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Angels in My Garden Week #10, March 8, 2010
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"To
forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget
ourselves. Hello Fellow Gardeners,
This week I want to tell you about biodynamic preparations (BD preps). As mentioned previously, the preps are an important part of the biodynamic farming/gardening process. (If you joined late, please see Week #2 on www.makegardensnotwar.com ). The natural, soil-enriching preparations developed by Steiner and his followers produce a humus-forming organic fertilizer that energizes the soil and the plants that grow in it. As noted on the JPI website, “ All preparations are non-poisonous. They are made of natural materials and are not chemically treated or processed in any way.”
The
preps look like a little paddy of soil. They come in small plastic
bags, are mixed with water, stirred for a prescribed amount of time
and applied to the soil or plants with a sprayer. You will need a
garden sprayer like the Backpack Sprayer which should be available at
your local hardware store. A regular spray bottle will quickly become
clogged. Before
Planting: 500
- Apply BD 500 (Horn Manure) directly to the ground you will be
planting; til it in. Stimulates root growth and humus formation. During
the Growing Season Apply
BD 501 (Horn Silica) When plants are still young but well-established.
Apply directly to the leaves. This one stimulates photosynthesis and
the formation of chlorophyll. It influences color, aroma, flavor and
the keeping qualities of crops. Apply BD 508 (Horsetail Herb) directly to the plants during growing season. This prep prevents and controls fungal diseases. Use of these biodynamic preparations requires a bit of work, particularly the stirring process which is from 20 minutes to one hour, depending on the prep; but this is a small investment of time for the benefits that will be derived. If your going to share them with your neighbors or your gardening friends, you might want to consider having a stirring party, with everyone taking a turn at mixing the preps. That's what we do when we use the preps on the gardens in Guatemala. It's a great opportunity for developing community and just having a great time. Reflection: The biodynamic preparations are all about taking care of the soil, giving back to Mother Earth for all she has given and continues to give us. By doing our small part to “make all the Earth a garden,” we contribute to this vision of what life on this planet could be:
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