Biodynamic Services

Bio-Dynamic Agriculture has proved itself internationally over the last seventy years to be a successfully & sustainable organic system of land management.

At the heart of this success are the eight Bio-Dynamic preparations used in Garuda / BdMax Sprays. Made from common garden herbs, cow manure, quartz crystals and animal by products, these preparations help harmonise and focus the chemical and energetic processes active in the Earth's organic processes.

These products can be purchased online through the BdMax website

or Phone NZ 0800 735859

are activated and ready to use being created using traditional homeopathic methods

are BioGro registered and accepted for use in NZ with Demeter & AgriQuality

have no storage, stirring, application or supply hassles

Etherics 1000 is all the Biodynamic preparations in one spray. Homoeopathically activated it means no stirring and so spraying problems. It also keeps for several years. This product has shown over 7 years of commercial application that it provides the same soil stimulation and plant health benefits as the traditional BD preparations, without the fuss. It is used just like the traditional preps. Spray plants and soil, put into liquid manners and spray over compost heaps. This is Biodynamics for the 21st century.

Preparations 500 -507 are all included in this one spray to provide a safe balanced invigorating spray for plants and soil. The Biodynamic preparations are made from the garden herbs, Valerian, Stinging nettle, Chamomile, Yarrow, Dandelion, Oak along with Cow manure and Silica. and have been shown to speed up soil development & composting while strengthen the plants natural pest & disease resistance.

Etherics 1000 is now supplied free of charge with all BdMax specialty sprays.

501-Horn Silica is traditionally used to harden and strengthen plants. This aids in fungal control, nutrition enhancement, ripening, keeping quality and drought resistance. This is a very useful spray, however by itself it can cause fruit size reduction and burning when the weather is very dry.

Etherics Seaweed provides an easy to use all in one biodynamic spray. The balancing influences of the all the BD preps is supported by the nutritive benefits of one of the best liquid seaweed products available in New Zealand.
This mixture promotes a balanced health in your plants while leaning towards the leafy side of plant growth. Some 501 Comp. maybe needed at times to promote head and flower formation.

Contents: AgriQuality Eco - Seaweed and Etherics 1000 (Etherics 1000 at the rate of 250mls \ ha.)

Please Note: This product is not BioGro registered due to Eco Seaweed no longer being BioGro registered. We apologise to our BioGro clients for no longer being able to use Etherics Seaweed.

Spray over the plants and soil

As a general tonic Etherics Seaweed can be sprayed every couple of weeks. Use the dilution rates below. Wet plant leaves and the soil but not to "dripping" . Garuda 501 Comp. maybe required to bring leaf crops to head.

Compost heaps

As the heap is built spray over the layers, with a capful to 2 litres of water, till dripping For large heaps use 100mls per cubic metre

Liquid manures

Use Etherics 1000 as directed

Compost buckets

After emptying the compost bucket, add one capful to the bucket. Wash it around with one or two litres of water. Pour this over where the scraps have been buried or composted. If you wish put another capful of Etherics Seaweed in the bucket and begin refilling. Smells should disappear and animals should leave your scraps alone.

Pest control

Often just spraying Etherics Seaweed provides a high level of pest control, especially against slugs, snails cabbage butterfly grubs. If more control is needed Garuda Pest Protection provides more. The pests may still be in your garden but strangely little damage occurs.

Has proven results for Slugs, Snails and many Grubs. Excellent control for most pests on Lettuce & Brassica. Many other crops are protected as well.

A light spray over seedlings a few days before transplanting is often enough to protect them from snails when first planted. Do not be surprised if the old leaves there before you sprayed are eaten by the snails, leaving the new ones to grow.

Vegetables and herbaceous perennials are usually strongly influenced by this spray. Spray just before and fortnightly during flowering. This can be used in dull low light seasons to promote a healthy 'normal' flowering. Crop yields can increase as a result.

ThermoMax is applied first thing in the spring usually in August and September.

It promotes early growth and has been seen to extend the season by four weeks or so. Prolonged use can promote plants into seeding. Using it in winter on lettuce etc. has also been seen to encourage their growth.

Used where an extra burst of ripening is needed in the Autumn or in dull seasons.
This spray can be applied every few days if need be to speed up ripening, and nutritive quality in vegetables fruits and herbs

BurstMin

This product reduces fruit bursting from rain just before picking. It has shown good effect on Grapes and Plums. It has been used on kiwifruit to limit the uptake of water showing in a 1.2 % of Dry Matter difference between the control and treated area, after two weeks of rain.

There are two main types of fungus groups Rots of many kinds on one side and then Powdery Mildew on the other.

501 Compound is our first line of defence against rots. 501 Compound. needs to be used on a two to one ratio with Etherics 1000, Etherics Seaweed and Pest Protection as a matter of course.

Our General Fungal Spray has a more specific effect on rots, and is used where more severe attacks occur and fear of excessive 501 usage is a concern. Specific sprays are available for rots of different parts of the plant:

Powdery mildew is created by the opposite weather conditons to the Fungal Rots.

This spray has shown effective control of powdery mildew on both Apples and Grapes. The spray is applied at the first sight of dry weather or when the mildew first appears. Reapply fortnightly or when the infections reappears. Ripening can be slowed with over use ,so 501 Compound could be needed then.

Over many years Rooting Compound has shown it promotes an burst of root growth. At transplanting, seedlings can be sprayed a few days before. The compound can also be added to the watering in water. A spray after transplanting is also O.K. Plants settle in quicker and nursery growers and their clients have reported significant improvements in subsequent growth in trees. This is useful for transplanting in summer and early autumn.

For cuttings soak the cuttings ends for 24 hours prior to planting out. Add to the watering during the rooting phase.

FruitMax

FruitMax is designed to enhance the sizing process of fruiting plants. It is applied three times towards the end of the growing season. Trials are continuing as to the best use of this product for each crop.

`Peppering' is a method of pest control suggested by the founder of the Biodynamic agricultural movement, Rudolf Steiner back in 1924. Since that time it has been used successfully in many different circumstances. We have experienced its value in controlling everything from weeds to insects to possums, rabbits and rats. Essentially the insect is gathered and burnt to an ash, which is then spread over the land you wish to protect. Over the years this basic recipe has been developed and now the ash is processed into a liquid form, which can be easily sprayed over orchards by incorporating it into existing spraying rounds.

The aim of `peppering' is to inhibit the reproductive potential of any plant, insect or animal, one applies the method too. Steiner suggested that this method may take up to four years to become fully effective, however our experience has shown that effective results can be experienced within a matter of days.

With the passion vine hopper, Jane Cooks orchard has reported she used the pepper for the first time 3 seasons ago. The first season her infestation level was very small, while last year it is still of no great concern. Several (20+) other growers have reported good levels of control after starting to use it last season. Several growers are reporting having unsprayed shelter belts, black with hoppers and sooty mould, while meters away their sprayed vines are clean.

Several orchards are also using `Etherics 1000' and 501 Comp. and have reported a quicker more powerful effect from the peppers .

Tim Oliver. Kiwi Fruit Orchardist. Waikato

“An investment of $5000 in peppers earned an extra $100,000 from our orchard.”

Peppers for Fullers Rose Weevil, Passion Vine Hopper and Scale insect are presently available.

Most plants are able to be `peppered'. Peppering stops the new seeds germinating, so annuals are the easiest. Perennials will need to have the parent plant removed by some other method, either physical or chemical. Root dividing plants are most difficult

In most cases it is the adult insect required for the process. The burning however does need to occur at specific times. If you can supply us with the pest we can finish it off at the right time.

Birds too can be used and sprayed over a orchard or vineyard. One or two specimens are all we need for this. Preferably females if possible.

All mammals can be treated. We only need the skin of the mammals, so please skin it before sending it to us. One skin is often enough and preferably female.

In most cases the remedy can be returned within the week. The earlier in the season the better. Do not wait until you have a problem. Prevention is better than cure.

see the BdMax online shop