Innovative techniques used to cultivate high-quality strawberries

Growers use an elevated three-dimensional substrate cultivation system to grow strawberries. [Photo by Li Dandan for chinadaily.com.cn]

In Fushan town of Dintao district, Heze, Shandong province, organic selenium-rich strawberry picking gardens are home to rows of large-scale greenhouses. 

Inside the greenhouses, Zhao Yanchao, the grower of organic selenium-rich strawberries in Fushan town, along with his family, is busy removing leaves from the strawberries. 

With nearly 20 years of experience in strawberry cultivation, he has devised a series of new cultivation techniques this year. He has installed a three-dimensional elevated structure in the greenhouse, allowing the strawberry seedlings to grow completely off the ground, not only saving on labor costs and increasing yields, but also improving the quality of the strawberries.

Despite it being his first attempt at using an elevated three-dimensional substrate cultivation system to grow strawberries, the strawberries received high praise from consumers for their excellent taste and appearance as soon as they hit the market. With the good weather, many city residents have also visited the picking garden to pick strawberries themselves, bringing considerable profits to the growers.

"I am very happy to be here picking strawberries today. No need to bend over, the fruits are very clean. I just tasted one, it has a good texture, and is both moist and sweet," said Wang Fang, a resident of Fushan town. (Edited by Huang Junyao)