by Noel
July is the time when Valerian is flowering so it’s also the time for making biodynamic valerian preparation also known as BD 507.
We pick the flowers early in the morning while there is still dew on the plants and ideally on a flower day. The flowers are removed from the calyx as we don’t want any green material in the tincture. The flowers are then placed in a glass jar and filled with rainwater. The jar is then hung in a tree where it will receive dappled sunlight for one to two weeks or until the water turns a golden colour. It is then pressed off and stored in a dark glass bottle in a dark cool place away from any electrical or wi-fi interference.
To use the preparation, a few drops are placed in warm rainwater and stirred for 20 min. When used with the other compost preparations it is sprinkled over the compost heap after the other preps have been added and it creates a blanket of warmth over the heap.
It can also be used on its own or in combination with other preps, its main role being related to the activation of phosphorus in the soil. Phosphorus activity slows down with lower temperatures which can be seen as a purplish tinge on leaves. Valerian preparation is very beneficial in a year like this where temperatures have been lower than normal. It has also been shown to give a few degrees of frost protection when sprayed on flowering fruit trees when there is a risk of late spring frosts.
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