About 6 years ago we had an erosion problem with our newly terraced land. Since our home was located in the campo above the village of Sayalonga there was no real viable solution. You cannot permit a wall on rustic land. We wanted an economical and eco friendly answer. We spoke with knowledgeable internationally known ecologists and discovered this incredible grass called Vetiver. Vetiver originates from India. It is used by governments in over 100 countries including Spain. The scientific name is Chrysopogon Zizanioides and the variety is Monto. Our first plants came from Italy 6 years ago. We have been successfully planting and experimenting with the grass the past 6 years in all types of soils, environments, slope angles, etc. We have hundreds of thousands of plants. Anna grew up on the largest orchid nursery in Africa and can grow anything. A hobby became a business. The grass is non-invasive, approved and used by the Spanish government. Unfortunately Vetiver has not been promoted here in Spain as a standard solution to erosion problems until recently. So it is a fairly new solution even though it has been a solution worldwide for centuries. From one slip the plant grows in clumps and in 1-2 years it will be up to two metres tall and will have a root structure as deep as 3-4 metres with a crown about 30 cm wide. Planted about 30 cm apart they will form a hedge that will have an underground solid wall of strong roots. That is why it is so effective in stopping erosion. It is also used as a physical boundary and a barrier to keep animals from wandering onto your property. Not only is it used to stop erosion but it is also used as a renewable animal feed. The plant has a life of over 50 years. It is a natural insect repellent with the same morphological characteristics as other grasses such as Lemon Grass and Citronella but with a huge root system that grows directly down. It resists fungus and insects. Studies show that planting Vetiver next to fruit trees and other trees such as Olive can increase crop production by up to 30%. We use it as wind breaks for our newly planted Avocado trees. The Avocado trees benefit year round from the water retention properties of the deep Vetiver roots. The oil from the roots is widely used in the perfume industry. We are part of an International organization that promotes the use of Vetiver worldwide. It is known as The Vetiver Network International – TVNI. Their website is www.vetiver.org. The organization is a wonderful source of information gathered from all over the world. Our only question is why has there been no information from ecology groups here in Spain? It truly is an ecological solution that would benefit everyone. For more information please visit our website at www.vetiverspain.com or contact us directly. info@vetiverspain.com veiverspain@gmail.com Mobile: 692288657 By appointment you can visit our nursery in Sayalonga. Please contact us for a visit. We have individual plants, slips and potted plants in greenhouses. We ship individual slips throughout the EU.
