3. Good Organic Gardening - May-June 2016 AvxHome.in

Part II | BIODYNAMICS BASICS
Getting started
with biodyn amics:
a checklist
Learn the basic principles of soil care
and fertility.
Understand the practical physical
requirements of using biodynamic
preparations.
Make contact with other biodynamic
farmers or gardeners.
Assess the state of your soil.
Have a plan to improve your soil and
levels of organic matter for healthier,
more productive plants and fewer pest,
disease and weed issues.
Look out for local biodynamic
workshops for farmers or gardeners
and take the time to have a look around
the Biodynamic Agricultural Australia
website, biodynamics.net.au.
absorption and retention of water.
Horn Silica 501: Quartz crystals are
ground up and placed in cow horns, which
are buried in spring and dug up in autumn.
Benefits: Plants become more resistant
to insect attack and have a better uptake
of nutrients. Prevents fungal diseases and
insect attack by strengthening the plant
cuticle, increases sugar and nutrient levels
in fruit and improves keeping qualities.
(Note that a mask should be worn when
dealing with quartz or silica dust.)
Reibundweise CC, Claire Bickle
A vortex can be created in a
simple bucket (above) or in a
purpose-built flowform
Stirring and
application
Both of the above preparations are made
into liquid sprays, or teas. Once the quartz
or manure is extracted, it’s placed in a
bucket with rain water (preferably) and
then stirred either mechanically or by
hand, or using more recent innovations
such as flowforms.
The stirring and application of these
biodynamic preparations is at the core of
biodynamic practice.
The stirring creates a steady vortex
and, once it is up to speed, the stirring
direction is changed to create chaos
before a new vortex forms from the
change of direction. It’s then rested
before starting all over again. Steiner
recommended that the stirring process
be a group activity to create the right
sort of positive atmosphere.
Once they are properly stirred, the
preparations are diluted with water into
sprays that are applied using a hearth
brush in a forward flicking manner. A 20L
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