Growing practice on a biodynamic farm

What does biodynamic growing practice involve?

The preparations are the hallmark of biodynamics, but they only work within sound arable practice. Living soil, healthy plants and a working farm organism come above all from what happens in the field throughout the year: crop rotation, tillage, fertilising and crop protection. These basics are binding under the Demeter standards and go beyond the general organic standard.

Crop rotation and green manure

A diverse crop rotation is compulsory: the Demeter standards require at least three main crops from two different botanical families. Legumes (such as clover, peas and beans) must be part of the rotation, as a main crop or catch crop, undersown crop or green manure; they fix nitrogen from the air in the soil and so replace part of the fertilising. Green manure and planted-up areas keep the soil covered, alive and protected from erosion. In field vegetable growing, about a third of the area should be under green manure or fodder crops; areas without a crop are planted up during the growing season. Monocultures are the opposite of this diversity.

Fertilising within the cycle

Fertilising is organic and, as far as possible, comes from the farm's own cycle: compost, manure and slurry, treated with the compost preparations. Nitrogen fertilising is capped (around 112 kg N/ha on average across the farm), below the general requirements. Mineral nitrogen fertiliser is excluded; rock dusts such as basalt rock dust serve as a slow source of minerals.

Crop protection and weed control

Biodynamic crop protection relies first on prevention and strengthening. Weeds are preferably controlled mechanically, by harrowing and hoeing, rather than by thermal methods such as flame weeding. Against fungal pressure and to strengthen plants, horsetail tea, nettle extracts and regular sprayings of horn silica are used preventively. Direct crop protection products are allowed only to a limited extent and according to a positive list, and only when the preventive biodynamic measures are not enough; beneficial insect populations must not be put at risk. PVC mulch films are banned; renewable materials are preferred.