The essential biodynamic preparations
The inclusion of essential biodynamic preparations in the pile of manure that will be used for future fertilizations is a very important operation for a biodynamic farm.
What are the essential biodynamic preparations?
There are 6 essential preparations, identified from 502 to 507:
502 - Yarrow preparation: they favour the metabolism of sulphur and potassium
503 - Camomile preparaion: functional to the metabolism of nitrogen and calcium
504 - Nettle preparation: harvested at the time of flowering, reinforce the presence of nitrogen and iron in the preparation and promote humidification
505 - Oak bark preparation: attenuates plant diseases due to vegetative exuberance
506 - Dandelion preparation: they allow salicylic acid and hydrogen to work at their best
507 - Valerian preparation: helps the mobility of phosphorus in the soil and creates as a kind of mantle that keeps heat around the compost
While the first 5 are dried, ground and stored in the middle of the peat, the valerian is made into an infusion. The first 5 are mixed with the compost manure by inoculating the mountain (for winter fertilization), while the valerian, dissolved in warm water, is sprayed on the whole mountain.
This is a very important operation in the cycle of a biodynamic farm, as it enriches the natural fertilizer with biological components that will then be used to fertilize the soil, because as biodynamic teaches, everything starts from the soil.