stated that he and his wife traveled across northern Vietnam from Hai Phong, having already purchased dao phai in Hai Duong, and plan to select about 3,000 dao tham trees here.

Pham Thi Thanh Trang's family cultivates approximately 3,6 ha of peach trees. When customers place orders, she uses a cutter to move around the garden and select suitable branches.

After selecting the desired branches, farmers gather the peach branches into large bundles, tying them securely in preparation for sale. Before loading them onto vehicles, the growers place the peach branches in small water containers to maintain their freshness.

On peak days, Trang's family harvests 700-1,000 branches, requiring 15 workers. Each worker is paid 300,000-500,000 VND per day, depending on the task.

{"caption_all":null,"caption_items":"["Each peach branch ranges in price from 30,000 to 500,000 VND. Peach trees from the garden are primarily sold wholesale by rows, with a smaller proportion of retail customers.","Growers affix prices to each branch before delivery to customers."]"}

In addition to selling small peach branches, many families offer a peach tree rental service. Each tree costs between 7 to 10 million VND to rent. Rental trees are balled and wrapped in mesh fabric; after Tet, they are retrieved and replanted for care in subsequent seasons.

On average, each tree weighs over 100 kg, requiring 4-5 people to carry it safely.

For nearby customers within a radius of 5-7 km, growers use motorbikes for transport, then carry the balled tree into a pot upon arrival. Customers located farther away must hire cranes or trucks to transport the peach trees.

Hoang Giang