Playing with kumquat trees during the Lunar New Year is a traditional practice of the Vietnamese people, symbolizing prosperity and success in the new year.
Tips for Choosing Beautiful Kumquat Trees for Tet
- 1. Selecting Kumquat Trees
- 2. Choosing the Shape of the Kumquat Tree
- 3. Selecting Leaves and Fruits of the Kumquat Tree
- 4. Tips for Preparing the Kumquat Tree for Transport
- 5. Before Transplanting Kumquats into Pots
- 6. Choosing Trees with a Moderate Number of Fruits
- 7. Important Notes When Buying Kumquats
- 8. Feng Shui Placement of Kumquat Trees
Kumquat trees (tắc), peach trees, and apricot trees are three popular types of trees that always appear during Tet. They are distinctive features of the spring season. Typically, on this day, each family chooses beautiful pots of these trees to display at the front of their homes, symbolizing wishes for happiness, joy, and prosperity.
Although the demand for kumquat trees has been increasing, not everyone knows how to choose the right one for Tet. This has led many to select kumquat trees that do not meet their expectations. The following tips will help you choose beautiful and durable kumquat trees to celebrate Tet.
Kumquat trees (tắc), peach trees, and apricot trees are three popular types of trees that always appear during Tet.
1. Selecting Kumquat Trees
Essentially, a beautiful kumquat tree must possess the four essential qualities: an attractive shape, beautiful and adequately green fruits, fresh young leaves, and, importantly, a few flower buds.
Only when all four factors are present can the kumquat tree be considered beautiful.
It is best to buy kumquats directly from the garden, where you can choose freely and find more reasonable prices. Prices can vary from year to year, so visiting a kumquat garden will help you get the best deal.
Additionally, avoid purchasing kumquats too early before Tet; it’s better to buy them closer to the holiday for the best quality.
It is best to buy kumquats directly from the garden to choose freely and find reasonable prices.
2. Choosing the Shape of the Kumquat Tree
Select a tree with a natural shape, sturdy trunk, and straight stem.
Ways to Choose the Tree’s Pose:
The pose reflects the art of expression and symbolizes the spirit and philosophy that kumquat growers want to convey through their products.
- Long Phượng Vần Vũ Pose: The dragon and phoenix are considered noble symbols in the Four Sacred Beasts. The dragon symbolizes the father, husband, and gentleman, while the phoenix represents the mother, wife, and woman. This combination symbolizes the happiness of couples and prosperity in careers.
- Carp Transforming into Dragon Pose: Represents promotion and academic success, bringing good fortune and prosperity to the homeowner.
- Phoenix Dancing to Welcome Spring Pose: This pose features one branch curving backward like a bird’s tail, with two branches on either side resembling dancing wings. It symbolizes love, freshness, and positive change in life.
- Three Abundances Pose: Also known as the Three Elements or Heaven, Earth, Humanity, this pose symbolizes eternity, prosperity, happiness, wealth, and long life.
- Five Blessings Pose: Represents blessings, good fortune, wealth, and longevity.
3. Selecting Leaves and Fruits of the Kumquat Tree
The leaves should be large, green, and sparse, while the fruits should be round and not overly numerous to be considered beautiful. If the kumquat has yellowing leaves and small fruits, it is unattractive and may indicate root rot. Such a kumquat tree will not thrive at home and will gradually wilt after Tet, even with transplantation and care.
4. Tips for Preparing the Kumquat Tree for Transport
Once you have selected your desired kumquat tree, proceed to prepare it for transport. During transport, make sure the kumquat tree is balanced, avoiding spills, breaks in the root ball, leaf drop, or fruit loss. To achieve this, wrap the root ball in durable plastic or paper before transport, keeping the moisture level between 65% – 80%.
During transport, the kumquat must be balanced, not toppled or broken…
5. Before Transplanting Kumquats into Pots
When transferring the kumquat tree into a pot, line the bottom with straw or charcoal for better drainage and air circulation. Then, place the tree in the center of the pot and use soil to fill around it.
On top, layer with white pebbles, small stones, or yellow sand. Next, use a scoop to lightly water the base and the root ball to help it settle in and provide moisture to the soil and the tree.
6. Choosing Trees with a Moderate Number of Fruits
Choose trees with a moderate number of fruits, as overly fruitful trees may produce smaller fruits. Having a few green or unripe fruits is ideal, symbolizing multiple generations of a harmonious, happy family.
Choose trees with a moderate number of fruits.
According to experienced kumquat growers, you should select trees that are still “young.” This means the trunk should not display concentric ring patterns, indicating the tree is still young and not old, with no parasites attached. Additionally, the leaves should be large, dark green, and glossy.
The canopy should be uniformly round, with heavy clusters of fruit evenly distributed. Pay attention to the fruits on the tree; ripe fruits should still have some green areas and will last longer during Tet. The more young buds and fresh leaves present, along with a variety of buds, unripe fruits, flowers, and buds, the better.
7. Important Notes When Buying Kumquats
When purchasing kumquat trees, if the fruits are overripe and starting to drop, and the leaves are also falling off, the tree will look wilted and not vibrant.
However, nurseries often have tricks to “mask” these deficiencies, making kumquat trees appear “sparkling” and more valuable. They may also use glue to attach fruits cut from other trees, enhancing the fruitiness of the kumquat tree. Additionally, some may attach branches with buds or flowers from other kumquat trees to the ones they intend to sell, which can easily mislead customers.
Enhancing the appearance of kumquat trees is simpler than transforming peach trees, which are also harder to detect because kumquats have many green leaves that conceal attachment points. Most customers only look at the shape, posture, fruits, and leaves, often neglecting to check each fruit closely.
In previous years, this may not have been a concern, but this year, when buying kumquats, customers should be more cautious and meticulous. Otherwise, you might end up with a “polished” kumquat tree, similar to buying peaches, where attached branches and fruits will quickly wilt and drop after a few days, which is considered inauspicious for the new year by many.
8. Feng Shui Placement of Kumquat Trees
The tree should be placed in the center of the room or in the foyer to attract positive energy. Trees with minor flaws can be positioned in the corners of the house or foyer to conceal those imperfections.
Homeowners can buy two kumquat trees of similar size and place them symmetrically or side by side for decoration. In small spaces, a smaller tree can be placed by the window, or a single branch of kumquat can be elegantly arranged in a vase.
The direction is one of the essential factors related to feng shui, especially when placing kumquat pots in the house during Tet. Here’s what direction is suitable for each element:
People with the Fire element should place their pots facing East, South, North, or Southeast.
Water element individuals should position their pots toward East, North, or Southeast.
Wood element individuals should place their pots facing East, South, or Southeast for wealth and good fortune.
Metal element individuals are best suited with pots facing West or Northwest.
Earth element individuals should place their pots facing South, Northeast, or Southwest.
9. Decorating the Kumquat Tree
Decorate with red envelopes: Red envelopes symbolize good fortune in the new year. Choose red envelopes to hang on the tree for added vibrancy.
Decorating Kumquat Trees with Meaningful Couplets and New Year Wishes: During the Lunar New Year, hearing well-wishes will fill you with excitement and joy, dispelling the misfortune of the past year while beautifully enhancing the kumquat tree you have carefully selected.
Decorating with Golden Coin Strings: Gold coins symbolize wealth and fortune. These coins are widely available, allowing you to choose styles that suit your preferences.
Decorating with Small Red Lanterns: Cute small red lanterns, rich in East Asian culture, are commonly used for decoration during the New Year. Choose the size of the lanterns according to the size of the tree to ensure a harmonious look.
