Soilless culture turns desert into vegetable gardens

Soil-free growing techniques have been used in northwest China's desert areas to grow vegetables.

Jiuquan in Gansu has been exploring agriculture construction in desert areas in recent years.

Soil-free growing techniques are used at Jiuquan's Gobi Agricultural Industrial Park in Gansu Province [Photo:Xinhua]

The soilless culture substrates at Jiuquan's Gobi Agricultural Industrial Park consist of straw, cow dung, bacterial residue and other agricultural wastes.

With the help of soil-free cultivation and drip irrigation technology, the city is turning a barren land into vegetable gardens. By the end of last month, it had a total of 5,000 acres of greenhouses.

Jiuquan City is located in the Hexi Corridor, surrounded by the Gobi Desert.