In the Mekong Delta, flower and ornamental plant growers are “racing against time” to tend, prune, and shape their plants for the bustling Tet market. Yet, despite attractive pay, many nurseries struggle to find enough workers. The job demands patience, precision, and an eye for beauty which are skills not everyone possesses.
Before sunrise, My Phong Flower Village in Dong Thap Province is already alive with laughter and conversation as dozens of workers carefully pick flower buds. Locals call this task “picking flower buds,” which means trimming away the weak or slow-growing buds so the plant can channel nutrients into the healthiest blossoms. It’s a delicate step that determines both the quality and appearance of each flower pot.
Ms. Hon, a seasonal worker, earns approximately VND30,000 per hour, totaling VND300,000 to VND350,000 daily. While the pay is modest, she noted that it provides essential extra income for middle-aged and unemployed local inhabitants looking to cover their Tet holiday expenses.
The atmosphere in Vinh Long’s Phuoc Dinh yellow apricot village is buzzing with activity as the holiday season approaches. Along National Highway 57, local artisans are working day and night to prune and shape trees into elaborate sacred forms such as intricate dragon, unicorn, turtle, and phoenix to meet a high volume of custom orders.
Nguyen Van Hoa, a shaper at Phuoc Dinh Yellow Apricot Cooperative, noted that the intense labor often requires working through lunch and overnight shifts to ensure the blossoms are ready for the market. This year, unfavorable weather in the Central region and a limited supply from the Northern region have driven up demand for Southern apricot trees, resulting in a substantial increase in income for local growers.
A beautifully shaped apricot tree can sell for up to twice the price of an unshaped one, benefiting both growers and local workers who find temporary jobs during the festive season.
For the coming Lunar New Year, Sa Dec Flower Village is expected to supply around 2.5 to 3 million flower baskets. To meet this demand, cooperatives began recruiting helpers in early 11th lunar month, but many still haven’t filled all positions. “Pruning flower buds seems easy, but it’s actually difficult,” said Truong Van Nhung, head of My Phong Ornamental Plant Cooperative.
According to Nguyen Van Ty, Director of Phuoc Dinh Cooperative, shaping bonsai apricot trees requires more than strength which takes creativity, an understanding of growth patterns, and the ability to balance the trunk, branches, and canopy for both beauty and health. Therefore, he said the work demands passion and patience; the company has been trying to recruit workers for over a month, but only a few have applied.
Despite the challenge, flower villages across the Mekong Delta continue their delicate dance of artistry and labor to turn nature into beauty, and hard work into hope for a prosperous Tet.
