Vegetables grow without soil in chilly Northeast

Because temperatures in Northeast China are low in the spring, farmers in Yongji county of Jilin city, Jilin province, have introduced techniques for growing vegetables in an automated greenhouse. Instead of traditional cultivation, vegetables — such as cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes — are grown through soilless culture technology.

A 32,000-square-meter greenhouse was put into use in 2018 with an investment of 50 million yuan ($7.66 million).

It introduced new technologies, including soilless culture, water-saving irrigation and intelligent control systems for temperature, humidity and illumination to create favorable conditions for crop growth.

Using the technology, farmers can realize uninterrupted production of various crops throughout the year. Last year, the greenhouse produced 600 metric tons of vegetables, with an output value of more than 12 million yuan.