How to Do It Series - Episode 5 - DIY Biodynamic Prep BD508

[@zhuanjifarms5050]

Thanks soooo much for nudging things a little from strict BD preps as I just can't handle the strict, egoic 'religion' that going down that road usually involves. I roll a lot with natural farming (KNF) concepts but always experiment and rely on my intuition...and trad BD preps are awesomely powerful regarding bio-accumulators (nettle, comfrey, horsetail and yarrow!!). Got all the pristine wild horsetail I can cut for one summer month along tiny trout streams here in Colorado. I've been following your success for some years now so thanks again for being a leader!

[@markhiggins3054]

Bloody great yet again.

[@winglenrudlyn]

Hey Karl, good job, great help there Graeme 👍

[@NutriTechSolutionsNTS]

Thank you Winfried 😄, always good to get the hands dirty!

[@falzala]

A lot of insight! Is it ok to use fresh green leaf? As I suspect it will have quite a lot of nitrogen content in it. Maybe is it better to use dried leaf instead?

[@NutriTechSolutionsNTS]

Thanks @falzala ! Yes, green or brown leaf will be fine in this context, as we are mainly interested in the silica. But as it is being fermented the additional nitrogen will be beneficial to the process.

[@nedobrien6375]

These short videos are an excellent way for me to learn, thank you. You mentioned you can use this tank indefinitely for this purpose, did you mean the tank, or that the brew itself can be topped up indefinitely ?

[@NutriTechSolutionsNTS]

Thanks @nedobrien6375! Yes, the 200L tank in this instance could now be utilised for any form of anaerobic ferment. You could possibly trial a continual fermentation, as long as the BAM remains stable it possible. There are many people using these types of backyard brews, but you would likely find it would get contaminated with other possibly less desirable microbes over time.

[@bernardkeays9756]

If you don't have access to sufficient quantities of Casuarina, then could you use Bamboo leaves as a substitute?

[@NutriTechSolutionsNTS]

Yes @bernardkeays9756, Bamboo leaves and Rice Husks are two other readily available sources with high silica content.

[@christopherburman3340]

Any ideas how much the brew should be (or not) diluted? Foliar? Fertigate? Many thanks

[@NutriTechSolutionsNTS]

Thanks for the question @christopherburman3340 ! The general recommendation is a 40:1 dilution, we suggest 3-5 litres for foliar and 10-15 litres for soil applications. Though as it comes directly from a plant without being concentrated you can be quite generous with application rates if you are looking to increase available silicon levels in your soil, especially if you are buffering these applications with microbial foods, like fulvic acid, molasses and kelp. I hope that helps!

[@christopherburman3340]

​@NutriTechSolutionsNTS : appreciated thank u

[@christopherburman3340]

​@NutriTechSolutionsNTS : appreciated thank u

[@Littleriverupthehill]

Which school did your son go to? I went to Lorien.