Fruit tree farm in Yen Lac commune (Yen Dinh).

In Hoang Son commune (Hoang Hoa), Mr. Le Van Binh decided to convert 3.5 hectares of acacia land to grow fruit trees such as green-skinned grapefruit and Vinh oranges. However, because these trees take 3 to 5 years to harvest, Mr. Binh chose to intercrop short-term vegetables such as mustard greens, water spinach and bitter melon to take advantage of the vacant land between the rows of trees. Thanks to that, right from the first year, his family had an income of 80 to 100 million VND from vegetables, helping to cover the cost of investing and caring for the perennial garden.

According to Mr. Binh, the intercropping model brings more benefits than he initially calculated. In addition to generating additional income, vegetables also help retain soil moisture, limit erosion during the rainy season and prevent the growth of weeds, significantly reducing weeding work. Not only that, when watering and fertilizing vegetables, fruit trees also benefit, helping to significantly save on fertilizer and irrigation costs. In addition, planting vegetables in continuous harvests also helps improve the soil, creating looseness, helping fruit tree roots develop better and reducing the risk of pests and diseases.

However, Mr. Binh also emphasized that intercropping cannot be done arbitrarily but requires reasonable calculation to ensure the balance of nutrition and light between plants.

“When intercropping, I have to carefully research which plants are suitable and do not compete too much with fruit trees for nutrients. For example, water spinach and mustard greens are easy to grow, have few pests and diseases, and have a short growth period, so they are very suitable for intercropping. On the contrary, plants with strong root systems or need a lot of light such as cabbage or tomatoes are not suitable because they can affect the growth of grapefruit and orange trees,” said Mr. Binh.

Thanks to the application of the scientific intercropping model, Mr. Binh's garden has not only grown well but also brought in double profits. After only two years of implementation, the income from vegetables has helped his family significantly reduce the financial burden while waiting for fruit trees to bear fruit. At the same time, his green-skinned grapefruit and Vinh orange gardens have also grown well, promising high yields when entering the main harvest period.

Another model in Yen Lac commune (Yen Dinh) implemented by Mr. Nguyen Huu Nam also showed clear effectiveness. On an area of ​​2.8 hectares, Mr. Nam planted Hoa Loc mangoes combined with Queen pineapples. With a reasonable planting density, the distance between mango trees is from 4m to 5m, he took advantage of the empty spaces to plant pineapples. Pineapples only need to be planted once and can be harvested continuously for 2 to 3 years, bringing in a steady income of 150 to 180 million VND/year. According to Mr. Nam, pineapples not only help reduce weeding costs but also limit soil erosion, especially during the rainy season.

In addition to economic efficiency, intercropping also helps improve soil quality and naturally limit pests. Plants with different root systems help loosen the soil, avoiding the hardening of monoculture. Some crops such as peanuts and green beans have the ability to fix nitrogen, adding nutrients to the soil, while plants with essential oils such as lemongrass or ginger help repel harmful insects. In fact, many households that intercrop pineapple with passion fruit show that pests and diseases are significantly reduced because pineapple has a mechanism to secrete insect repellent substances, helping to protect crops without using many pesticides.

However, for the intercropping model to be highly effective, farmers need to carefully calculate the plant density, nutritional needs and harvest time. Without proper adjustment, short-term crops can compete with perennial crops for nutrients, affecting the growth process. In addition, irrigation and fertilizer management also plays an important role in ensuring that both types of crops grow well without negatively affecting each other.

In order to promote this model, the local government has had many support policies such as providing high-quality plant varieties; organizing technical training courses and supporting loans for farmers. According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Thanh Hoa, in the period of 2025-2030, the province will encourage the expansion of intercropping area to 6,000 hectares, focusing on highly effective crop combinations such as grapefruit, pineapple, orange, vegetables, mango, lemongrass... With the support of the government and the initiative of the people, this model promises to become a sustainable direction, contributing to increasing farmers' income and developing green agriculture in the locality.

In general, the short-term fruit tree intercropping model not only helps optimize land use efficiency but also brings significant economic benefits. When properly implemented, this model will contribute to building a modern, sustainable agriculture that is better adapted to climate change.

Article and photos: Chi Pham

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/mo-hinh-trong-xen-canh-cay-an-qua-voi-cay-ngan-ngay-244409.htm