City residents turn into professional farmers, rooftop farming achieves self-sufficiency in light of the high prices of vegetables

Latakia-(ST)- Rooftop cultivation has spread due to the high prices of some vegetables and fruits, which has encouraged residents to invest in small areas on rooftops to achieve self-sufficiency.

Bilal Bakura (a seedling seller) explained to “Tishreen” that he works in agriculture as a hobby, with 25 years of experience in agriculture, and that farming is done in boxes, noting that the current season is the season for planting eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans.

People are now planting  grapes to obtain vine leaves, after the price of a kilo in the market exceeded their expectations.

He explained that grafted eggplant seedlings are in great demand.

Bakura explained that one of the most important conditions for planting indoors is that the seedlings be planted in deep beds with a soil thickness of 40 cm, in addition to having good soil quality.

As for watering, it is once every three days, and the seedlings must be renewed every year, because according to genetics, there is a first generation and a second generation.

The seedlings produce 3 to 5 kilos over the summer, and whoever plants 100 seedlings and they succeed will reap an excellent season from them. Seedling production continues from May until December.

Bakora also pointed out that parsley or mint seeds should be sprinkled over the soil, then covered with light soil and watered carefully for two months to become a parsley plant ready for harvesting. It is a permanent season for many years, and there is no need to renew the seeds every year.

Rami Al-Ahmad, who has been cultivating the roof of his house for two years, explained in an interview with “Tishreen” that this cultivation requires great attention, as the plant is monitored on a daily basis and what is eaten from this cultivation does not contain hormones or chemicals, especially the cultivation of cucumber, which has a strong flavor and smell not available in the markets.

He added: I advise people to plant rooftops, as they are important, but they do not replace buying from the market, as it is not possible to grow all vegetables, but it is possible to grow the basic materials that every home needs, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, eggplant, green onions, radishes, parsley, and arugula, indicating that planting roof tops in winter is difficult and costs a lot of money, as it requires greenhouses and heating.

Al-Ahmad stated that the cost of cultivation on rooftops is very simple, and it is possible to plant in nylon bags, as they are cheaper than a basin, and the price of a bag is 1,000 liras, and a basin is 25,000 liras.

Hanan Shamout