Applied Biodynamics — Issue 068 (Spring 2010)
Roinn
Issue 068 is a theoretical–procedural consolidation issue devoted entirely to BD 508 (Equisetum arvense). Unlike Issue 067, which emphasized field case studies and large-scale application, Issue 068 focuses on conceptual grounding, historical instruction sources, and standardized preparation protocols, clarifying why and how BD 508 functions within biodynamic practice.
In “Revealing the Hidden Forces of Equisetum arvense,” Hugh Courtney undertakes a detailed analysis of Rudolf Steiner’s Lecture Six from the Agriculture Course, arguing that BD 508 has been historically underestimated within biodynamic agriculture. Courtney reconstructs the internal structure of Steiner’s lecture sequence, showing that Equisetum is presented as the final preparation addressing the problem of plant diseases, weeds, and pests through regulation of excessive or deficient lunar (water) forces.
Courtney emphasizes that Steiner devoted more explanatory effort to Equisetum than to any other preparation, situating it as a counterforce to imbalanced Moon influences rather than merely as a fungicidal treatment. Drawing on Lilly Kolisko’s Agriculture of Tomorrow and capillary dynamolysis imagery, Courtney contrasts fresh horsetail tea with fermented horsetail tea, concluding that fermentation transforms the preparation into a stronger carrier of forces. He documents decades of application experience at JPI, including soil applications following BD 500, fall applications, compost pile use, and inclusion in compost teas, with observed effects on moisture distribution and fungal balance.
The article also presents a structured interpretive framework assigning biodynamic preparations to planetary influences, situating BD 508 as a counterbalancing force associated with Moon-related excesses. While these correspondences are presented as interpretive tools rather than experimental claims, Courtney repeatedly anchors recommendations in timing discipline, observable field conditions, and repeated application outcomes.
“Spray BD #508 – For Use on Foliage: Standard Instructions,” attributed to Ehrenfried Pfeiffer and inherited by JPI through Josephine Porter, provides a concise, standardized protocol for foliar use. The instructions specify weather conditions, seasonal timing, dilution ratios, cooking duration, stirring time, spray method, and constraints such as avoiding windy conditions or imminent rainfall. The article distinguishes this fresh-tea foliar use from fermented preparations, reinforcing that BD #508 effectiveness depends on correct context and sequence relative to other biodynamic sprays.
In “BD 508 Fermented Recipe,” a clearly delineated preparation protocol adapted from Lilly Kolisko is presented. The recipe specifies material quantities, boiling duration, fermentation time, readiness indicators (including characteristic sulfur odor), storage conditions, dilution ratios, stirring duration, acreage coverage, and distinctions between soil and foliar use. The article emphasizes that fermentation increases treatment capacity and storage stability, allowing a single batch to treat multiple acres with consistency.
Across all three articles, Issue 068 clarifies that BD 508 is not a single-use remedy, but a preparation with multiple application modes, each requiring distinct preparation, timing, and evaluation criteria. The issue reinforces that BD 508 functions preventatively and regulatively when integrated into a broader biodynamic program rather than applied in isolation.
Articles
- Revealing the Hidden Forces of Equisetum arvense (H. Courtney)
- Spray BD #508 – For Use on Foliage: Standard Instructions (E. Pfeiffer)
- BD #508 Fermented Recipe (L. Kolisko)
Key Topics Covered
- Theoretical grounding of BD #508 in Steiner’s Lecture Six
- Role of lunar and moisture forces in plant disease expression
- Comparison of fresh versus fermented horsetail tea
- Capillary dynamolysis as a comparative evaluation method
- Standardized foliar spray instructions and constraints
- Fermented BD #508 preparation quantities and timing
- Soil versus foliar application distinctions
- Integration of BD #508 with BD #500 and compost work
- Use of BD #508 in compost piles and compost teas
- Timing considerations relative to seasonal moisture patterns
Citation
Applied Biodynamics, Issue 068, Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamics, Spring 2010.
