Friends in High Places

In the first of a very occasional series, we will take a critical look at onion patches around the world, with particular reference to depth, spacing, weeding regime and any vernacular cultivation techniques. Here we have Mario's Cipollini in the Tuscan uplands.

Mario has a fairly loose spacing, although he may have been thinning by harvesting in the green alla moda italiana. He has an even row width over the whole patch, which can make for difficult access and risk of trampling, al Dowsoni. Cleanliness of patch is a fairly neutral wH6.7 on the weedmeter, although as usual I didn't bother calibrating it properly so the result is just for the purpose of putting some numbers in the report. Curiously, Mario chooses to grow his onions in narrow ridges with his swellings not exposed, but perhaps he's cares little about the size of his bulbs - these would be best served up in a tight bunched finish. One must assume this technique is an essential aid for watering in these dusty environs because it looks molto faffo. Despite all this, you have to give him credit for a valiant effort on this mountainous stage. He offered to rent me part of his land for £10 euros a month but I thought it was a bit steep.