507

Frost exposure (34)

Germination in grains (44)

Nodulation (29)

General resistance (57)

Frost damage (57)

Cold (190)

Flowering (7)

Flowering (7)

Flea beetles (262)

Cold snap (283)

Increase brix (456)

If there is a serious risk of night frosts, spray the crops, eg flowering soft fruit plants, or sensitive species such as beans, tomatoes, early potatoes and also basil in the evening with a valerian solution... If plants are covered with hoarfrost in the morning, a second application of valerain will often save the situation. (34)

The morphological distortions and dystrophic results of excess ehtylene exposure were alleviated by 507. The light exposure of plants to ethylene stimulates growth and this is enhanced by 507. (29)

Cereal crops which show signs of frost damage should be sprayed with 500 plus 507 early in Spring. (57)

To lift nitrogen-502, 503, 504, 505 evening; 505, 506, 507, 508 morning. (7)

In 1993 ... we were not set up to irrigate. On July 30th the scarcity of rain finally led us to do some watering-in of the tomato plants ... at 12 gallons of water into which we put 4 units each of Barrel Compost (Thun recipe), #500 and #507. After stirring for 20 minutes each plant was watered with half a gallon more or less.. since this was not enough for all our plants a second batch was stirred with the 4 units of #507... Prior to treatment, all the plants has been experiencing a severe infestation of flea beetles. On the morning after treatment the first group of plants which had received the #507 had nothing but dead flea beetle carcasses on them whereas the second group of plants, the flea beetles, although moving sluggishly, were alive. A few days later the flea beetles had essentially disappeared from both groups of plants... we had possibly the best tomato crop we have ever experienced. (262)

We have used valerian spray in August and saved a half acre of basil, tomatoes, peppers, melons and squash from a killing frost that repeated a second night. We sprayed the first evening only and saved all but three basil plants. We have also sprayed in September. Dewane sprayed his name on the pumpkin - squash patch - just for fun. the first frost would just kill the upper leaves and not harm the fruits underneath. It worked! You could read his name in the still-green leaves. We stirred a capful per gallon of water in 5 gallon buckets for 30 minutes, and then sprayed with backpack sprayers. Interestingly, by midway through, I felt the "insulating blanket" form on my face and shoulders from walking through the spray drift. I've not tried valerian on young spring transplants. (Reported 24-3-2015) (58)

507 .... induces higher yields and increased nodulation in beans, peas, and vetch. (29)

Roots of the type induced by low nutrients (vertical, long and slender, uniformity of lenght of first 3 roots) were also induced by 507 and 503. (29)

In plants it is credited with creating strong roots - the nerve-sense pole. (48)

Only a small number of carrots went into flower, but their roots were all somewhat poor and hard. (190)

We tested the sucrose levels in swedes. They were sown on 28/5/09 in leaf days (they are brassica) and tended this way until mid growth. Sprayed with nettle tea on 24/8/09. Tested Swedes in the morning at 7 brix. Sprayed with nettle tea and 10 drops of valerian (507) stirred for 20 minutes, on 7/10 . Tested the swedes again after lunch and got 11 brix - 4 degrees in just 150 minutes. Swedes were harvested at 13 brix (3 December 2009). (456)

501, 502, 503, 505 , and 507 stimulate respiration (Pfeiffer 1956) in potato tubers. (29)

... brassica [were] still at an infant stage when the valerian was sprayed. Now I noticed after some time that the brassica plants did not developed the desired organs but proceeded to shoot and flower. Kohlrabi for instance, showed signs of forming a bulb which did not, however, swell outwards but grew upwards along the stem for 5 to 6 inches and then flowering set in, too... brassicae of the same sowing developed normally on the other beds. (190)

507 is a warmth giver and it sometimes is used as a foliar spray to protect against late frosts as long as they are likely to be only a degree or two. I would not use it too carelessly however. If it works too strongly it can make plants expire in the blossoming stage. (294)

If valerian is sprayed on flowering plants (e.g. pulses, rape , linseed and mustard) and fodder crops grown for seed (e.g. sainfoin, phacelia and many others) when the shoots are c. 15-20 cm high and again just before they come into flower, the flowering process will be greatly stimulated. Crops will flower abundantly and at a good pace in sunny weather, ensuring a greatly enhanced yield. (34)

The colour of flowers is deepened (57)

French beans, peas and cucumbers and broad beans started flowering a second time after they had been harvested. Onions did not succeed in swelling up properly but proceeded to flower. Spinach, lettuce, celery, celeriac and beetroot shot up and flowered early. (190)

Promotes flowering. Fruit set with 506 (7)

To induce flower & fruiting-504 evening, with 506 & 507 next morning. (7)

If you want blossoms, use 507 (7)

The aroma of fruit is enhanced. (57)

To induce flower & fruiting-504 evening, with 506 & 507 next morning. (7)

we had a field of beans which we had sown early in an exposed area. The seed had swollen and you know that beans begin to sprout after approximately eight days, but before this, some bad weather, typical of Trieste, arrived and these cold winds stopped everything. A week later, we came to the field - this time with a warm coat! - to see what had happened to the beans. They were swollen and open but had not begun to sprout. Then we calculated that in this situation we would lose the crop in one or two days and so, for the first time, we sprayed valerian (507). We had a neighbour who also had a field sown with beans and come harvest time, he had no crop. He had laughed at our biodynamic methods, but his wife came to ask us for at least 30kg for themselves as they had no harvest - not even 30kg for themselves. (283)

During the Spring, Kerry had a dramatic experience with valerian (BD #507), during two late frosts. Valerian was sprayed on his paste tomatoes for the first frost and on both the tomatoes and beans for the second frost. He said "The stuff worked fantastically. We had no damage on the paste tomatoes and it went down to 28 degrees: we had injury on the beans the first frost when we didn't spray them and the second time we didn't have damage when we did spray." (p3-4) (429)

Vigorously stir a tablespoon in 10 litres of hand warm rain water for 15 minutes. ... germination is faster. Growth is improved and compared to untreated controls these plants prove healthier and give better yields. They are able to cope better with poor weather conditions and develop a stronger and more extensive root system. Used as a seed bath for wheat, fodder beet, sugar beet, leeks, onions, tomatoes, celeriac, potatoes. (42)

You can spray this valerian solution on grain to improve germination. (44)

Special care is needed with seed baths for linseed, as linseed will easily go mucilagenous if wetted.. Seed producing varieties are treated with valerian (507)... In this particular case cold water is used (2 litres/100 kg) and the bath is sprayed one third 15 minutes apart whilst gently turning the seed with a shovel between treatments. (34)

507 (20 minute stir, then spray on seeds) helps the plants connect to their Group I, brings in the warmth- life processes needed to germinate. (13/8/11) (58)

preparations are dissolved in lukewarm rainwater (or filtered water) and leave to stand for 20-24 hours, before soaking the seeds in them. [Seed baths for] ... Carrot, Onion, Leek, Celery and Celeriac, Chicory, Cucumber, Tomato Aubergine and Pepper (1879)

Works with the element of phosphorus to strengthen the ego against too strong an astral activity. (48)

Plants in special need of warmth and light (tomatoes, beans carrots etc) should be sprayed with the Valerian extract in cool wet summers. Use 1 ml in a bucket of water. (57)

it can be concluded from these observations that it is possible to assist plants that need warmth. BUt it has to be noted at the same time that certain other plants definitely react in a negative way to valerian treatment. (190)

BD 507: Works with phosphorus between the male/lime and female/silica streams to promote heat and flowering. For fruit set use with BD 506. Can be used to protect from light frost. (7)

For Frost-507 evening 508 morning. (7)

"How valerian compost prep works" Valerian is the only biodynamic compost prep that comes in liquid form, and which can also be sprayed directly on the garden. In the compost heap, valerian works a bit like the icing on a compost cake. Always the last prep to be added, it seals in the beneficial growth forces carried by the other five compost preps, so that when the compost is spread these forces can be released into the soil, into the crops that grow there, and into those who eat them. This helps plants stay free of disease when growing so the food they provide is wholesome and nutritious. It's made by packing valerian flowers tightly into a bottle, which is filled with rainwater, and then hung up in a sunny place for three days: the strained liquid extract is then diluted 1 part concentrate to 20 parts warm rainwater and dynamized for 10-20 minutes before use. The valerian flowers can also be juiced in a juice extractor to release their liquid, but this has a shorter shelf life. Its role is always to mobilize phosphate-activating bacteria either in the compost heap or underground within the soil. Phosphorus is one of the three elements all plants need to survive, grow, and reproduce; without it. plants are unable to use the sunlight their leaves need for photosynthesis - not only would there be no garden but there would be no food or flowers in it either. The phosphorus provided by valerian gives the garden the impetus or "will" to grow. It helps plants connect with the light and heat of the sun above ground, keeping them warm and frost-free in cold weather. (1895)

Soil temperature (44)

The valerian preparation can also be spread over a crop to bring warmth. It raises the soil temperature 1- 2?C (44)

It is also worth noting that preparation 507, a specially prepared extract of valerian, has an attraction for earthworms (1041)

.. gives compost and manure the power to relate properly to phosphorus... and regulates .. temperature processes, and surrounds the heap with protective warmth. (34)

It is correct to say that the out-streaming scent of the flowers is the purest expression of the nature and activity of formative forces. In it, material substance is de-materialised to the highest degree..... It would certainly be wrong to see the valerian preparation as a phosphate fertiliser. Valerian contains no more phosphate in its ash than any other plant. What determines its effect are the formative forces concentrated in the valerian flowers..... The effect of the valerian flower juice in comparison seems to be a universal all-encompassing and unifying process. – one which can contain the rampant metabolic activity of the compost heap and turn it into a self-contained totality. (1565)

If plants are covered with hoarforst in the morning, a second application of valerian will often save the situation. (34)