Reading up

Over the easter weekend I went to visit family in the South Island, but our flight back was on Wednesday evening, so I was unable to be in the garden at home. Instead, I read up on biodynamic book, Grasp the Nettle, which my friend Sarah, who is a modern farmer and is an expert in the Biodynamic field, said is the bible of biodynamics. She is definitely right about that! Over the weekend I learnt about the spiral and the elements and how they are expressed in nature, as well as all about the living soil.

The spiral and how it is expressed in nature

The spiral is expressed in many forms in nature, from weather, to water and plant form. This spiral is replicated when we vortex liquid preparations in biodynamics. A vortex is a two-way rhythmic movement of water (or air) which allows it to expand and contract, the water moves slowest at the edges of the vortex, and fastest in the centre. When we vortex in biodynamics we are bringing in life bringing processes, as Peter Proctor explains in Grasp the Nettle, "...we are connecting with the universal creative water rhythms or pulse within the body of the earth. This can be found in all living things, for example the heart beat." When we are creating a vortex, we also bring in the idea of chaos and harmony, which is ever present in nature, by changing the direction we stir every so often.

The elements and how they are expressed in nature

The living soil

In biodynamics soil health is the first aspect of the garden which the gardener should focus on when converting to biodynamics, as healthy soil = healthy plants, and healthy plants = healthy people.

Within the soil we are focusing on the humus in the soil, because without humus the soil is dead. Humus rich soil feels slippery between your fingers, and allows roots and worms to penetrate deeper into the earth.

Mycorrhizal fungi

To enhance soil quality the following should be done:

- Preparation 500

- Compost made with preparations 502 - 507

- Liquid manures made with preps 502 - 507

- Cow Pat Pit made with preparations 502 - 507

- Turning in plant material such as green crops and straw to nitrogen fix soil

- NOT using chemical fertilisers and pesticides

- Avoiding soil compaction

- Keeping soil covered by pasture, crops or mulch

From the reading I have done I have realised that the first thing I need to do in my garden is enhance my soil quality, so therefore I will be focusing on this for the next month or so to get the most out of my garden.