Balcony gardens provide food security and stress relief for locked-down Chinese

Many locked-down Chinese residents are suddenly struggling with an unfamiliar stress: food insecurity

But a handful of people with balcony gardens have leaned on their Edens to get through the pandemic

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For Chinese people stuck in lockdowns, rooftop gardens have provided food and mental health relief. Photo: Zhong Liu

Published: 12:57pm, 8 Apr 2022

Strict lockdowns in China during the coronavirus pandemic have brought to attention a reality that many people had taken for granted: food security is no guarantee.

For a small group of Chinese people who have gone through lockdowns, they have transformed their balconies into gardens to achieve “fruit and vegetable freedom” and help improve their mental health.

Shi Huanglei, 39, a Shanghai medical worker who lives with her husband and 11-year-old daughter, said her garden has helped them eat nutritious foods like tomatoes, lettuce and strawberries. She also has grown cilantro and basil for more flavourful cooking.

Shi’s gardening adventure began in 2019 when she tossed tomato seeds from fresh tomatoes into a pot without much thought. When they grew into seedlings, she was hooked.

“That is when I became interested in vegetable gardening, and I began to learn by reading books and searching for relevant information online,” Shi told the South China Morning Post.

Shi Huanglei shows off the tomatoes and strawberries she has harvested from her balcony garden. Photo: Shi Huanglei

Shi’s daughter, Wenwen, helps her with the gardening out of curiosity and joins her in reading books with tips and advice.