Apricot Blossom Season Reborn

An Nhon Town, Binh Dinh, is home to over 2,200 households cultivating more than 2 million apricot trees. This year's prolonged cold weather delayed blooming, impacting Tet sales. Now, farmers are focused on rejuvenating their trees for the next season. This involves significant investment in new pots, soil, and root stimulants. Soil prices have doubled in recent years, with a truckload costing 700,000 VND. Repotting 1,000 trees requires over 30 cubic meters of soil, exceeding 10 million VND. The post-Tet period sees a flurry of activity as farmers prune branches, loosen soil, and repot. Nhon An Commune, the 'yellow apricot capital', is bustling with trucks delivering soil and pots. Even by early February, some gardens displayed rows of new pots, ready for the new season. Late-blooming trees are pruned to encourage new growth. According to experienced grower Nguyen Tri Tuan, repotting should be done after new leaves mature and the tree regains strength. He recommends using alluvial soil mixed with coconut fiber to extend the time between repotting.