The Biodynamic Wizzard: yarrow, dandelion, nettle, horsetail, chamomile and valerian, in different vegetables

About a week ago, I started some biodynamic experiments.

I was curious to see whether the Steiner herbal preparations would have some effect. He claimed that this plants would have a positive effect on vegetable growth, by way of cosmic and nutrient workings. Furthermore, the plants like dandelion, yarrow, nettles, horsetail, chamomile, valerian and oaks, are well known as dynamic accumulators, that is, they pull specific nutrients from the soil, which are lacking near the surface, and make it available to other plants. Something similar to the nitrogen fixing plants but for other nutrients.

I was really compelled to see whether those herbs would work.

Below see the dried herbs, waiting to be made into teas.

From left to right: chamomile, nettle, valerian (top), yarrow tops, dandelion and horsetail (bottom)

Of course I did it the simple way, I simply transplanted some of my vegetables with some of these dried herbs on the soil, and then both sprayed them and water them, with a tea made of those dried herbs. This is a lot of fun, as I could drink the tea at the same time I applied to the vegetables.

I did these 6 different herbal teas for 6 tomato seedlings, one per each plant (but those are from different varieties), for lentils (same variety), and also in cabbages, rucula, squash and beans. It is a very rough experiment, just to have a feeling of whether these herbs work at all, and if they work, in what way.

Below are the tomato seedlings, which have the "special" herbs on the topsoil, and were also watered and sprayed with their teas.

Wizard of Biodynamics: applying the different herbs to different tomato plants to see how they react.

After one week now, I can already see something happening.

So far, it seems that yarrow and dandelion have induced stronger growth, including nicer side shoots, and larger leaves. This is consistent and expected as they accumulate potassium, which is good for a stronger growth, stronger roots and increased plant resistance. The effects of yarrow seem clearer in the lentils (with large side shoots than the other plants) and the effects of both yarrow and dandelion in larger tomato seedlings. It is known that yarrow is full of other micronutrients, so its positive effect is expected and welcomed.

Lentils watered with yarrow (right) seems to have developed much sooner side shoots than the plants watered normally (left). Probably a positive effect from yarrow.

The chamomile seems to have induced smaller but bushy and harmonious plants, both on the rucula, tomato seedlings and lentils; so far a subtle difference. The chamomile is rich in phosphorus, its lack on vegetables manifests in weak stems, leggy plants with no flowers or fruits, so it could be that the tea has also some effect.

Nettle seems to clearly induce a strong leafy growth. This is not the first time I observe this, nettle seems really to be a strong inducer of leafy growth, just like a nitrogen or compost fertilizer. It is also full of other nutrients. The ruculas watered with nettle tea are very vigorous, as are the beans, but not so much the tomatoes.

Rucula grown with nettle tea (left) compared to without (right)

I did not see clear effects for the horsetail and valerian. So, I will wait another week or two to see what happens with those tests.

I also have one squash plant watered, sprayed and containing in the soil these herbs, and another without. The one with the herbs shows plenty of tiny ants, probably attracted by the herbs laying on the topsoil, I do not know why, but this is surely a nice ecological difference. The plants so far seem similar size, but the one without the herbs seems less healthy (its larger leaf shows some yellowing), while the one treated with the biodynamic teas shows healthier leaves.

Squash watered biodinamically (right) seems healthier than the one watered normally (left)

I also tried this on two cabbage plants. Before the experiment, they were in very good shape, having some sort of deficiency (scorched leaves, yellowing at the edges, probably a lack of potassium). Now, the one treated with the herbs is much greener color, but the leaves are curled (which points to some nutrient problem), the other is blueish color and looks better. This is a clear difference. I was surprised by a less positive effect on the cabbages, might have been too much of something, but I will wait a couple of weeks more.

The cabbage watered biodinamically (right) is greener and shows curled leaves than the one watered normally (left)

Enriching your soil, part I: Organic fertilizers for your vegetables and flowers! (Compost tea, egg shells, banana skins, nettles, seaweed, urine)

How to make simple homemade organic fertilizers!

This article is the first of a series that will teach us how to enrich our soil, from a Permaculture /Biodynamic perpspective.

To start with, below are some simple steps we should follow when growing vegetables and flowers:

• First, when you plant, remember to incorporate compost and sand into the soil, to provide nutrients. Cover also with mulching, and add egg shells and coffee grounds around plants (you can also dilute the coffee ground in water and apply to acid-loving plants like tomatoes, azaleas, roses and blueberries)

• Fertilize heavy feeders (tomatoes, zucchini) with a seaweed fertilizer (add seaweed to water, let sit for 2 weeks, and dilute before use). Fertilize occasionally green leaf vegetables with diluted urine (1:20, and use immediately). If you eat fish or meat, you can also prepare a fertilizer made from bones and from fish leftovers, because it is very rich for your plants.

• Fertilize adding regular doses of compost tea (add compost to water, and let sit for 2 weeks, dilute before use). Spray on plants for a foliar feed and to eliminate pests. Fertilize occasionally with a tea made from composted nettles (do as the compost tea). Comfrey is also very good. You can also add banana and potato skins as these are full of nutrients, especially potassium. The best is to mix everything together: compost, nettles, comfrey, banana and potato skins, and other herbs that accumulate specific nutrients like docks or ferns. Remember that this will smell bad, so let it sit for the 2 weeks in some hidden place. And dilute this black compost tea before use.

• Fertilize with a spray or tea made from herbs used in Biodynamic farming: dandelion, yarrow, nettle, horsetail, chamomile, valerian and oak bark. Some of these plants also accumulate nutrients, and according to Rudolf Steiner, they release "energies" into the soil which are very beneficial to your vegetables. Remember to use those weeds!

Quinoa, Perenial tomatoes and Delicious dishes

Hi All!

Its almost winter season and we still mantain our tomatoes blooming, although very slowly and spending the nights indoors and days outdoors. Today we bring you photos of some interesting herbs we use for medicine purposes, a faboulous ornamental eggplant, and even quinoa growing!

Lately there is plenty of lettuce on our balcony, nearly 10 containers of them, tasty nhami! spinach, peas, turnips, two beautiful kohl rabi and some starting celery and florence fennel. Everything with absolutely no chemicals. Solely a plastic covering the icy frost these last days, lol!

We have currently ongoing a biodynamic experiment to once for all evaluate the effect of moon cycle on seed sprouting. Very clearly, seeds sprout much better during full moon than moon and some of them (mostly leaf vegetables) during watery moon signs and radish during the passage of moon on earth signs! It's true, I watch it!

Secondly, we are growing carrots in 80% sand soil, mixed with horsetail (which increases silica contents in soil) to see whether the plants will grow longer roots, as they do in their native very sandy soils.


Garden perspective


Quinoa!

 
Equinacea, a good medicine herb for colds

 
Delicious meal with pumpkin, fennel, garlic, leeks, peppers and aromatic herbs such as cerefolium


 
Eggplant, still growing as we enter winter. 


Hey, did you know eggplants and tomatoes are not annuals, but actually perennials that thrive and grow into next year if protected from the cold weather!

Biodynamic farming experiments on radish - The effect of Moon in vegetable growing

Shown below, you may see radish that were cultivated accordingly to the principles of byodinamic agriculture, namely the moon cycle. On the beggining, I was skeptic that it was just pure invention but it turns out to be true (at least on this experiment). Radish were seeded on the second week of January, on four different days in which the moon was passing over a different constelation on the sky. According to the theory, plants seeded or treated at moon passing over water-element constelation will develop more leaves, over earth more bulbs and roots, over fire more fruit and over air more flower. We can thus select higher quality vegetables in harmony with the forces of the cosmos (this is what the theory states).

These radish were seeded in earth, water, fire and air on that week of January and then each container was treated with the same conditions. Earth radish were the last to be seeded at the end of that week in order to check if they would grew bigger bulbs than the others.
As of March you may see for yourself. Earth radish haver the bigger bulbs, followed by the water ones, and fire and air ones have small or no bulbs yet and air ones developed bigger leaves. This was based on Maria Thun calendar which is a sideral-based calendar.


Earth radish


Water radish


Fire radish


Air radish


It is also curious that seeds seeded on earth days take a long time to sprout (since maybe they will focus their growth on root). We also have similar brocculi that were transplanted on air day and then one in water day, two days later (look as this last has bigger leaves already!)
We've also byodinamic carrots, cabbage, turnips, onions, lettuce, endive, peas, chick peas and others.


Air and water transplanted brocculi respectively


We also report of a garlic that was seeded on a node day (this is the days when the moon orbit crosses the eliptic plane). Maria Thun calendar stronly advises not to plant on those days. The garlic I planted began to die after one month of growth, then I applied also a biodynamic preparation made of nettle tea leaves and the plant surprinsingly regrew again!


Garlic


Look at a different type of radish, long ones. We seeded both on earth days, yet one has almost on earth-air border (and in tropical sideral, as opposed to sideral system, this day was already an air day). Both are big ones but the air radish is slighty thiner! The same occurs to all replicates in the same container.



It strikes me the fact that since I studied astronomy since my childhood, I was a more ceptic person, but now I can clearly see (not only feel) that indeed the cosmos has magic and that magic affects us all in different subtle ways.