SEASONAL NOTES  

Information for planting dates and activities is gathered from the 2010 Antipodean Astro Calendar

Information for planting dates and activities is gathered from the 2010 Antipodean Astro Calendar by Brian Keats. If you don’t already have a calendar and would like one, they are available from the office.

Many farmers and gardeners, over a period of time, develop a sense for the optimum time to spray out the preparations through observation of their farms and gardens under different conditions.  They might take into account, the time of year, the moisture content of the soil and the time frame in the cropping or grazing cycle.  For those who would like to use the Antipodean Astro Calendar as a guide for applying the biodynamic preparations the following dates indicated on the planting calendar may be used.  It should be understood however, that the Antipodean Astro Calendar is a guide which can be used to support your biodynamic practices and that biodynamic farming and gardening can still be practiced without its use.

Other factors to consider for soil sprays
– Is the moon waning? – Is the moon in an earth sign?

Other factors to consider for atmospheric sprays – Is the moon waxing?

Mercury Retrograde: April 18-30th; May 1 - 12th

Brian suggests making plant peppers is best toward full moon but not after.

When considering the making of insect peppers Brian suggests, "‘Insects reproductive forces come under the influence of the Zodiac more so than the Moon. They are burnt (peppered) when the Sun is before a constellation. Apart from the eggs, insects metamorphose through 3 stages: larvae or caterpillars; pupae, nymphs or adults without wings and flying insects. The vitality of a pest insect population is impaired when members of that group are burned with the Sun in front of the relevant constellation."1 To help facilitate the burning of the insect at the relevant time it may be necessary to collect the insects at a different time of year and store them for burning.

Note: For details on making and potentising peppers see the Biodynamic Resource Manual.

Reference:
1 Keats, Brian (2009), Antipodean Astro Calendar, p.9.