Life and Leisure

Homegrown vegetables take farming to the edge

By Meng Jing (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-10-19 10:51

BEIJING - An increasing number of city dwellers have found a green pasture in the bustling city - their balconies.

Thanks to advanced horticultural technology and increased awareness of food safety, they grow vegetables and fruits to get a taste of countryside life.

Yang Ke, who grows seasonal vegetables in her 4-square-meter balcony, said that self-grown vegetables are fresher and healthier, and give her a lot of fun.

"The joy I gain from the experience cannot be bought by money," said Yang, 25, who works for a bank.

Amid rapid urbanization and a growing population, farmland is lost to residential compounds, factories, railways and office buildings.

"That's the main reason we developed balcony vegetables. With our equipment, you don't need to go to a rural farm, and we can bring a farm to you," Cao Hua, chief vegetable expert with Beijing agriculture technology extension station, said.

Cao's team brought soil-less equipment to the market last year. With its help, people can nurture their vegetables, even in small apartments.

"The largest equipment covers only 0.6 sq m but it can grow 32 plants which will be enough for a third of vegetables for a family of three," Cao said.

He said no soil or fertilizers are needed as the vegetables rely completely on nutrient fluid. "You don't even water them; the machine can help you with that. It's very convenient," Cao said.

About 40 kinds of vegetables can be grown at home. A little sunshine and a minimum of 10 C is a must.

Apart from Cao's advanced equipment, many people also grow vegetables in an old-fashioned way at home, using soil and seeds. About 200 shops sell such equipment on taobao.com, China's largest online marketplace.

Weng Qianchun, who opened an e-shop three years ago, is among the early-comers in this market. Weng said people grow balcony vegetables also because they are increasingly aware of food safety.

"I first opened a rural farm for people to grow organic vegetables in their spare time," he said.

"But few come to my farm due to the long distance from downtown and some doubt the food quality in my farm because they cannot be sure whether I use chemical fertilizer or not when they are not there."

He then opened a shop on taobao.com to help people grow vegetables at home.

"My customers are mostly retired people and young parents," Weng said. He said his shop's best-seller is a starter package with soil, fertilizer and seeds.

"They can grow vegetables once they receive the package," he said, adding that he sells dozens of the packages each month.

Shang Lei, manager of Beijing's Xiaotangshan special vegetable exhibition center, said that though it is difficult to estimate the size of the emerging balcony vegetable market, the future is pretty promising.

"The cost of homegrown vegetables is higher than those sold in markets, but many people still prefer to make their own efforts," he said.

"Eating vegetables that you grow is such a great achievement."

China Daily