Preparation 500 - Cow Horn Manure

C o w H o rn M a n u re

Known as cow horn manure, preparation 500 is basically fermented

cow dung. It is the basis for soil fertility, and the renewal of degraded
soils. It is usually the first preparation used during the change over to
the
organic/biodynamic
system.
Preparation 500 is made by filling a cow's horn with cow dung, and
burying it in the soil during the cooler months - November through
February.
The cow horns usually come from a slaughter house where the buyer
has to compete with the artisans who use cow horns for various
crafts. The price has risen since the horns are known to have a value
in agriculture.
C

w 's

H o

n
r

Only cow horns are used, not bull horns. The

cow horn differs from a bull horn in that it has a series of calving rings at the
base
and
has
a
solid
tip.
The dung should be from a lactating cow which will bring in the calcium
processes to the preparation. The cow should be fed with good quality fodder
two days before filling the horns to ensure the dung is of good quality.
C

o w

o r
n

p it

The horns should be buried in a pit about 16-18 inches deep

and covered with soil that has been enriched with good quality compost. Be
careful not to allow weeds to grow on the pit as the weed roots can grow into
the preparation and also avoid trees roots.
C o

w H o rn

it

B u rie d H o rn s

The horns should be buried open end down so that they will not become water
logged
if
the
pit
is
over
watered.
During the cooler months life breathes into the soil and the soil has the
tendency to be full of growth energies, which energies are absorbed into the
dung through the receptive nature of the horn.
B u

ry in g

H o rn

B u

ry in g

H o rn

B u

m e lin

g B D 5 0

ry in

g H o

rn s

The pit should be kept cool by mulching with paddy straw or similar and
shaded
with
a
low
thatching
of
coconut
fronds.
The preparation when ready after 4 months should have turned into dark
humus
and
should
be
sweet
smelling.
It should be stored in a cool place and in glazed pots or in glass jars
surrounded by damp coir pith as an insulation.

a
T

in g

o u

tH

o rn

5 0

0 T
a

e
k

S tirn g B D 5 0 0

It is sprayed up to four times a year. The best times are in October

and November and then again in February and March. It is
important
to
apply
in
the
late
afternoon.

It is used in small quanitities at the rate of 25 grams in 13 litres of water per acre.
It is stirred for one hour making a vortex or crater in one direction and then reversing the direction
and
making
a
vortex
in
the
other
direction.
The stirred preparation can then be sprinkled with a whisk brush over the land.
On larger areas a larger volume of liquid can be stirred in a 200 litre drum with a tripod supporting
a stirring rod or with a Virbela flow form cascade mixing up to 500 litres and applied with a spray
nozzle.
Preparation 500 is sprayed at the descending phase of the moon.
S

tirn

g B

D 5

S tirn g

irb
V

e la

lo w

Trip

d S

tirn g

ra y

in g

D 5

p ra

in g

B D 5

0 0

With regular application, preparation BD500 will give a soil all the characteristics needed to
sustain a Living Soil.
Strong
humus
formation
Increase in all soil bacteria, such as rhizobacta activity (nodulation) on all legumes, eg dals, etc. and
an
increase
of
the
phosphate
solubilizing
bacteria
Increase
in
the
mycorrhizal
fungi
and
their
hyphae
Improved
crumb
structure
and
resultant
improvement
in
soil
tilth
Earthworm
activity
is
increased
Absorption and retention of water is greater. International research has found that BD soils require
25%
to
50%
less
irrigation
than
conventional
soils.
A
deep
rooting
system
is
developed
in
all
plants
It will work equally well in any soil type, clays, volcanic, peat silt or weathered silica
Bio-Dynamic Preparations BD500, BD501, BD502-507 are made in several places in India and can
be purchased from:
Kurinji Organic Farms in Kodaikanal, C. Jeyakaran
Supa Pvt. Ltd. in Nainital, Binita Shah
BD501 & Cow Horn Clay BD502-507 & BD508 BD Preps Intro
Preparation 501 - Cow Horn Silica
B D 5 0 1 c ry s ta ls

B D 5 0 1 c ry s ta ls

This is finely ground quartz crystals specially prepared.

The crystal should be of good quality and shape and
clear. It is buried in a similar manner to Preparation
BD500, but this time it is buried in the cow's horn during
the hot time from March to April and lifted in September.
It is stored in a glass jar on a sunny window sill.
It is used mainly during the growing season and is used at the rate of 1 gram in
13
litres
of
water
per
acre.

BD501 is applied in the very early morning as a fine mist that drifts over the plant or tree. It is
stirred
for
1
hour
in
the
same
way
as
BD500.
This spray enhances the photosynthesis of the leaf, and as such compliments the activity of the
preparation BD500, which works mostly in the root zone of the plant. It also strengthens the plants
against some fungus attack, rots in passion fruit, and rust on coffee and rice.
S tirn g B D 5 0 1

S p ra y in g B D 5 0 1

a
r

n
i

S p ra y in g B D 5 0 1

Usually it is used at the beginning of the plant's development, and then

again shortly before maturity or harvest. It has been found to improve the
quality of the plant in regard to taste, nutritional value, and shelf life. It has
also been found to bring up the Brix level in all fruits.
Preparation 501 is best sprayed when the Moon and Saturn are in
opposition
which
occurs
once
each
month.
Some farmers are practising sequential spraying where BD500 plus CPP is
applied in the evening and the following morning BD501. Try to time this
spraying so as to apply BD501 on the morning of the day before Moon is opposite Saturn.

New Preparation - Cow Horn Clay

C o w H o rn C la y

stirred

Clay is the mediator between calcium and silica. This prepared clay is buried
in the soil in the same way and at the same time as the horn cow dung
(BD500) and the horn silica (BD501). So the horn clay is made twice a year.
The horn clay buried with the BD500 is applied in the evenings at the same
time as the 500, stirred in the same water. The horn clay buried with the
BD501 is applied at the same time as the preparation 501 in the mornings,
in
the
same
water.

This is a new preparation and it is being used at the rate of 10 grams in 13 litres of water per acre.
This preparation appears to make BD500 and BD501 more effective.
Bio-Dynamic Preparations BD500, BD501, BD502-507 are made in several places in India and can
be purchased from:
Kurinji Organic Farms in Kodaikanal, C. Jeyakaran
Supa Pvt. Ltd. in Nainital, Binita Shah
BD500 BD502-507 & BD508 BD Preps Intro
The Compost Preparations 502-507
The Compost Preps - 502-507 - are all made from medicinal herbs. BD502506 are humus-like, rich in beneficial bacterial life and minerals. BD507 is
a liquid. They radiate cosmic influences and forces throughout the compost
heap aiding the transformation of compost material into humus.
Just 1 gram of each prep in a compost heap is enough, in much the same
way as a small spoon of yogurt in a large bowl of milk is enough to transform the entire bowl of
milk
into
yogurt.
The biodynamic compost preparations 502-507 are applied to the compost heap when it is first
made, and to any compost that is brought onto the farm property to aid and regulate the
fermentation process. Experience in India and in many countries of using these preparations in
composts and liquid manures, has shown that they accelerate the processes of humus formation, and
as
such
avoid
losses
of
valuable
plant
nutrients.
The preparations 502-507 are made from medicinal herbs and some are made together with a
particular animal part and buried in the soil much the same way as the preparation BD500 is made.
A full description of how to make and use these preps is given in the book Grasp the Nettle by Peter
Proctor. They are all available in India readymade for immediate use.
a
Y

ro

BD502 is
Achillea

made

It
helps
Potassium
Sulphur
and

from

the

processes
trace

flowers

of Yarrow
millifolium
of
(K)
(S)
elements

Grows and flowers well in Kodaikanal

C h

a m o m ile

BD503 is made from the flowers of German Chamomile

Matricuria
chamomilla
It
Calcium
and

helps

processes

of
(Ca)
(N)

Nitrogen

Grows and flowers well in Kodaikanal

N e

tle

BD504 is made from the

leaves of Himalayan Stinging Nettle
Urtica
parviflora
It
helps
processes
Iron
and
Magnesium

of
(Fe)
(Mg)

This stinging nettle is indigenous to

India in Nainital.
O a

the northern areas of

BD505 is made from the bark of the Himalayan Oak in India

Quercus
glauca
It
Calcium

helps

processes

of
(Ca)

This is one of several evergreen oaks growing in the foothills

of the Himalayas. The bark of this oak was found to have 5%
Ca - the European oak (Quercus robur) only 2.5%.
D

n d

e lio

BD506 is
Taraxicum
It
Silica

made
helps

from

the

flowers

processes

of

Dandelion
officinalis
of
(Si)

Grows and flowers well in Kodaikanal.

Va le ria n

BD507 is made from the flowers

of
Valeriana

Valerian
officinalis

It
helps
processes
Phosphorous(P)
It

is

prepared

as

of
a

liquid.

This will only flower well when it

difference between winter daylight

is grown where there is a marked

hours and summer daylight hours.

This difference is needed to trigger the flowering process. It grows and flowers in the Himalayan
foothills. It will grow but not flower in the hills of Kodaikanal. There is the Valerian hookeriana
naturally growing in the Palni hills of Tamil Nadu which could be used.

Preparation 508 - Casurina Tea

C a s u rin a Te a

This is not one of the compost preparations, but is an extra suggestion to

help
cope
with
fungus
diseases.
It is Equesetum arvense Horsetail Herb or Casurina (Saru).
It is silica rich and is made into a tea to overcome fungus.
1kg of Casurina to 10 litres of boiling water. Use 50mls of this tincture
to
10
litres
of
water.
Spray into the soil or over the plants in the early growing stages.
Spray at Full Moon (2-4 days before) and at Moon opposition Saturn, the same as for preparation
BD501.
Bio-Dynamic Preparations BD500, BD501, BD502-507 are made in several places in India and can
be purchased from:
Kurinji Organic Farms in Kodaikanal, C. Jeyakaran
Supa Pvt. Ltd. in Nainital, Binita Shah
BD500 BD501 & Cow Horn Clay BD Preps Intro

biodynamics 101
Biodynamics 101 Prep 501 Use The Light
Force
May 24, 2013June 25, 2013thewineidealist 1 Comment
Preparation 501 is not the main ingredient used in a pair of button zipped Levis. Instead, it is one of
the most important and most powerful elements of biodynamic agriculture.
Made from crushed quartz crystal that has been buried within cow horns for 6 months during the
light time of the year between spring and autumn it is used to increase the amount of light
energy available to the plant in order to increase photosynthesis, thereby strengthening the plant and
encouraging the development of fruit and seed.

P h o to C o u rte s y o fM ilto n Vin e y a rd s

Photo Courtesy of Millton Vineyards

In his Agriculture lectures, Steiner believed that the Suns light and warmth, and all the
meteorological processes connected with it are, in a way, related to the form and development of the
vegetation that covers the soil.
These light forces, as Peter Proctor explains in his book Grasp the Nettle, are represented as
triangulations such as can be seen in a bolt of lightning, or the flicker of flames from a bonfire
which affect the shape, appearance and form of the plants which grow upon the Earth.
For example, most native Australian plants feature very narrow, pointed characteristics in their
structure and appearance the leaves of the eucalyptus, acacias, and bottlebrush have a sharper,
lighter, more triangular nature which characterises the amount of light available to them in
Australias sun blessed climate. Proctor talks about the triangular form of petals in a daisy flower,
or the five triangular petals of a single rose or petunia, which form like a pentagram, and give a
clear indication to the influence of light on a plants overall shape and form.
To increase the amount of light energy that the plant can utilise in order to strengthen and grow,
Steiner recommends using quartz crystals (silicon dioxide) which have a magnifying effect on the
amount of light streaming in.

Quartz Reef BD Hut Photo by the Wine Idealist

Quartz belongs to the trigonal crystal system. The ideal crystal shape is a six-sided prism
terminating with six-sided pyramids at each end. This triangulation of the quartz silica matches up
with the triangulation of the leaves and forms a symmetrical balance with one another.
Biodynamics is all about bringing together a connected balance between separate elements that may

look unconnected when viewed on their own, say, through a microscope, but when viewed on a
universal, macrocosmic level can be seen as essential interconnected elements which contribute to
the overall balance of the Earth, and the universe within which it sits.
It is believed that the quartz, when buried in cow horns, acts as a bridging system between the light
forces of the universe with the increased microbial activity of the soil after it has been improved
upon through the use of Prep 500 from previous years. Thus, bringing about a holistic
interconnected exchange system between the macrocosmic energies of the universe, and the
microcosmic energies of the soil.
-To make Prep 501 you need to crush the quartz crystals into a fine powder. Peter Proctor
recommends using a hammer or mortar and pestle made of iron or steel, making sure that the
mortar and pestle have no rust on them. Once the quartz is crushed into a fine powder it can be
ground further between two sheets of plate glass until the silica becomes mealy with a
consistency almost of talcum powder.
This powder is then made into a slurry using water and placed inside a cowhorn. The horn is then
left to stand over night so that the water can be absorbed by the silica and any excess water will rise
to the top and can simply be drained off.
P

to

rte

fe

-k

.c

Photo Courtesy of e-knouz.com

Check the lunar calender and bury the horns perhaps in the same pit where the Prep 500 was
buried when the moon is in an ascending pattern. When the moon is ascending the distance
between the earth and the moon increases day by day for approximately 13 days. When it is
descending, the distance decreases.
When it becomes time to dig them up, the silica slurry will be much drier than before when it was
buried. Expose the horns to sunlight to dry them out, and then store them in clean glass jars on a sun
exposed windowsill. Proctor says 501 should always be connected to the light, and thus never
stored in the dark.
The 501 will need to be stirred, using the vortex method, as used for Preparation 500, either in a
large drum or barrel, or using a flowform or stirring machine.
Use 1g of 501 in 13 litres of water warm rainwater preferably for each acre. Spray when there is
a light wind as it aids the application by forming a mist as it drifts over the sprayed crop.
Application of 501 is done in much the same way as Preparation 500 through use of a knapsack
sprayer, or other form of sprayer as per the requirements and size of the property.
Applying Preparation 501 to the vineyard will increase the vines resistance to fungal disease, such
as powdery mildew and other fungal attacks. Because of the enhancing light energy properties of
Prep 501 it is important to spray early in the morning so as to avoid burning the leaves. In New
Zealand, because of the thin ozone layer it should be applied even earlier and with greater care.
For maximum effect, Proctor recommends applying the 501 at the beginning of the plants life, at
the four leaf stage in order to increase the bulk of the plant.
-Many Australian winegrowers believe that the use of Preparation 501 is unnecessary due to the
amount of sunshine their vineyards are privileged to receive throughout the year. However, any
experienced practicer of biodynamics will demonstrate that those who choose to skip 501 will soon

find their vineyard ecosystems out of balance which is a direct contradiction to the over arching
philosophy of biodynamics.
Ross McDonald of Macquariedale Wines sums it up neatly when he says, you cant be half
pregnant, while James Millton of Millton Vineyards goes further by saying, its like a plate of
bacon and eggs, the chicken only has a passing interest, but the pig had to be totally committed.
Millton even exposes his wines to quartz crystals right after theyve been bottled, to give it the
final tick of its life energy process.
In order to practice biodynamics effectively, you need to be totally committed.
-D// The Wine Idealist
-For More Information on Biodynamics:
The Wine Idealist: Biodynamics 101 Part 1. The Soil is the Soul
Grasp the Nettle
Biodynamics 2024
Biodynamics Australia
Biodynamics New Zealand
Demeter Biodynamic certifier

Biodynamics 101 The Soil = The Soul

April 26, 2013April 26, 2013thewineidealist
If you trek out between the vine rows in any vineyard that practices biodynamics you will soon
notice how your feet are welcomed into the soil underfoot with each progressive step. Your shoes
sink ever so slightly, ever so softly into the moist brown dirt, and once youve reached the end of
one vine row you will find your shoes have now been adorned with a thick cake of clumpy, sticky,
humus like mud.
One of the underlying outcomes of biodynamic farming is the development of this sticky humus
like mud. Made from dead organic material, this life giving humus is the foundation and basis for
all living soil.
M u

e
F

t!

Muddy Feet!
In his book, Grasp The Nettle author Peter Proctor says biodynamic agriculture is a method of
farming that aims to treat the farm as a living system which interacts with the environment, to build
healthy, living soil, and to produce food that nourishes and vitalises mankind. It is a system of
agriculture that was derived from the teachings of Austrian philosopher, Rudolf Steiner.
Steiner gave a series of lectures in 1924 to a group of fraught farmers who noticed degraded soil
conditions and a deterioration in the health and quality of crops and livestock resulting from the use
of chemical fertilisers. He proposed the idea of a more holistic approach to farming by recognising
that plants not only grow through the fertility of the soil, but also with support from the cosmos
the rhythms of the sun, moon, and planets, including the wider constellations of the zodiac.

According to Steiner, as the earth becomes older the soil naturally becomes weaker and is less able
to receive these cosmic rhythms than in earlier times. By employing techniques which emphasise
the renewal of these depleted soil conditions, Steiner believed that you could re-enliven these
cosmic rhythms so that they could once again connect and flow strongly with the earths soil. Once
this connection has been re-established, and strengthened, the soil takes on a living quality.

Steiner biodynamic course chart at Quartz Reef (Central Otago)

The living soil in a biodynamic vineyard (and other areas of farming) will appear crumbly and
slippery when rubbed between your finger and thumb, and this slipperiness will continue to lower
and deeper depths, down to where the subsoil and topsoil meet. Its down here that you will see a
strong presence and existence of active microbiological life, the essence of fertile soil structure.
Within this fertile soil exist Mycorrhizal fungi fungi that forms a symbiotic relationship with
nearly all plants. These silk thin hyphae stretch out across great distances to seek out nutrients and
moisture which are conducted back to the host plant and exchanged for carbohydrates.
When you walk on good, fertile soil you feel the softness beneath your feet. If you were to take a
shovel, or spade or even a stick and try to penetrate the ground, you would feel the ease with which
the stick goes in. Biodynamic soils, according to Proctor based on research by Massey University in
New Zealand, are generally significantly superior to conventionally managed soils in regard to soil
structure, friability, aeration, and drainage, with lower bulk density, higher organic matter content,
soil respiration, more earthworms and a deeper topsoil layer.
--

Preparation 500 Quartz Reef (Central Otago)

To achieve this soft, crumbly, slipperiness, various preparations, as prescribed by Rudolf Stiener,
are created and applied to the vineyard to encourage this vitality and quality of soil. This includes
the application of Preparation 500 cow manure which has been stuffed into cowhorns where it is
buried and left to ferment for up to six months during autumn and winter.
Cow dung has the incredible ability to attract life to it, such as earthworms. Because of the cows
thorough four-part digestive processes, some of the energy generated during digestion remains in
the cow dung long after it has been passed. This essential cowness, is what Steiner calls astrality
the eternal spirit/energy within all living creatures and it is this cows astrality that is captured in
the cow dung and allowed to distill over the period of time that the dung is buried in the ground,
inside the cowhorns.
After the horns have been buried for the recommended six months, the manure that is left inside
should be slightly loose, easy to knock out, and may have taken on some of the attributes of the soil
it was buried in. It will have a characteristic sweet smell, which according to Proctor, smells the
same all over the world.
Once the Preaparation 500 has been made it can either be stored either in glazed pots, such as
terracotta, glass or enamel boxes, in a cool place, such as a cellar or well shaded shed (well stored
500 can be kept for up to three years, but it is important to constantly check on its current state) or
sprayed immediately onto the vineyard (or farmland) after it has been readied for application.

Burying Cowhorns at Paxton VIneyards (McLaren Vale)

To make up the Preparation 500 to a solution which can be applied to the vineyard it needs to be
stirred using water, preferably without contaminants such as chlorine or fluoride rain water is
ideal. To do this you need to stir the 500 until a vortex appears within the tub or barrel you are
stirring in. This vortex allows for increased oxygenation of the water used, along with the 500, and,
supposedly, introduces the cosmic forces that enable the water to become a dynamic carrier of the
life energy as it is spread over the land.
Steiners idea of the vortex being created during the stirring process is connected to the naturally
occurring spiral shape, and its expression within nature. Proctor says, the form of the vortex is
manifested in many different ways in nature. Galaxies, for instance, move around in great spirals,
and spiral movements are the basis of cyclones in weather systems. Steiner draws a comparison
to the spiral shapes of the universe to the manifestation of the spiral shapes here on Earth, not only
in certain weather systems, but also in bodies of water, such as a running stream, with all of its little
swirls and vortices appearing as the water flows in many different directions at once.
When it comes to apply the Preparation 500 to the vineyard, this should be done at least twice a
year. The best application times are in the autumn March/April, and once again in early spring
September/October. The afternoon and evening is considered to be the most beneficial time to apply
500. Application times of 500 with respect to the lunar calendar can enhance its effect on the plants,

especially during the fourteen days of the descent of the moon during its path across the ecliptic
line.
You can use anything from a brush to flick the 500 over the vines, or a spray rig, attached either to
your back, a truck or ute; first applying to the circumference of the vineyard site, then in a zig zag
fashion across the middle.
--

Biodynamic Shiraz at Macquariedale Wines (Hunter Valley)

Over the coming months, I will endeavor to explain the basics of biodynamic agriculture, with the
use of Peter Proctors Grasp the Nettle, as well as first hand accounts based on my own experience
and conversations with the winegrowers actively employing these techniques.
I will do my very best not to be exhaustive, and only to show the basic principals and ideas of
biodynamic farming, with respect to viticulture and winegrowing
If you are interested in biodynamics further, please see the links below. You can also read past
articles that Ive written to do with winegrowers and biodynamics in Australia and New Zealand.
Thank you.
D// The Wine Idealist.
Links!
Grasp the Nettle
Biodynamics Australia
Biodynamics New Zealand

Biodynamics 101 Prep 501 Use The Light

Force
May 24, 2013June 25, 2013thewineidealist 1 Comment
Preparation 501 is not the main ingredient used in a pair of button zipped Levis. Instead, it is one of
the most important and most powerful elements of biodynamic agriculture.
Made from crushed quartz crystal that has been buried within cow horns for 6 months during the
light time of the year between spring and autumn it is used to increase the amount of light
energy available to the plant in order to increase photosynthesis, thereby strengthening the plant and
encouraging the development of fruit and seed.

P h o to C o u rte s y o fM ilto n Vin e y a rd s

Photo Courtesy of Millton Vineyards

In his Agriculture lectures, Steiner believed that the Suns light and warmth, and all the
meteorological processes connected with it are, in a way, related to the form and development of the
vegetation that covers the soil.
These light forces, as Peter Proctor explains in his book Grasp the Nettle, are represented as
triangulations such as can be seen in a bolt of lightning, or the flicker of flames from a bonfire
which affect the shape, appearance and form of the plants which grow upon the Earth.
For example, most native Australian plants feature very narrow, pointed characteristics in their
structure and appearance the leaves of the eucalyptus, acacias, and bottlebrush have a sharper,
lighter, more triangular nature which characterises the amount of light available to them in
Australias sun blessed climate. Proctor talks about the triangular form of petals in a daisy flower,
or the five triangular petals of a single rose or petunia, which form like a pentagram, and give a
clear indication to the influence of light on a plants overall shape and form.
To increase the amount of light energy that the plant can utilise in order to strengthen and grow,
Steiner recommends using quartz crystals (silicon dioxide) which have a magnifying effect on the
amount of light streaming in.

Quartz Reef BD Hut Photo by the Wine Idealist

Quartz belongs to the trigonal crystal system. The ideal crystal shape is a six-sided prism
terminating with six-sided pyramids at each end. This triangulation of the quartz silica matches up
with the triangulation of the leaves and forms a symmetrical balance with one another.
Biodynamics is all about bringing together a connected balance between separate elements that may

look unconnected when viewed on their own, say, through a microscope, but when viewed on a
universal, macrocosmic level can be seen as essential interconnected elements which contribute to
the overall balance of the Earth, and the universe within which it sits.
It is believed that the quartz, when buried in cow horns, acts as a bridging system between the light
forces of the universe with the increased microbial activity of the soil after it has been improved
upon through the use of Prep 500 from previous years. Thus, bringing about a holistic
interconnected exchange system between the macrocosmic energies of the universe, and the
microcosmic energies of the soil.
-To make Prep 501 you need to crush the quartz crystals into a fine powder. Peter Proctor
recommends using a hammer or mortar and pestle made of iron or steel, making sure that the
mortar and pestle have no rust on them. Once the quartz is crushed into a fine powder it can be
ground further between two sheets of plate glass until the silica becomes mealy with a
consistency almost of talcum powder.
This powder is then made into a slurry using water and placed inside a cowhorn. The horn is then
left to stand over night so that the water can be absorbed by the silica and any excess water will rise
to the top and can simply be drained off.
P

to

rte

fe

-k

.c

Photo Courtesy of e-knouz.com

Check the lunar calender and bury the horns perhaps in the same pit where the Prep 500 was
buried when the moon is in an ascending pattern. When the moon is ascending the distance
between the earth and the moon increases day by day for approximately 13 days. When it is
descending, the distance decreases.
When it becomes time to dig them up, the silica slurry will be much drier than before when it was
buried. Expose the horns to sunlight to dry them out, and then store them in clean glass jars on a sun
exposed windowsill. Proctor says 501 should always be connected to the light, and thus never
stored in the dark.
The 501 will need to be stirred, using the vortex method, as used for Preparation 500, either in a
large drum or barrel, or using a flowform or stirring machine.
Use 1g of 501 in 13 litres of water warm rainwater preferably for each acre. Spray when there is
a light wind as it aids the application by forming a mist as it drifts over the sprayed crop.
Application of 501 is done in much the same way as Preparation 500 through use of a knapsack
sprayer, or other form of sprayer as per the requirements and size of the property.
Applying Preparation 501 to the vineyard will increase the vines resistance to fungal disease, such
as powdery mildew and other fungal attacks. Because of the enhancing light energy properties of
Prep 501 it is important to spray early in the morning so as to avoid burning the leaves. In New
Zealand, because of the thin ozone layer it should be applied even earlier and with greater care.
For maximum effect, Proctor recommends applying the 501 at the beginning of the plants life, at
the four leaf stage in order to increase the bulk of the plant.
-Many Australian winegrowers believe that the use of Preparation 501 is unnecessary due to the
amount of sunshine their vineyards are privileged to receive throughout the year. However, any
experienced practicer of biodynamics will demonstrate that those who choose to skip 501 will soon

find their vineyard ecosystems out of balance which is a direct contradiction to the over arching
philosophy of biodynamics.
Ross McDonald of Macquariedale Wines sums it up neatly when he says, you cant be half
pregnant, while James Millton of Millton Vineyards goes further by saying, its like a plate of
bacon and eggs, the chicken only has a passing interest, but the pig had to be totally committed.
Millton even exposes his wines to quartz crystals right after theyve been bottled, to give it the
final tick of its life energy process.
In order to practice biodynamics effectively, you need to be totally committed.
-D// The Wine Idealist
-For More Information on Biodynamics:
The Wine Idealist: Biodynamics 101 Part 1. The Soil is the Soul
Grasp the Nettle
Biodynamics 2024
Biodynamics Australia
Biodynamics New Zealand
Demeter Biodynamic certifier

Cultivarea biodinamica
March 19, 2014 admin Leave a comment

Cultivarea biodinamica sau in concordanta cu fazele Lunii in

anul 2014 pentru cultivatori in general
Pentru grdinarii care practic agricultura biodinamic grdinritul n funcie de fazele lunii se face
innd cont de peregrinrile astrului pe bolta cereasc. Privind astrul nopii observm c forma
acestuia difer, n funcie de anumite faze, este cnd disc (luna plin), cnd secer, uneori rmnnd
invizibil (lun nou).
Aceste faze corespund rotaiei sale n jurul Pmntului. Tehnologia agriculturii biodinamice ia n
consideraie fiecare dintre aceste faze, stabilind, cu claritate, activitile benefice de derulat pentru
c rezultatele s se maximizeze
Cum tim dac luna e n cretere sau n descretere?
Dac lun are forma literei C, nseamn c este n descretere.
Dac dimpotriv are forma literei D, nseamn c este n cretere.
Un mic truc de memorat: este suficient s inversm literele C= descretere i D= cretere.
Cunoscnd aceste lucruri vom ncerca s vedem ce activiti putem derula n grdina funcie de
fazele lunii.
NTRE LUN NOU I LUNA PLIN
Discul lunar crete noapte de noapte. Este ceea ce se numete lun n cretere (de cretere a discului
lunar):
Ce putem face n aceast perioad:
>se fac lucrri de ntreinere a plantelor, care s stimuleze creterea tulpinilor, frunzelor i fructelor.
>este o perioad bun pentru tratamente foliare, fertilizri, irigri.
>rsdim, plantam i semnm toate plantele care produc fructe i semine.
>n livad, vom planta copaci i arbuti i vom putea altoi sau tia.
>plantam sau nsmnam plantele anuale de la care se consuma prile crescute deasupra solului.
PRIMUL PTRAR n primul ptrar, Luna acioneaz asupra prilor aeriene ale plantelor,
influennd traiectoria sevei.
>n acest interval, toate vegetalele cresc mai viguros,
>seminele se dezvolta mai repede,
>rsadurile se prind repede,

>fructele i pstreaz prospeimea mult timp dup recolta.

- Plantele semnate n aceast perioad cresc mai repede i sunt mai rezistente la boli i insecte.
(vigoarea acestora este direct proporional cu lumina Lunii).
>cultivm plantele anuale cu cretere deasupra solului, n special plante cu frunze care produc
semine n afar de fructe. (salat, sparanghel, varza, elina i spanac).
>vom planta flori, pentru frumusee sau parfum.
>Florile tiate pentru vaz au o strlucire aparte i rezist mai mult timp.
>legumele i fructele, recoltate se conserva mai bine.
n timpul de la primul ptrar la luna plin, se cultiv plantele care au cretere mai sus de nivelul
solului, cele care produc semine n interiorul fructului ( canepa , tandafiri, fasole, mazre, ardei,
roii, vinete, castravei. Se mai pot planta zmeur, agrie, mure.)
-semnm seminele atunci cnd Luna este n cretere, ct mai aproape de Lun plin.
Tot n al doilea trimestru adugm ngrmintele organice pentru a da un impuls creterii plantelor
- n toat perioada putem face nsmnri.
- Folosim acest timp pentru a semna gazon, gru sau alte cereale.
- Semnam semine de legumele cu frunze i flori, care au cretere deasupra pmntului i nu se
bazeaz pe dezvoltarea extensiv a rdcinii.
- Trandafirii i vom planta n primul sau al doilea trimestru din lun n cretere.
- Putem altoi pomii fructiferi.
- Plantm sau transplantam plantele de apartament n timpul ct luna este n cretere, pentru a
valorifica pe deplin creterea luminii.
- n primul trimestru sau al doilea al lunii n cretere, punem butai de la plantele pe care dorii s le
nmulii la nrdcinat. Cnd au fcut rdcini, i plantam la locul definitive tot ntr-o perioad de
lun n cretere.
- Fructele i legumele pentru consumul imediat le recoltm n aceast perioad, deoarece coninutul
de ap al ingredientelor este mai mare, salatele sunt mai fragede i fr texturi lemnoase, neplcute.
- Plantele aromatice, utilizate pentru uleiurile eseniale pe care acestea le conin, le culegem n
aceast perioad deoarece coninutul de ulei este mai concentrat n acest moment.
- Este momentul prielnic pentru udarea compostului.
- Unele plante, cum ar fi usturoi, pepeni i cereale, pot fi plantate n oricare din primul sau al doilea
trimestru.
LUNA PLIN CE S FACEM N GRDIN?
Este momentul ideal n care putem recolta semine, bulbi sau tuberculi.
Luna plin este benefic pentru plante, care absorb mai bine ap, ceea ce duce la creterea puterii de
germinaie i dezvoltate.
Dac vrem s respectm calendarul biodinamic, este recomandat s semnm cu 2 zile nainte de
lun plin.
n perioadele cnd pe cer avem LUNA PLIN SAU LUN NOU nu se recomand executarea de
lucrri agricole.
Luna plin tine, cam 3 zile (nopi), dar n general putem face urmtoarele activiti
- Facem nsmnri cu 48 h nainte de Lun plin
- Aplicm ngrminte lichide cu 48h nainte de Lun plin
- Aplicm soluii preparate pentru controlul fungilor (coada calului, urzic)
- Aplicm soluii preparate pentru controlul insectelor (ceai de ardei iute, usturoi)
- Facem tratamente mpotriva paraziilor interni la animalele de curte cu 48h nainte de Lun Plin
(ex. Usturoi i oet de mere pe stomacul gol)
LUN N DESCRETERE
Apoi, atunci cnd trecem de la luna plin la lun nou i discul lunar se micoreaz din nou, vorbim
de lun n descretere. Lun n descretere, este perioada cuprins ntre Luna Plin i Lun nou.
Este perioada n care nivelul apei scade, iar lumina descrete.
NTRE LUNA PLIN I LUN NOU
- Pregtirea solului, cu efecte favorabile n dezvoltarea rdcinilor plantelor.

- este o perioad bun, semnm salat, spanacul.

- Profitm de lun n descretere pentru a recolta. Legumele i fructele recoltate n aceast perioad
se conserva mai bine i pe timp mai ndelungat.
- nglobam n sol compostul, mrania sau soluiile pentru ameliorare (ex. Vr, nisip
- Este o perioad bun s transplantm rsaduri.
- Cultivm flori n jardiniere sau vase.
- Plantm arbori i arbuti.
- Recoltam rdacinoase i cartofi
- Tundem florile i copacii. Este bine ca tierea de formare a pomilor s fie fcut intro zi din
aceast perioad cnd luna este ntr-o constelaie cu semn de foc (leu, sgettor, berbec).
- Obinem i plantam butaii
ULTIMUL PTRAR n intervalul ultimului ptrar, Lun are influena mai mult asupra prilor
din sol ale plantelor, adic rdcinile. Este momentul ideal s plantezi arbori i rsaduri, cu condiia
ca acestea s fi fost extrase n primul ptrar. Poi tia crengile uscate ale arborilor. Este o perioad n
care iarb se dezvolta foarte mult.
Atunci cnd lumina Lunii scade, plantele i pierd vigoarea. Sunt mai fragile i nu se conserva la fel
de bine ca n primul ptrar. n schimb, n aceast perioad parfumul lor este mai intens. Aceste
treburi, sunt recomandate a fi fcute n prima sptmn,
n a doua sptmn nu se recolteaz, nu se nsmneaz, ci ne putem ocupa de buruieni.
Perioad lucrri:
Lun nou Luna plin
- Creterea luminii
- Nivelul apei se ridic Prima sptmn Plantarea legumelor aeriene
A doua sptmn Plantarea legumelor care fac semine n interiorul fructelor: fasole, mazre,
roii, canepa;
- Recoltarea;
- Transplantarea
Luna plin Lun nou
- Descreterea luminii
- Nivelul apei scade Prima sptmn Plantarea legumelor rdcinoase ex: cartofi, morcovi,
sfecla, ceap;
- Tierea crengilor A doua sptmn Nu se nsmneaz, nu se recolteaz i nici nu se taie
crengile;
- Culegerea buruienilor i alte lucrri adiacente n grdin
LUN N URCARE LUN N COBORRE
Atenie, s nu confundm lun n cretere cu lun n urcare.
Sunt dou fenomene distincte, pentru c lun poate fi n acelai timp n cretere i n coborre. Deci
trebuie s inem cont de datele lunii n urcare i n coborre dac vrem s ne armonizm cu astrele.
Deci, ce este lun n urcare?
De-a lungul nopilor, putem constata c poziia lunii variaz n raport cu orizontul.Pe parcursul
celor aproape 28 zile ale ciclului lunar, ea pare mai nti s urcetimp de 14 zile i apoi s
coboare. Vorbim aadar de lun n urcare cnd aceasta este situat deasupra orbitei soarelui i de
lun n coborre atunci cnd se afl sub ea.
Dac ne lum un reper fix, ca de pild un copac, o biseric sau un stlp, a crui situare o putem
reine i privim luna timp de dou seri, putem s ne dm seama de cum i schimb luna poziia n
funcie de reper. Mai sus sau mai jos.
Ce s facem cnd e lun n urcare?
- Cnd luna e n urcare, seva plantelor urca spre ramuri, favorabil deci, pentru tot cea ce se petrece
deasupra nivelului solului: altoiri i nsmnri.
- Toate legumele cu frunze: salat, spanacul, varza, chiar i gazonul au n acest moment o cretere
stimulat.
- Profitai pentru a semna sfecla, andivele, castraveii i dovleceii i pentru a culege fructele.

- Se spune c, dac le recoltm cnd luna este n urcare, sunt mai zemoase i rmn prospete mai
mult timp.
Ce s facem cnd e lun n coborre?
- Invers, seva plantelor se ntoarce ctre rdcini, propice pentru ceea ce se petrece sub pmnt.
- Ne vom ocupa de plantari, rsdiri, tieri.
- Dac vom pune butai n pmnt se vor prinde mai bine.
- Este momentul potrivit pentru a recolta rdacinoasele precum: morcovii, cartofii, ridichii
n diagramele de mai jos se d aspectul Lunii pentru fiecare zi a anului n curs. Pe lng an, luna i
zi, sub fiecare faz a Lunii este trecut o valoare n procente care reprezint procentajul din emisfera
lunar iluminat de Soare.
0% nseamn Lun Nou
50% nseamn Primul sau Ultimul Ptrar
100% nseamn Lun Plin
Fazele de mai jos sunt cele de la miezul nopii. Seara, Luna va arta ca faza din ziua urmtoare (n
seara de 1 februarie faza Lunii va fi de fapt cea de pe 2).
0 1 -fa z e -ia n -2 0 1 4

0 2 -fa z e -fe b -2 0 1 4

0 3 -fa z e -m a r-2 0 1 4

0 4 -fa z e -a p r-2 0 1 4

0 5 -fa z e -m a i-2 0 1 4

0 6 -fa z e -iu n -2 0 1 4

0 7 -fa z e -iu l-2 0 1 4

0 8 -fa z e -a u g -2 0 1 4

0 9 -fa z e -s e p t-2 0 1 4

1 0 -fa z e -o c t-2 0 1 4

1 1 -fa z e -n o v-2 0 1 4

1 2 -fa z e -d e c -2 0 1 4

sursa

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