Ornamental trees causing headaches for growers Early blossoms, a late Tet and bad weather are creating a headache for orchardists growing ornamental trees to mark the festive holiday, with growers in HCM City fearing big losses.  Kumquat grower Nguyen Vu Khanh sad to see half of his trees dying “My family grew nearly 1,000 peach trees this year," said Nguyen Thi Xuan, a grower from Tay Hoa’s Nhat Tan area. "As this year’s festival will come one month later than usual, we’ve seen many early peach blossoms and have decided to sell peach branches to earn some money from now on at between VND50,000 and VND100,000 each,” Xuan said. Nguyen Quang Vu, an owner of a peach orchard in Nhat Tan, said his family grew nearly 1,000 curved peach trees this year. Hundreds of regular clients have placed orders to buy or rent peach trees for the Tet holiday. Normal peach trees are priced at from VND2m to VND3m each, while prices of nicely curved peach trees reach between VND30m and VND40m each. Rental fees range from VND10m to VND15m per well-shaped peach tree. But kumquat growers in Tu Lien and Quang An areas of Hanoi say trees have been dying due prolonged rain. “Half of our total 150 kumquat trees have died and most of those survive are stunted," said Nguyen Vu Khanh, owner of a kumquat orchard in Tu Lien area said. Prices of kumquat trees start from VND500,000 to more than VND10m. Orchardists in Hanoi are complaining up to between 20 and 30 percent of their kumquat trees have died due to bad weather. Apricot growers in HCM City picking out early blossoms Meanwhile apricot growers in HCM City are worrying about big losses as apricots have blossomed too early. “More than 80 out of total 300 apricot trees in my garden have blossoms. I'm worried we may not have good trees for sale when Tet really comes,” said Tran Thien An, owner of an apricot orchard in Thu Duc District. The same situation is recorded at many other orchards in Cu Chi and Nha Be Districts and District 12, meaning big losses for them. Many growers have invested billions of VND on apricot trees this year. Prices of apricot trees range from VND500,000 to VND50m each. “Early apricot blossoms mean big losses for us as if we can’t sell and we’ll have to wait for the next festival and invest more on the caring of the trees,” said Vo Dong Hau, who has a decade experience in apricot growing. TP