Cherry tomatoes gradually ripen in Qingtian county, Lishui, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Tide News]

As the weather warms up, Qingtian county in Lishui, Zhejiang province has gradually embraced the harvest of cherry tomatoes.

In the greenhouses of Wu Xiajuan's family farm in Jupu township, neat rows of green vines are adorned with yellow flowers, and clusters of red, yellow, and immature green fruits hang beneath the leaves, emitting a unique, sweet tomato fragrance.

"We introduced grafted seedlings of cherry tomatoes from Shandong province, including pink and yellow varieties. The fruits enjoy great popularity among consumers due to their delicious taste," explained Wu Xiajuan, head of the family farm.

At present, the cherry tomatoes in Wu's planting base exhibit stable production and robust sales. The base's annual output is expected to reach over 2,500 kilograms, with sales primarily made through on-site picking and fruit shops.

Differing from traditional cultivation methods, the Weiwei family farm in Rengong township employs a technological approach in cherry tomato cultivation, where rows of soilless cultivated tomato vines climb up along guide strings.

Workers are currently busy picking ripe fruits, which will be transported to supermarkets and vegetable markets in the county after selecting and packing.

"During the Spring Festival holiday, crowds of tourists came to pick cherry tomatoes, and hundreds of kilograms were sold every day. In addition, we also received orders from customers every day," said Lai Jianyuan, head of the Weiwei family farm.

The soilless cultivation method not only conserves water, fertilizer, and labor, but also reduces pests and diseases and shortens the growth cycle, achieving high efficiency and yield. Cherry tomatoes cultivated through this method can mature twice a year, with an annual output of over 50,000 kg.