GREEN MANURE BRINGS ENERGY BACK TO THE SOIL
Time for regeneration
In autumn, nature seems to stop
It’s time for regeneration. Some animals go into hibernation, some plants lose their leaves and the vineyard that gave its finest fruits lives a new phase. Vines anchored to the long rows proudly display their bare branches. It’s time to sow to ensure next year’s harvest. And indeed this morning we did sow. It is field beans, a small leguminous plant which enables Firriato to practise viticulture according to a specific style, aimed at preserving the “soil capital” in the most natural way.
The soils of the six estates are fertilised exclusively following organic farming procedures and eco-friendly methods including green manure and residual bio masses from harvesting, all according to proportions and amounts that vary from year to year.
Green manure cropping
This morning we started to crop green manure. It is a farming practice that leads to an increase of nitrogen and organic nitrogen in the soil resulting in natural microbiological soil enrichment. The green manure also enhances biocenosis ie, symbiosis between plants and bacteria. For this practice, Firriato uses field beans, vetch and barley, allowing each plant to give a different contribution to the vineyard. Field bean, for example, is more suitable for its supply of nitrogen comparable to organic nitrogen while vetch, which is less apparent in the vineyard, enables high precision vine growing.
These seeds are directly produced by Firriato always under organic farming regime. They are sown in alternate rows and in those rows that are not sown, native grasses are allowed to grow. The positive effects of this high precision farming practice are immediately tangible. Firriato uses no chemical fertilisers and protects the land respecting its natural components. It is something to be proud of and that we will never give up.