The Homeopathic Treatment of Plants (Fourth Revised Edition, 2015).
Vaikunthanath Das Kaviraj, an experienced homeopath, stumbled by accident upon the homeopathic treatment of plants when he was asked to treat a rust problem in apple trees. The apples had dark red rings on the skin and needed more watering than normal. The symptoms of redness with thirst fitted the remedy Belladonna, which he duly administered. To everyone’s surprise, the rust problem disappeared. What‘s more, the apples the following year tasted noticeably better. For Kaviraj, this was a turning point. In the next twelve years, he undertook intensive research in this area, employing homeopathy for all kinds of plant diseases.
This book focuses on the homeopathic treatment of plants in cases of malnourishment, parasitic and fungal attack, bacterial and viral disease, damage, and weed infestation.
Alongside well-known homeopathic remedies such as Calendula for damage during repotting or Calcium phosphoricum for root rot, he also presents less common remedies, such as Hyssopus for bacterial rots and blights, and Mentha viridis for pest control, as well as Ocimum basilicum for tomato diseases and Ricinus communis for pests in viticulture. A profoundly thought-provoking book that could revolutionize the future of farming.
The new edition offers several key improvements:
- The previous alphabetical arrangement has been replaced with a helpful new layout structured by topic, making the book simpler and easier to use as a practical reference work.
- Using input from the latest studies and practical field experience, many interesting new remedies have been added. These provide greater choice and help you to precisely select the best remedy to treat plant disease in a more specific way. Some of these remedies have already been successfully applied, as shown by user feedback in the internet forum.
- Pests, diseases, and nutrient problems are illustrated by 137colored photos.
“Homeopathy for plants opens up a whole new and exciting area of exploration that may yield major benefits for agriculture. Who knows the boundaries of homeopathy?”
Anne Sheptyck, Canada
"... The author has accumulated an enormous amount of useful information here in a groundbreaking book. The Materia Medica and Repertory are easy to follow and the selection of a suitable remedy should not pose too much difficulty. This technique is certainly worth trying as it is neither expensive nor time-consuming and will not have an adverse effect on the environment."
Tony Scofield
- Author: Vaikunthanatj Das Kaviraj
- ISBN: 9783941706477
- 376 pages
- Edition: Fifth Revised
- Hardback
- Published in 2020
- Printed in Germany
Reprinted with the permission of The Alliance of Registered Homeopaths. From the Journal 'Homeopathy in Practice', Autumn 2011 edition. Reviewed by Clare Esson.
As an established garden designer in the UK and keen grower of fruit and vegetables on my allotment, where I endeavour to grow as organically as possible, I welcome the opportunity to discover methods of control for pests and diseases which work in harmony with nature and avoid adding chemical toxins to the food we eat. I am not a homeopath, but have used remedies for myself and family.
The use of homeopathic remedies to treat the pests and diseases affecting agriculture and horticulture is not widely known or practiced. This book seeks to explain the work undertaken by the author in recent decades to pioneer the development of this method and make it available to the wider public.
Almost the first third of the book, the Foundation section, aims to give an explanation of the principles of homeopathy, as set out by Hahnemann. It quotes from the Organon, and pronouncements of sages through the ages are interspersed with the thoughts of more modern thinkers and philosophers such as Rudolph Steiner. These are set out under various subject headings - such as 'The Cause of Disease', and 'The Simillimum' etc - followed by commentary on how these principles might be applied to plants. However a great deal of knowledge of the basic principles is assumed. Those unfamiliar with the subject could find it difficult to follow the discussion of the use of homeopathy in this field and the debate regarding the balance of nature and the treatment of disease in humans, animals and plants.
Since farming began man has used a variety of methods to improve yield and reduce diseases and pest. Companion planting and the use of homemade remedies for the soil and plants have long been the stuff of gardening and farming lore. The introduction of chemical herbicides and the development of organophosphates have proven toxic to the environment and are prone to resistance. Since the turn of the twentieth century a number of farming groups around the world have been studying ways of reducing the effect of pests and diseases using less toxic methods.
This book proposes that the solution is to be found by focusing not on the pest or disease but the needs of the plant. This is to be achieved by understanding the structure of the plant and the soil in which it grows. Any deficiency can be rectified by the application of the correct homeopathic remedy and proper management of the soil.
Unfortunately for those seeking practical advice, the majority of the book is set out in textbook fashion. It does give, however, a detailed explanation of soil structure, the minerals within it and their contribution to plant health, and gives a basic explanation of plant structure.
The remaining reference sections are well laid out with authoritative descriptions of plant problems and illustrated with useful photographs of the damage caused to plants. The chapter titled 'Treatment of Plant Diseases arising from Nutrient Imbalance' gives a full description of each mineral, its interaction with other minerals, the effect on plants and its uses in homeopathic plant remedies.
The section on companion planting, rather than being anecdotal, is similarly set out giving a full description of each plant and its effects, examples of its use and listing where it is a suitable companion and any contraindications. For example, the use of Mentha in tackling pests on the Brassicaceae family may well be of interest to many gardeners and a useful introduction to the subject for those new to seeking natural remedies.
It is these reference sections, which will be of most practical use to the farmer or gardener. They list the remedies for insect pests, bacterial, viral and fungal diseases and plant injuries. The section on whitefly will be of particular interest to those who have greenhouses and who are plagued by infestations on their cucumbers and tomatoes. There are comprehensive and detailed descriptions of the symptoms shown by the plants and the information covers a wide variety of crops grown internationally.
However, it is by no means simple and straightforward to find each solution and does require a fair amount of study of each section to fully understand how to cross-reference between these sections and the various indexes in order for the reader to be able to identify the problem and find the homeopathic remedy recommended.
As much of this work is still in the pioneering stages, readers are encouraged to share their experiences and results with the author. The homeopathic remedies can be bought from the publishers, and it is not clear if there are any other suppliers.
The earlier, more philosophical, section of the book seems somewhat out of balance with the diagnoses and remedies provided. If I were to make a comparison, someone seeking a First Aid book would first have to work through a scholarly discourse on anatomy and philosophy of medicine. However, for those gardeners and farmers who wish to work more in harmony with nature and look for less toxic remedies for plant pests and diseases this book provides a useful reference source.
