How to Make Flowers Bloom Just in Time for Tet? This is a constant question for gardeners, as flowers blooming right at Tet means higher selling prices.
How to Ensure Yellow Apricot Flowers Bloom on Tet
Yellow apricot flowers are considered one of the symbolic flowers of Tet. While the North favors the delicate pink peach blossom with its own significance, the South highly values yellow apricot flowers, with almost every household displaying at least one pot to welcome the New Year.
Every year, at the beginning of December, yellow apricot flowers begin to be transported to large urban centers for sale. By mid-December to just before Tet, yellow apricot flowers cover various places, filling the Tet atmosphere with vibrant yellow.
Yellow apricot flowers symbolize Tet because people believe they bring good luck, happiness, and prosperity to families in the new year. Additionally, they ward off potential misfortunes or bad omens that may occur in the coming year.
Rain, sunshine, and wind are the primary concerns for yellow apricot flower growers. Just a change in weather can significantly impact the entire garden, which is the main source of income for farmers during Tet.
To ensure that yellow apricot trees bloom right on the Tet holiday, several technical measures need to be applied:
1. Considerations for Temperature and Soil
First and foremost, when planting any type of plant, temperature and soil are the two key factors that cannot be overlooked. The proper care for yellow apricot flowers to bloom on Tet is crucially dependent on temperature and soil quality.
- Temperature: You must ensure that the apricot trees are placed in an environment with suitable temperatures to stimulate growth and timely blooming. The optimal temperature for yellow apricot flowers is between 25-30 degrees Celsius. Therefore, you need to be careful not to expose them to excessive heat, which can cause early blooming, or too much cold, which can delay blooming.
- Soil Preparation: The soil should be loose, nutrient-rich, and well-drained (create ditches) to prevent waterlogging.
2. Leaf Pruning Techniques
The yellow apricot tree and some other types of trees will bloom when all the old leaves are pruned away. In natural conditions, the apricot tree sheds its leaves at the end of winter, just as spring begins. After the leaves fall, the flower buds will break through their protective husk. The green buds will bloom within 6 to 7 days after shedding the husk.
To ensure the apricot blooms right on Tet, the technique of leaf pruning is employed. This pruning method is typically carried out annually around mid-December of the lunar calendar.
One of the challenges is determining the right time to prune the leaves so that the husk breaks open precisely on the 23rd of December in the lunar calendar.
- First: Based on the shape of the flower buds. Flower buds, also called “nodes,” emerge from the leaf axils around May to June, growing larger until December. Buds that have had sufficient growth time will take on an egg-like shape, with 2-3 husks surrounding them, and should be pruned 13-14 days before Tet. Buds that are not fully developed will have a pointed shape, with 3-4 husks around them, requiring leaf pruning before the 15th of December to allow sufficient time for differentiation.
- Second: Based on the weather conditions. Favorable sunny conditions and high temperatures accelerate the blooming process. Conversely, cold conditions slow this process.
- Third: Based on the growth and development of the tree. Trees that grow vigorously with abundant green branches and leaves may experience slower blooming. Therefore, early leaf pruning is necessary. Each type of apricot has different growth characteristics, and thus the timing for leaf pruning varies: Cam apricot and 100-petal apricot bloom earlier than Giảo apricot by 2-3 days. Huỳnh Tỷ apricot blooms earlier than Giảo apricot by 2-3 days. White apricot blooms later than Giảo apricot by 1-2 days.
Thus, for trees grafted with multiple varieties, when pruning leaves, select the late-blooming varieties for earlier pruning and the early-blooming ones for later pruning.
One important note for apricot growers is that in leap years, the leaf pruning time must be postponed. Additionally, the care process for apricot trees in leap years is much more challenging as it requires managing the bloom to be delayed by one month.
Mr. Tiêu Hùng Minh (Ba Tiền), 67 years old, Deputy Head of the Yellow Apricot Craft Village in Phước Định (Long Hồ, Vĩnh Long) shared his “secret” method for cases when it is the 30th of Tet and the apricot has not yet bloomed. According to him, on the morning of the 30th of Tet, at around 8 AM, use a spray bottle with cold water to mist the entire apricot tree. By noon that day, at the peak of the sun, mix warm water in a ratio of 2 hot to 1 cold (approximately 70-80 degrees Celsius) and continue to spray it evenly over the tree’s canopy. In his experience, this method can improve the chances of blooming by over 50%.
3. Techniques for Early Flowering
The timing for budding yellow apricot flowers should be prepared starting from around the 10th lunar month. First, the trees need to be well-nourished to ensure they have the vigor to bloom at the desired time. Creating dense buds on yellow apricot flowers is not an easy task, even for experienced growers. Many flower enthusiasts have enthusiasm but lack experience, leading to situations where the apricot trees continue to grow but produce few buds.
When the apricot leaves appear old but the buds are still small, there is a risk of blooming after Tet. Therefore, leaf pruning should be done early, around the 10th to 12th of the lunar month. Stop watering for one day to dry the sap, then apply NPK fertilizer (10-55-10): mix 10 grams with 8 liters of water, and water every 5 days, then resume normal watering. By around the 23rd of the lunar month, if the flower buds begin to break through their husks, they will bloom just in time for Tet, so switch to NPK fertilizer (6-30-30) to keep the flowers large, beautiful, and long-lasting.
If leaf pruning is done late and the tree blooms not in time for Tet, some methods to encourage early blooming can be applied: Spray the flower buds with water during sunny weather for trees that do not break through their husks. Water the base with warm water when it is too cold. Place ice near the root area. Water the buds early in the morning. Pinch the young shoots to encourage early blooming. Using high-pressure lamps to illuminate at 7-8 PM every night can potentially induce blooming 2-3 days earlier. Chemical application can be done 2-3 days post leaf pruning.
Commonly used products include: Methyl Parathion, Monitor, Miracle-gro, Yogen, HVP, Aron, Decamon… with a dosage of 10-20 ml per 8 liters of water, spraying once will prompt immediate blooming of the apricot flowers.
4. Techniques for Delayed Flowering
If the yellow apricot leaves appear wilted and about to drop, and the buds are quite large, the apricot may bloom earlier than Tet. In this case, it is advisable to prune the leaves late, waiting until around the 20th of the lunar month to prune, also stopping watering for one day, then applying NPK fertilizer (5-0-2) or cold fertilizers like diluted urea to delay blooming. Mix 1 teaspoon of urea with 8 liters of water, watering every 5 days. You can also cover the apricot tree with black cloth. If the tree has too many young leaves, trim some with scissors.
If it’s not yet the 23rd of the lunar month and the tree has already broken through its husk, place the tree in a shaded area. Water generously, being cautious to avoid waterlogging the roots. Lightly dig around the base to break some small roots.
5. How to Shape the Yellow Apricot Tree
The best time to shape the yellow apricot tree is from late July to the end of summer when the tree is actively growing, making it the ideal time for branch bending. Before shaping, it is important to prune unnecessary branches and any weak or pest-infested ones.
How to shape the yellow apricot tree with wire.
You can use wire, copper wire, lead wire, or fabric to wrap around the tree while bending to avoid harming it.
To make bending easier, you first need to establish a structure for the tree before wrapping. Start bending from the trunk to the main branches, then to the surrounding branches, bending larger branches first before the smaller ones.
When wrapping the wire, do not wrap it too loosely or tightly. For diagonal wraps, create a 45-degree angle relative to the main trunk axis, twisting the branches in the direction of the wire to help secure it to the bark. After about 3-4 months or a year, you can remove the wire.
6. Cleaning the Tree
To help the yellow apricot tree grow well, after trimming the branches, you should start cleaning the tree simply by spraying water on it to wash away any mold or using a manual method to scrub the tree to eliminate harmful mold.
Additionally, you can use chemical substances such as urea fertilizer mixed with water to spray on mold patches and then gently scrub those areas.
7. How to Handle Apricot Blossoms Before Tet
If the yellow apricot leaves are wilting and about to fall, and the buds are quite large, then the flowers will bloom before Tet. At this point, you should delay leaf removal until around the 20th day of the last lunar month.
Also, stop watering for 1-2 days to dry out the sap, then apply high-nitrogen fertilizers such as urea, 30-10-10, or 30-15-10 to delay the blooming of the apricot flowers, watering every 5 days.
Moreover, you can cover the apricot tree with black fabric. If you notice too many young leaves, trim some back.
If the tree has shed its bark before the 23rd of the last lunar month, place it in a shaded area, lower the temperature, avoid light at night, place ice water near the base of the apricot tree, and water thoroughly while avoiding root rot.
Additional Tips
After Tet, it is important to remove all flowers, leaves, and buds so that nutrients can focus on nurturing the tree. Leaving too many flowers and leaves will deplete nutrients, slowing the tree’s growth for the following year.
It is advisable to keep the tree in a natural environment to absorb nutrients effectively.
Avoid disturbing the soil around the root system as this can negatively impact the tree’s growth for the next Tet.
Be cautious not to use excessive fertilizers or chemicals as high doses can lead to nutrient overload, stimulating rapid changes in the tree’s cycle, and potentially damaging the root system.
