You might have had doubts, why you might need to use the biodynamic compost preparations?
Or you might have been using the biodynamic compost preparations and either asked yourself, what do they really contribute to my compost, my garden or even to my health.
I will share with you in 3 posts the benefits of the biodynamic compost preparations their best uses and benefits. I will also touch on the Mäusdorfer or Cow Pat Pit Preparation and where it might be useful to employ it.
But let’s start today with the general benefits for the compost itself.
How could you be viewing the biodynamic compost preparations?
Compare the use of healing herbs in the compost preparations with the herbs and spices we use in cooking, which serve with their vitamins, trace elements, aromas, catalytic functions to enhance all aspects of digestive and metabolic processes and other biochemical interaction to direct breakdown and absorption of the foods they are used with.
In the compost pile: The decomposition process is slowed down and overheating is avoided.
The gentle heat development is lasting longer in the pile.
This encourages the invasion of the pile with mycorrhiza, which fix free ammonia, spore forming bacteria, which fix airborne Nitrogen and re-population of the compost pile with Colembole insects, which form the first stages of stable humus which then is further elaborated by the compost worm or wriggler.
In other words the decomposition and composition process for the organic material, life processes and organisms in the compost pile are optimized.
Experiments and results using biodynamic compost preparations:
Two compost boxes with identical material had a perforated wall in
between them. One box had b-d preps the other without.
Almost all the compost worms migrated to the prepared box
(Grohne 1929 and Pfeiffer 1956).
Increase of aerobic bacteria by 30-60 times the amount counted in the beginning of then process (Pfeiffer 1948 & Abele 1973).
Inhibits moldforming and anaerobic organisms.
Phosphorous content in bio-dynamic compost is 2% compared
to control 0.5-2%.
A bio-dynamic compost retains more CO2 (J. Bockemühl 1985) facilitating humus formation and carbon sequestering.
Soil: 10 times higher presence of Cyonocobalamin (Vit. B 12), which
enhances nitrogen fixation of freely living bacteria and nodule
bacteria on legumes.
Bio-dynamically prepared farmyard manure enhances nodule
formation, creates a deeper crumb structure and dissolves soil
compaction (Abele 1973, Wistinghausen 1977 & Spieß 1978).
In other experiments results were as follows:
The cation exchange capacity is enhanced (H. Heinze & E. Breda 1962).
10 months of composting of farmyard manure with b-d preps showed increased levels of total nitrogen and humus content compared to 4 other methods of composting organic materials ( Fürst 1966).
Effects of compost preps on earthworms: B-d compost increased population by 120%.
Artificial fertilizer diminished presence by 20% and control soil lost 40% of worms.
In an experiment, conventional seeds were soaked in bio-dynamic compost preps.
That resulted in a 20% increase in germination rate over control group (1986 University of London).
Enrichment of compost with Nitrogen at the end of stage 2:
1.7 % N compared with control 0.7 % due to less loss of Ammonia (NH4+) (Koepf 1966).
In another experiment the Nitrogen content was raised from 1.5% to 3.73% by applying b-d prep. 502 in composting process.
Soils accumulate 40% more air Nitrogen for Maiz, compared to not applying this type of compost.
Soil enriched with bio-dynamic compost produces more Vitamin B 12 which was highest using cow manure.
What about Plants?
They demonstrated higher resistance to frost, droughts, heavy rains, winds, pests and diseases.
Valerian preparation used together with the Chamomile preparation or in combination with horn manure preparation increased root depth of
the central root.
Oakbark preparation increase the feeder roots (horizontal roots) making more nutrients available and producing more contact with the microbiome of soil ( Goldstein 1979).
Valerian and Horn Manure preparation applied together increased the taproots growing deeper in droughts
Soil enriched with bio-dynamic compost had larger root development and the legumes showed 16.2 g nodule bacteria in 100 legumes compared to 9.5g in the control group (Pfeiffer 1956).
Who would have thought there are that many differences between organic and biodynamic compost. The other fact is about how well the micro- and macro-organism in the compost and in the soil responded to the biodynamic compost preparations.
Next time more about the other benefits
Happy composting
Hans-Günther
