The COVID-19 epidemic has given rise to “home economy”. Many who eat out have begun cooking at home, which has driven up the sale of frozen foods. However, fruit and vegetable storage is not easy, and people must still go out frequently to shop for them. Professor Kao Jehng Jung from the Institute of Environmental Engineering has developed the DIYGreen technology to allow people to easily grow fruits and vegetables at home and ensure their food safety during this period of cooking at home.
Professor Kao said that the DIYGreen uses environmentally friendly methods to grow crops. Recycled bottles are used in the base to store water. The water is drawn up to the soil using a capillary strip, so frequent watering is not needed. Particularly in regions north of Hsinchu, rainwater is sufficient to maintain plant growth.
Professor Kao has also developed a “low-maintenance vegetable growing method” using earthworm feces as fertilizer. Earthworm feces are a natural organic fertilizer rich in microorganisms, which can enhance plant growth. Professor Kao said that earthworms have always played an important role in nature, and are conducive to sustainable agriculture. “It solves the most important problems of water and fertilizer in crop growing, and requires very little time for maintenance time.”
Read more: https://www.nctu.edu.tw/article/6924
