Garlic growers in Kinh Mon cope with unfavorable weather

After more than 1 month of planting, due to prolonged dry weather and low humidity, onion and garlic plants in Kinh Mon did not grow well.

Ms. Ngo Thi Dan in Quang Thanh commune said: "In recent years, the weather has been unusual, so when entering the new onion and garlic crop, we have to prepare a response plan and actively apply technical advances to cultivation."

To cope with the dry weather, farmers proactively provide water to irrigate onions and garlic in time. Increase the amount of organic fertilizer to provide enough nutrients for plants to have healthy roots, grow new leaves, and ensure the necessary number of branches. This largely determines the future yield.

Ms. Dan's experience is also applied by many garlic and onion farmers in Kinh Mon.

Mr. Ninh Van Thanh in Le Ninh commune said that remembering the old saying "first water, second fertilizer, third diligence, fourth seeds", people have effectively kept enough moisture for onion and garlic plants to grow during prolonged dry weather thanks to the water-saving, automatic irrigation model.

Initially, only a few households applied this irrigation method, but now, the entire Le Ninh commune has more than 200 hectares applying the model, accounting for 50% of the total area. Now, people can water and fertilize both leisurely and in sufficient quantity, which helps increase the yield of onions and garlic by 15% - 20% compared to before.

With many years of experience providing fertilizers and pesticides to onion and garlic growers, Mr. Nguyen Van Tan, owner of a pesticide and fertilizer store in Hiep Hoa commune, said that before selling to the market, he often tests it on his family's onion and garlic growing area.

He only imports effective pesticides and fertilizers to sell to people. According to Mr. Tan, only organic fertilizers and biological pesticides can help onion and garlic plants grow strong and withstand difficult weather conditions like this year.

To take care of onion and garlic plants in unfavorable weather conditions, especially maintaining humidity during prolonged dry spells, Kinh Mon town has directed the Irrigation Works Exploitation Enterprise and Agricultural Service Cooperatives of wards and communes to take advantage of high tides to operate sluices through dikes, store water in rivers and intra-field canals; and maintain a suitable water pumping schedule.

Localities promptly notify water supply schedules so that people can irrigate and store water in furrows to maintain humidity for onion and garlic plants to grow, while saving irrigation water.

Kinh Mon Town Agricultural Service Center coordinates with enterprises in the agricultural sector to transfer science and technology; encourages people to use organic and biological fertilizers to help onion and garlic plants grow sustainably, resist pests and extreme weather.

According to the synthesis of the Economic Department of Kinh Mon town, in the 2024-2025 winter crop, the whole town has planted 4,481.8 hectares of winter crops, exceeding the plan by 1.7%, an increase of 51 hectares compared to the previous winter crop. Onions and garlic account for more than 91% of the total winter crop area.

The area of ​​onion and garlic cultivation increased significantly in Lac Long, Thang Long, Quang Thanh, and Le Ninh communes because these localities have large areas of cassava cultivation outside the dike affected by storm No. 3, so people switched to growing this type of plant instead.