A farmer in Hanoi is growing miniature kumquat trees in jars, creating many unusual shapes and effects and winning customers ahead of the Tet holiday.

Kumquat trees in jars attract customers 

Tran Thi Phuong Thu, 44, in Tu Lien Ward, Tay Ho District, says she uses jars of different colours and forms to grow the trees from seedlings. The technique takes considerable time and effort. The small amount of soil must be closely monitored, and the trees shaped to suit the jar form as they grow.

Thu said she started growing tiny trees in 2004, but had to overcome many failures until she gained the experience to successfully grow the miniature trees. She studied reports on cultivating kumquat trees and pruning so the trees produced better resembled their full-grown equivalents.

It takes two-to-three years to grow a miniature kumquat tree, compared with up to five years for a full-sized tree.

Thu said that every morning, she feeds them a natural biological chemical solution rich in required nutrients.

Prices range from VND800,000 (USD38.1) to VND15m (USD714.2) a jar. The kumquat jars attract many customers because they can be displayed in small spaces, such as household altars.

A jarred kumquat tree at VND800,000 

A miniature kumquat tree -- VND15 million