NINH BINH – In December, a corner of the field of Bai village, Son Lai commune, Ninh Binh city, bright yellow, passionate with the scent of chrysanthemums, farmers are busy harvesting.
The field of daisies in Bai village is one hectare wide. Three years ago, Mr. Hoang Minh Thanh, 31 years old, was an engineer in Hanoi, passionate about tea, regretting that his hometown was deserted in the dry season, so he started a business and established RiTi Cooperative with 39 members. , specializes in growing chrysanthemums to freeze-dried to make chrysanthemum tea, the kind of tea that used to be used to “advance the king”.
Chrysanthemum only grows one crop a year, starts sowing from July, and is harvested in December.
Because it is a wild chrysanthemum, it is cultivated according to an organic process, so it is very fussy to take care of. After going to high beds for good rain drainage, farmers choose large, strong branches, 15-20 cm high, hard stems, no pests for cuttings.
After 5-7 days of cuttings, farmers water, 15-20 days later, fertilize with vermicompost, lightly dig the roots. Chrysanthemums need to add water regularly every day, on too dry days, they may need to be watered twice. About 25 days after planting, they press the tops so that the chrysanthemums develop branches, forming a canopy.
Ms. Pham Thi Ung, 76 years old, harvests flowers to make tea. “The work doesn’t require much technique, but it needs to be diligent and meticulous so that the petals don’t fall off or crush them,” she said. About 140 days after planting flowers start fortune-telling, 10 days later bloom.
The flowers that are harvested are usually about 85-90% blooming, are flat flowers, bloom moderately.
Farmers usually harvest chrysanthemums after 9 am, when the dew on the petals has disappeared. Late afternoon is the best time to harvest.
Chrysanthemum tea is dried by the freeze-drying method for 25 hours, at a low temperature (from 20-50ºC) to help the moisture content of the flower gradually decrease, keeping the valuable medicinal properties. Chamomile tea has a sedative effects, good sleep, clears heat, detoxifies…
Chrysanthemum, scientifically known as Chrysanthemum Indicum, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. It is a genus native to East Asia and northeastern Europe. Chrysanthemum flower season is from September to December every year. Chrysanthemum tea is a flower that has just bloomed, has not yet bloomed to keep the full medicinal properties and highest flavor of the flower. Follow(vnexpress)
Photo: RiTi . Cooperative