“In the early days we ran trials. Depleted soil was deep ripped. We sowed the right species and applied 500 and had the well known results. In six years we raised the organic matter levels from 0.9% in the top 4” to approximately 12% and, varyingly, to 2.4% at...
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One of the most remarkable passages from Alex Podolinsky's remarkable work in Australia with biodynamics is this one, which bears endless repeating:
“In the early days we ran trials. Depleted soil was deep ripped. We sowed the right species and applied 500 and had the well known results. In six years we raised the organic matter levels from 0.9% in the top 4” to approximately 12% and, varyingly, to 2.4% at 40” depth. Ripping exactly the same way etc, but without 500, the soil biology developed to 20 cm depth, no further. In modern farming the right soil treatment and the Bio-Dynamic preparations must be applied together."
These remarkable results are in Australia, one of the most difficult growing regions on earth. If such results can be attained there, they can likely be obtained anywhere else.
Alex Podolinsky used 500P, which is regular 500 plus all the compost preparations. This mirrors what Ehrenfried Pfeiffer was working on in the USA with the Pfeiffer™ Field and Garden Spray which is an exclusive proprietary product from the Josephine Porter Institute.
If you're serious about improving your soil rapidly, these two options can work wonders.
Soil ripping is a technique used to break compacted soil layers to improve aeration and water infiltration.
What are Bio-Dynamic preparations?
Biodynamic preparations are small quantities of matured materials used for compost, soil, and crop care. This article focuses on Prepared 500 (BD 500P), which combines horn manure with all six BD 502–507 compost preparations for an afternoon soil spray.
How can I build soil organic matter?
Pair careful deep ripping where soil is compacted with well-chosen plants and a Prepared 500 soil spray, as the Alex Podolinsky account in this article describes. Return plant residues as compost and maintain plant cover to keep building soil organic matter.
What is Prepared 500, also called BD 500P?
Prepared 500 is the Alex Podolinsky method that combines horn manure with BD 502-507 for soil application. JPI directs growers to stir one unit for one hour in 3-5 gallons of water and spray it over soil, preferably in the afternoon. Source: https://www.jpibiodynamics.org/products/biodynamic-horn-manure-preparation
