Fertilization
in Fondotoce Reserve
Minitour flowers (2/3) 
Cultivations in the vases
In most of the flowers farms, fertilizers and phytosanitary treatments are diluted in the water and then spread over the flowers in order to drastically reduce the working time necessary for each plant. This involves that the drain waters are loaded with the residual polluting and can easily infiltrate the ground or reach the rivers.
As it is foreseen for the next future a law that will oblige to control this pollutions, at the "Compagnia del Lago" groves have been created on each side of the area where flowers are grown to collect the water and the relevant pollutions.
Moreover, a cloth is placed below each flowerpot to prevent the seeds of weeds transported by the wind, to grove up. This reduces the need to use of chemical treatments to destroy them.
Open fields
Open field cultivations are obviously the preferred ones by Park Authorities, having the lowest impact on the environment.
Nevertheless the greenhouse cultivations have heavily increased in the last few years, following the market requests. The flower farmers say that the acidophil flowers quickly impoverish the ground, even if the area is exceptionally suitable for such cultivations.
The use of chemical fertilizers gives good results for the first years, but it is not the best solution on long terms, as they are easily drained and also contribute to destroy the beneficial organisms and the optimal physical, biological and chemical equilibrium of the soil. There are two possible alternatives: the use of dung and the cultivation rotation. Some farmers is using the dung, even if more expensive at the beginning, as it can be the optimum solution on the long terms for its positive effects on the soils.
Geotrupes stercorarius
The Geotrupes stercorarius is a coleopter that eats the dung of other animals, like cows and horses. The male and the female dig deep holes in the ground (even 60 cm deep) with their strong legs in order to bury the dung to get a supply of food.
As they dig more dung than they actually need, at the end they spread the dug well below the soil surface with positive effects deep inside the ground.
Translated by Stefano Rossi
Minitour flowers (2/3)
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This page has been updated on october 2004
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