Le Van Hoan, 54, from Trung Lien Ward began growing peach trees a decade ago after buying 15 old trees from residents after Tet and nurturing them in his home garden.
“Instead of spending VND 50-70 million to buy a peach tree for Tet, customers can rent one for VND 10-20 million, with the most expensive tree priced at nearly VND 30 million,” Hoan said.
Seeing strong demand and relatively low risk, he expanded his operation. His garden now has 60 old peach trees, mostly of the Hanoi's Nhat Tan variety, prized for vivid blossoms, abundant buds and long-lasting blooms.
Each year, from mid-January in the lunar calendar, workers collect rented trees from customers’ homes and return them to the garden for care and recovery.
In 2025, two major storms damaged his orchard, toppling trees and breaking branches. Despite reinforcing roots, pruning and adding nutrients, three long-standing trees died, causing losses of hundreds of millions of dong.
“This year is a leap year, so I had to remove the leaves 10 days later than usual to ensure the trees bud and bloom at the right time. Warm weather can also trigger early flowering, so timing is crucial,” Hoan said.
Alongside gnarled, moss-covered trunks, Hoan adds extra moss to enhance the ancient appearance of some trees.
“If I sell a tree, I get a lump sum but lose the tree. Renting brings income while keeping the tree for future seasons. It benefits both growers and customers,” he said.
In addition to rentals, Hoan offers year-round care services, charging VND 1.5-5 million per tree annually depending on age, value and shape. He currently looks after 80 customer-owned trees, each tagged with the owner’s name and phone number.
Combined income from rentals and care services brings his family between VND 500 million and VND 700 million a year.
