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Biodynamic gardening

  • Thread starter Tom
  • Start date
Hi,
biodynamic gardening (gardening with star influences and such) seems a very interesting approach of natural/organic gardening, but sounds a bit strange in few of it's preparations/methods. I am thinking about trying it, still need to get a calendar... Anyone already tried it?
 
i'm definately into new age stuff, but i dont think the stars will make your plants grow any better.
 
It's not just the stars but the moon, too.  (See my moon thread)
I have studied, apprenticed & am now practicing biodynamic gardening with the exception of the compost preparations.  That's a bit like homeopathy to me & I'm still not 100% behind that.  This is in my veggie & flower gardening.  I don't think you would use compost with cp's, anyway.  Tamlin takes care of the cp's but sometimes he listens to me when there is an optimal germination time.  I don't have this year's calendar.  I did have one once.  
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Huh, is this stuff related to Poor Richard's Farmer's Almanac (something like that). I had a roommate that swore by that stuff. She even cut her hair when suggested.:O
 
Not exactly.  Bio-dynamic gardening goes back to Rudolf Steiner in Austria who started a school of thought & termed it 'Anthroposophy' - the 'science of the spirit.'  Ever hear of Waldorf schools? That was him. He died in 1925.  He greatly influenced Alan Chadwick (England) who coined the term "bio-dynamic gardening," who eventually ended up teaching at the University of Santa Cruz, as well as being a Shakespearean actor for 32 years.   Alan Chadwick passed away on May 25, 1980. On the wall to the left of his bed he had hung -- just prior to his death -- a copy of Shakespeare's Sonnet XV. It is as fitting a summary of the man's life as anyone could ask for.

            Sonnet XV
"When I consider every thing that grows
Holds in perfection but a little moment,
That this huge stage presenteth nought but shows
Whereon the stars in secret influence comment;
When I perceive that men as plants increase,
Cheered and check'd even by the self-same sky;
Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease,
And wear their brave state out of memory;
Then the conceit of this inconsistant stay
Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,
Where wasteful Time debateth with Decay,
To change your day of youth to sullied night;
And, all in war with Time for love of you,
As he takes from you, I engraft you new."


Now, what do you think about that?
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]He greatly influenced Alan Chadwick (England) who coined the term "bio-dynamic gardening," who eventually ended up teaching at the University of Santa Cruz, as well as being a Shakespearean actor for 32 years

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I live in Santa Cruz!
 
Well, then, you can get first hand info from the folks still gardening there.  I envy you.  I apprenticed in 1984 (in Hendersonville, NC) with gardeners who graduated from there.
 
Santa Cruz is like Humboldt County. 'nough said. I'd go for evening walks and stumble on Wiccan ceremonies going on. I'll bet some of them are bio-dynamic gardeners. I'll have to ask next time I visit the area.
 
Haha! Here you'll come across pleanty of people bio-dynamically or otherwise growing the "wrong type" of plants  
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  • #10
Wrong type of plants?  No such thing.  Sounds like just the place I would like to visit.  
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  • #11
Well, when people grow illeagle plants in national forests (not limited to the forests, mind you), destroying the habitat so that they can make a couple of bucks  
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... Yes, I dunno about you guys, but in my book, that'd qualify as the wrong type.  Sorry if I didn't make it clear enough in my earlier post, I'm too used to having people get all of thosetypes of references >_<  (not a good thing).

I'll just pretend like there's another Santa Cruz out there that isn't no messed up... Yeah that'd be worth visiting
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  • #12
where is santa cruz? sounds fun!
 
  • #13
California.  And, no, you didn't make that clear in the other post, est.  Of course, it's wrong to destroy any naturally occurring, healthy habitat.  So, just what is Santa Cruz really like?
 
  • #14
Santa Cruz is a beach/university town. I haven't been there myself, but heard it was close (though more civilized) than the place I went to school at. It does have a reputation for being a party town.

Arcata (where I went) is a hippie town and elected most environmental city in the US by Time magazine. Lots of interesting research into alternative energy, environmental engineering, etc. A LOT of nature lovers and artists there. People are very tolerant of others and you get respect for just being you. It feels like a timewarp there sometimes because they purposefully don't want fast food or store chains near the town. I remember that people were protesting the new Taco Bell because they sold Pepsi and Pepsi money had helped enslave kids in Cuba or something like that. But it's a cool place to hangout and relax. Oh, and there are microbreweries everywhere. It's no surprise to find hydroponically grown lettuce in the (large) organic section of the store. People know their growlights up there ;)

I have some travel pics on my page that you can check out. The Kinetic sculpture race is particularly interesting and shows the town at its silliest. Be warned though that the images are quite large, they're meant for print and show, not casual browsing. Michelle's travel pics
 
  • #15
Thanks for that link, Michelle, I haven't gotten through all of them but that one of the Kinetic Sculpture race was wild!  Some very creative work there!  No one looked like they were really racing, though.  Looked more like a parade.
I never addressed your comment about Poor Richard's Almanac.  That was begun by Ben Franklin & has always been a respected source.
Back to bio-dynamic gardening - Today is the full moon -- up to this day is the more favorable time for sowing seed.  The moon's energy encourages germination.  From the full moon to the new moon is a better time to transplant.  The waning moon's energy favors root growth.
 
  • #16
Oops! Lavenderdawn, I'm really sorry I didn't answer your question yet, I hope to do it later today, if no one else posts, I'll just edit it in here.
 
  • #17
Well, the kinetic race IS a race, but nobody cares about who wins. There are prizes for being the slowest, the funniest, etc. It is a tough course, the pics show mostly the beginning. They race on the streets, then need to switch to sand tires, then they actually FLOAT across the bay! It's hilarious, if you get caught cheating (like pushing your sculpture when you're not supposed to), you are encouraged to bribe the judge that catches you with a gift appropriate for your float. For instance, the Chips N Dips sailboat sculpture gave out bags of chips. The lady in the rocketship gave out rocketship toys.

You can find the official race page somewhere. It starts in the city of Arcata and goes to Ferndale I believe.
 
  • #18
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Today is the full moon -- up to this day is the more favorable time for sowing seed. The moon's energy encourages germination. From the full moon to the new moon is a better time to transplant. The waning moon's energy favors root growth.

That's interesting. I have heard that people's mood changes as well with the cycles of the moon. Friends that worked at our local nursing home mentioned that the residents' moods would change when the moon was at a certain cycle.......maybe full, I don't remember exactly when.

So, would plants tend to grow better/faster as well during this period? Interesting subject Tom.
 
  • #19
My describing a way the moon's energy works on plants is very simplistic, at best.  If you are interested, you may like to take a look at www.biodynamics.com for a better idea how this all comes together, but, be forewarned - it gets quite complicated.  It takes the whole universe into consideration for gardening.  
And, having been a psychiatric nurse, I can attest to the power of the moon on people, too.  Ask anyone who has worked in an emergency ward or obstetrics (more babies are born when the moon is full, mine were), too.  
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  • #20
My mother grows African Violets,and she plants leaf rootings by the moon phase.She said she can tell the difference in the plants.


                                Jerry
 
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