Biodynamic preparations in spring — application and making
Which preparations are applied in spring and which are made now — horn manure, horn silica, valerian for frost protection and the making cycle.
Spring is the busiest time in biodynamic preparation work: on the one hand, horn manure and horn silica are applied as soon as the soil warms up and the crops get going; on the other, the making cycle of several preparations that spent the winter in the ground comes to an end. This article brings both together — what goes onto the land now and what is taken out of the ground or newly set up now.
Application in spring
At the start of the growing season the focus is on the soil impulse: the soil needs horn manure (500), the young shoots need horn silica (501).
Horn manure 500 — the soil impulse
Horn manure is dynamised for one hour and is best applied towards the end of the day — in the garden sprinkled coarsely onto the soil with a broom, a bundle of brushwood or the preparation sprayer, on the farm with the sprayer. The preparation goes onto freshly worked or planted soil as soon as it is warm and moist. Details on application in the article Horn manure 500.
Horn silica 501 — the light impulse
Horn silica is dynamised for one hour and applied in the morning as a fine mist over the crops, as soon as young plants and shoots are up. In cereals the first application comes from the three-leaf stage, another at stem elongation. More on this in the article Horn silica 501.
Valerian 507 as frost protection
Before the Ice Saints (11 to 15 May), the valerian preparation (507) protects fruit blossom and sensitive crops from late frost. It is dynamised for about 10 to 20 minutes and sprayed onto the blossom in still weather on the evening before possible frost nights. Eckard von Wistinghausen describes this frost-protection spray as a proven use of the preparation's warmth effect.
Other applications
Horsetail (508) is dynamised as a tea and sprayed preventively on crops at risk of fungal disease. Barrel compost is dynamised for around 20 minutes and applied to the remaining areas. On grassland, meadows and pastures receive horn manure and horn silica with each new growth.
| Crop | Spring application |
|---|---|
| Grassland | Horn manure and horn silica with each new growth |
| Cereals | Horn silica from the three-leaf stage and at stem elongation; horsetail under fungal pressure |
| Vines and fruit | Horn manure at leaf emergence; valerian as frost protection before the Ice Saints |
| Garden | Horn manure at soil cultivation, sowing and planting; horn silica at leaf formation and fruit set |
Making in spring
Spring ends the earth cycle of several preparations. What has matured in the ground over winter is now dug up; some preparations are newly set up.
- Horn manure (500) is dug up — the horns, filled with cow manure and buried in autumn, have matured in the ground over winter. According to Wistinghausen they are dug up and cleaned from May onwards.
- Horn silica (501) is newly set up: horns are filled with ground rock crystal and buried — they stay in the earth over the summer and are lifted in autumn.
- Chamomile (503) and dandelion (506) are dug up; their sheaths, which have lain in the ground over winter (cattle intestines for the chamomile preparation, cattle mesentery for the dandelion), are opened from the end of April to the beginning of May.
- Oak bark (505) is taken out of its water and mud store in spring.
- Yarrow (502) and chamomile flowers are collected and dried over spring and summer; the yarrow is filled into the stag's bladder and hung up in a sunny spot.
The complete making process for each preparation — sheath, starting material and maturing time — is described in detail in the works of Wistinghausen and Walter Stappung.
Frequently asked questions
Which preparation comes first in spring?
Horn manure (500) as the soil impulse at the start of the growing season, as soon as the soil is warm and moist. Horn silica (501) follows on the young, green shoots.
How do I protect fruit blossom from late frost?
With the valerian preparation (507): dynamise for around 10 to 20 minutes and spray onto the blossom in still weather on the evening before expected frost nights, especially around the Ice Saints.
Which preparations are dug up in spring?
Horn manure (500) as well as chamomile (503), dandelion (506) and oak bark (505), which have matured in the ground over winter. Horn silica (501), by contrast, is now newly buried.
Conclusion
In spring, application and making interlock: horn manure and horn silica bring the start of the year into soil and leaf, valerian secures the blossom against frost, and the earth cycle of horn manure, chamomile, dandelion and oak bark comes full circle. Keeping the order in view — first soil, then light — keeps the spring rhythm under control.