Biointensive (Biodynamic?) Gardening - how to start

[Teenytoona]

I've been reading little bits on it here and there and love the idea. I've not really dived in yet because I feel a little intimidated as to exactly how to start.

If you're a biodynamic or biointensive gardener, how did you start?

[Sadystar]

Those are two different things - Biodynamic is based on the work of Rudolf Steiner and is basically gardening in line with planetary movements, if you want to do this then you can buy calendars/diariesthat tell you what to do when. I had to look up Biointensive, seems similar to permaculture. In which case I'd read around it on the internet and perhaps find the principles that you can put in action now or those that make sense to you.

I've yet to meet anyone, even those professionally trained in either permaculture or biodynamics who applies it religiously, or whose garden is the perfect pure representation of those methods - start small and stay true to your bit of land, no point fighting against nature or your capabilities.

What kind of land do you have? What resources are available? How much time do you have? Those are the sorts of questions that will help you prioritise.

HTH Sadystar

[nathansmum]

Yep, two different things, but they could overlap I guess. Depends which one you're wanting to know about?

Biodynamic, you could set up within a permaculture system. Permaculture is a philosophy - a lifestyle based around bringing minimal resources into your property and reusing what you have available. So a lot about reusing, recylcing within your property (ie making your own compost and gathering mulch, collecting water etc), making use of your natural resources (water, sun, wind) and finding the most efficient way to set yourself up. Looking at zones - closer to your house is allocated for every day activities (drying washing, growing herbs etc), as the zone spread further away from the house it would assume that you don't need to go there as often. Biodynamic is as the PP said, following moon/planets, using "preparations" and applied via a specific method (this even goes for making compost) and most would probably operate in a permaculture type setting.

Biointensive (also compatible with permaculture) is the way you plan, rotate your garden beds, plant close together (often in diamond shaped rows rather than straight rows if that makes sense). They have a fairly set method for starting such as double digging to prepare the soil (the key being VERY deeply dug to allow the roots to spread and access water/nutrients), watering, layering on stuff etc.

I have read and learnt about both methods, but don't strictly follow any outside of just being permaculture and organic (permaculture doesn't have to be organic).

[Teenytoona]

Hmm I guess I am interested in a little bit of both. My intent was (see I don't even know the right words) something to the effective of interplanting things to make the best use of your resources. I'd love to do more with water collection (cisterns and whatnot), but that's not something I can do yet. I just have a suburban house, with a smallish garden that I'd like to do the best I can with.

Off to study more!

[Owen'nZoe]

I've been converting my SFG to a biointensive garden over the past three years. This is the first year I feel like I am really doing biointensive; not only planting intensively, but also picking crops for maximum biomass and planting cover crops.

I started with "How to Grow More Vegetables" by John Jeavons, and highly recommend it. They actually use both biointensive and biodynamic principles, so I think it would be right up your alley.

Good luck, and keep posting. We can learn from each other.

[Sadystar]

This is a really good article on growing in small spaces, lots of practical tips.

Interplanting is quite easy to figure out and get on with, basically things which grow quickly (lettuce, spinach) can share a bed with things which take longer (brocolli, cauliflower, cabbage). If you're really pushed for space then it's best not to grow potatoes, onions, garlic as these are cheap to buy, don't taste immeasurably better if picked fresh (unlike salad greens, beans etc) and take up lots of room for a longish period of time.

Make use of vertical spaces where possible.

[bstandlee]

Originally Posted by Owen'nZoe

I've been converting my SFG to a biointensive garden over the past three years. This is the first year I feel like I am really doing biointensive; not only planting intensively, but also picking crops for maximum biomass and planting cover crops.

I started with "How to Grow More Vegetables" by John Jeavons, and highly recommend it. They actually use both biointensive and biodynamic principles, so I think it would be right up your alley.

Good luck, and keep posting. We can learn from each other.

I'm starting to implement some biointensive methods this year from How to Grow More Vegetables. Do you chart everything out on the calendar? Do you start everything in flats and transplant them into second flats and/or the garden according to his charts? How much do you grow compared to what you eat? (in other words, do you grow and preserve almost everything and not have to buy much at the store?) I'm very curious to hear details from someone who has implemented the methods!

[Owen'nZoe]

Originally Posted by bstandlee

I'm starting to implement some biointensive methods this year from How to Grow More Vegetables. Do you chart everything out on the calendar? Do you start everything in flats and transplant them into second flats and/or the garden according to his charts? How much do you grow compared to what you eat? (in other words, do you grow and preserve almost everything and not have to buy much at the store?) I'm very curious to hear details from someone who has implemented the methods!

I follow the charts as closely as I can, but have to admit that I do not keep records. I also still do a lot of direct seeing, because I have had better luck with it and only transplant things that I've done well transplanting in the past (tomatoes, peppers, squash, coles). My goal next year is to raise more in flats, because I do need to purchase mulch when I direct seed (because it takes so long for the plants to get big enough to provide a 'living' mulch).

At this point, my biointensive garden is only about 150 sf, and I have a family of 4 and like to entertain a lot in summer, so we use almost everything we grow immediately. We do not have enough to preserve more than a few meals for the winter. Potatoes last us a month or 2 after the growing season, and garlic lasts us into January, but that is about it. I know in Jeavon's book, they give plans for a 400 sf mini-garden for a family of 4, but realistically in my climate (where I only get one crop in each bed in a season), I don't know that I'd be able to grow a significant portion of our food AND compost in that space.