Vietnamese Farmers Protect Crops From Cold Wave | Greenhouse Farming & Winter Crop Care

A recent cold snap has dramatically lowered temperatures in mountainous regions, significantly impacting crops, particularly vegetables. Farmers in these areas are proactively implementing measures to protect their livelihoods, including utilizing greenhouses, covering crops with plastic, increasing fertilization, and employing irrigation to combat frost.

Protecting Vulnerable Crops

The use of greenhouses is a key strategy for farmers facing extreme weather conditions. Mr. Nguyen Van Quynh, from Group 2 of Sa Pa District, with years of experience in vegetable cultivation, took preventative steps before the cold wave arrived. He chose to grow cold-sensitive vegetables and seedlings within greenhouses and implemented an automated irrigation system to remove frost forming on leaves each morning.

All vegetable seedlings cultivated by Mr. Quynh were covered with plastic sheeting to minimize the impact of freezing temperatures. He noted that while many of the vegetables he grows are cold-resistant, the high-altitude conditions often bring frost or ice, necessitating preventative measures to avoid leaf burn and growth delays, especially for young plants. Greenhouses also provide effective pest and disease control, while limiting the impact of extreme winter weather.

Boosting Resilience Through Fertilization

Mr. Nguyen Van Chieu is supplementing his crops with fertilizer to enhance their ability to withstand the cold. He explained that his rock cabbage crop is ready for harvest and doesn’t require protection, but new plantings of sweet cabbage, Chinese cabbage, turnips, and common cabbage need regular fertilization and watering to ensure adequate nutrition, increasing their resistance and promoting stable growth even in adverse conditions.

Similarly, Ms. Lu Thi Chan, from Pac Tra village in Muong Khuong commune, responded to the cold snap after planting nearly one hectare of tissue-cultured bananas. She contracted workers to construct frames around each newly planted banana tree and cover them completely with plastic to retain warmth.

Ms. Chan stated that without the plastic-covered frames, the young banana plants would struggle to grow and could easily die during prolonged periods of intense cold. The plastic frame acts as a small greenhouse, protecting the plants from frost and retaining moisture, ensuring stable growth.

Regional Response and Agricultural Recommendations

Farmers throughout the mountainous provinces are proactively caring for their crops to ensure healthy growth and increased resistance to the harsh weather. The agricultural sector recommends harvesting all ripe vegetables and crops during periods of intense cold. Adequate irrigation is crucial during rainy, cold, frosty, and freezing days to dissipate dew and prevent leaf burn. Supplemental fertilization with phosphorus and well-decomposed organic fertilizers is advised, while nitrogen fertilization should be limited.

The application of biological products like Trichoderma, KH, and PenacP is also recommended, and planting should be avoided when temperatures fall below 13°C. Additionally, using plastic sheeting, straw, or rice husks to cover seedbeds and low tunnels or mesh houses for winter crops is advisable. For tomatoes and beans, thinning branches to create an airy canopy and reducing pests and diseases is recommended, along with artificial and supplemental pollination for pumpkins and tomatoes during low-temperature days.

Frequently Asked Questions

What measures are farmers taking to protect their crops?

Farmers are using greenhouses, covering crops with plastic, increasing fertilization, and employing irrigation to combat frost.

What specific advice is the agricultural sector providing?

The agricultural sector recommends harvesting ripe crops, irrigating adequately during cold weather, supplementing with phosphorus and organic fertilizers, and avoiding planting when temperatures are below 13°C.

Why is protecting young banana plants particularly important?

Young banana plants are especially vulnerable to cold stress and can easily die during prolonged periods of intense cold without protection.

Considering the proactive steps farmers are taking, how might similar preventative measures be adapted in other regions facing increasingly unpredictable weather patterns?