The Auction of Mechlin offers the complete range of vegetables. These vegetables come from cultivation in the open (20%) as well as from cultivation under glass (80%). Within the sector the term cultivation in the open refers to production in open air. Typical vegetables with cultivation in the open are among others cauliflowers and leek. Cultivation under glass is a cultivation in a protected environment, most of the times a greenhouse. The fruit vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, etc.) and the headed lettuce are the most important cultivations under glass. Various cultivation techniques are used for these cultivations under glass: cultivation in soil, cultivation in pots, cultivation on mineral rock, cultivation on coconut scales, hydroponics, etc. It is important to know that in all these cases plants get the same fertilisation and manuring, and produce vegetables with one and the same quality and flavour.


Each production procedure starts with a seed of a plant. A few plants such as spinach and lamb's lettuce are sown on the spot. For other plants, first young plants are grown, which later on will be planted out at their final place in the field or in the greenhouse. One by one the seeds are put in little pots, subsequently put out in a cultivation greenhouse either at the grower's place or at a specialised plant grower. As soon as the plants are large enough and space is available in the field or in the greenhouse, they are planted out.


The moment the plants are put into the field or in the greenhouse, a very critical point in time arrives. For the young plants are very vulnerable and they must be given the perfect fertilisation, water, manuring, temperature, light, and atmospheric humidity in order to be able to become fully-developed plants.
Nowadays, contemporary growers under glass are assisted by technology: the climate computer continuously measures temperature and humidity, and adjusts whenever necessary. In case of only the slightest blemish, the computer sends out an alarm so the grower may take proper action. Thus, the growers are also very active in between the time of planting and the time of harvesting. A defect heating system, a shortage of water or a shortage of fertilisation may put at risk the entire harvest.



The grower takes a package of natural cultivation measures in order to achieve an ecological balance. For the grower prefers biological means for plant protection. This is for the benefit of the consumers as well as of the bumblebees that guarantee the pollination of the flowers in the greenhouses.

The grower puts call plates in the greenhouse to be able to verify which infurious insects are present on the plants. In case they are observed, the grower will combat them with natural enemies. Plagues such as white fly, miner fly, red spider mite, plant lice, and caterpillars are among others combatted with certain types of ichneumon wasps, predatory mites or gallflies. This way, the use of plant protection means is limited to a strict minimum.

Once the period of harvesting arrives, the busiest period starts for the grower. For many growers that is virtually the case throughout the year. You can harvest from a tomato or pepper plant during a very long period. Other growers on their turn will combine early and late planting or plant two plants immediately after each other (e.g. tomatoes and cucumbers). Leafy vegetables such as lettuce and lamb's lettuce are cultivated and harvested continuously, as a consequence of which they are available throughout the year.
Sometimes growers in the open combine winter cauliflowers with cauliflowers and leek, as a consequence of which the vegetables will not allow them one single month of rest in a year.


Nowadays, technological progress helps the growers with their harvest, but nevertheless human hands still have to do all the work. Harvesting machines (e.g. for harvesting leek), conveyor belts (e.g. for transporting lettuce and tomatoes after the harvest), and grading machines facilitate the work. Yet, cauliflowers still have to be chopped by hand, tomatoes have to be gathered by hand, lettuce has to be cut by hand, and leek must be cleaned by hand.

The growers do that at the crack of dawn and in the morning. The growers harvest, grade the vegetables according to the standards of the FLANDRIA INSTRUCTIONS, wash them, cut them, and pack them at their own company. Then the growers are ready to drive the harvest of the day to the auction, and to present themselves at the quality control.