Re: Bio-Dynamic weed control

[Evelyn Bishop]

Dear "BD People",

Thank you so much. I currently work full time in the "city" of Placerville and do not yet know how to make BD preps. I am not sure I would have time to make them properly. I live in the Sierra foothills in Northen California. Is there anywhere I could purchase some from any of you to get started? This doesn't seem to be an item that would be available for the mass market, as I think they should be made fresh, ideally on one's own land. As a novice, I would appeciate any advice. Where can I purchase Rudolf Steiner's books? Or instructions for making BD preps?

Also I have a HUGE deer problem. So if it isn't weeds, mainly star thistle and grass weeds, it is deer, gophers, moles, voles, rabbits, yellowjackets and mosquitoes. Then after spring it is drought until late fall, then lots of rain on the hard clay soil, then snow every winter, with the most usually in February. It's a wonder I garden at all, but I am addicted! Please HELP!!! Thanks SO much!

I have amended the soil many times with compost, mulch and manure, and in some areas is is finally making a difference. I have been working on this (part time) now for ten years. I thought that I would have a beautiful garden by now...well the rosemary, cystisus, boxwood, and spring bulbs look great. My vegetable areas have to be caged from the critters in raised boxes. I would prefer just to work directly in the soil, but my efforts were rewarded with deer eating the tops and gophers eating the bottoms. The first year I started a vegggie garden I put out 100 tomato plants that I had raised from seed. Many different kinds...from hybrids to heirlooms...Oh, I was SO excited! Until I saw them laying down on the ground. Now anything doesn't even have a chance of getting big unless it is caged.

Most of the people I know, except for my garden buddies, think that I am wasting my time on such a fruitless venture. I get dirty, hurt my back and knees, and go right out and do it again each year. HMMM. Haven't I heard that the definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing the same way and expecting a different result???

(Call me "crazy") I MUST find another way!

Evelyn

>From: "James and Barbara Hedley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

>Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

>To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

>Subject: Re: Bio-Dynamic weed control

>Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2001 17:57:55 +1100

>

>Dear Evelyn,

>

>You won't need to use roundup if you keep up the work on the thistle. Burn it again next burning season and cut it off with a slasher if accessible and you have a tractor or else a whipper snipper.

>

>Pull up a good lot of the thistle with seeds and roots and all. Burn these on the next full moon in a metal container like a metal slow combustion fire or a tin or drum or whatever. Stir this ash into 100 litres of water and stir to a vortex. Then reverse this after it has run for a little and stir to a vortex going the other way. Repeat this as you would for Prep 500 for about half an hour. Then spray it out in a fine mist spray 3 days in a row over your thistle area. This is the process of peppering the thistle weed.

>

>It will help this area if you spray it with the full range of BD preparations. You can use Prep 500 and manure concentrate with the other preps in together. If you are in Australia these can be purchased from the BDFGAA. Ring 02 6655 0566. The important thing for thistles is to also use the prep 501 but it cannot be used in isolation. You must spray out the other preps first. You can spray out the 500 and manure concentrate in the evening or any evening, and 501 the next morning or any following morning. There are ideal times for this but that is a bit complicated for this explanation. The prep 501 balances out some of what the thistle is trying to do and lessens the need for it to be there. Its all about getting the soil balanced to be happily growing plants.

>

>It is best to use BD preps if you want to use peppering. It establishes the balance you are after more quickly. The person you would speak to on the phone will give you more detail and help with this.

>Try the website: www.biodynamics.net.au

>

>Barbara

 

 

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