Biodynamic Gardening

Biodynamic Gardening

My homestead is run on the principles of biodynamic gardening. Biodynamic gardening is basically organic gardening with a mystical twist—and a very structured philosophy behind it. It was developed in the 1920s by Rudolf Steiner, and the core idea is that your garden isn’t just a collection of plants—it’s a living, self-contained ecosystem that’s connected to natural (and even cosmic) rhythms.

🌱 1. The garden as a “living organism”

Instead of treating soil, plants, and animals separately, biodynamics sees the whole garden as one system. Ideally, it produces everything it needs—compost, fertility, seeds—within itself.

🌿 2. Special preparations

Biodynamic gardeners use specific fermented herbal and mineral “preparations” to boost soil and plant health. The most famous is called “Preparation 500”—cow manure buried in a cow horn over winter, then dug up and diluted in water before being sprayed on soil.

🌙 3. Planting by lunar and cosmic cycles

Planting, pruning, and harvesting are timed according to the moon phases and positions of planets and constellations. There’s even a biodynamic calendar that tells you the best days for root crops vs leafy crops.

🌾 4. Deep focus on soil health

Like organic gardening, it avoids synthetic chemicals and prioritises compost, crop rotation, and biodiversity—but often goes even further in trying to “energise” the soil.