In a picturesque setting, near the Dora Baltea river and with the Piedmont Alps in sight, entrepreneur Achille De Vecchi decided to change course and start growing organic green asparagus.
Green asparagus of the Eros variety
With some experience in growing asparagus and the technical suggestions of expert Luciano Trentini, Achille planted 6 hectares of certified organic asparagus, which will be marketed in Northern Italy.
"In addition to choosing to use techniques suitable for organic horticulture, Achille has chosen to grow varieties selected in Italy. Varieties such as Ercole, Eros and Giove are very suitable and have a high resistance to diseases and fungi. The asparagus are sold both in bulk and in bundles," said Trentini.
The crops produced by Coviro plant nursery are mechanically planted and produce top quality asparagus. They are planted at a distance of 3 meters between each row to ensure better aeration of the plants and thus reduce the risk of damage by fungal diseases. There are 26,000 plants planted per hectare.
"Since these were old rice fields, and given the abundance of very clear, fresh and clean water coming directly from the Dora Baltea, we opted for a surface irrigation system, through which a few centimeters of water are introduced and conveyed through the entire asparagus field. The strong presence of lime allows the surface water to drain away quickly. Weeds are controlled by light surface treatments and by flame-thinning. Harvesting is basically done by hand," said Trentini.
After the vegetation has dried completely, the residues are mowed and destroyed by heat (flame weeding) to eliminate the presence of fungal pathogens and weed seeds that may be on the surface (February 2021).
"Consumers in northern Italy will soon be able to buy the first high-quality organic green asparagus both in general markets and on the shelves of the large-scale retail trade," concluded Trentini.
Contact:
Az. Ag. De Vecchi Achille
Cascina Molinetto – Zelo Buon Persico (LO)
Phone: +39 339 281 6150
Email: devecchiachille@gmail.com