Posted by Nancy Young on February 2, 2011, 11:15 am
Hi, all.
I keep hearing good things about biochar as a soil amendment.
Does anyone here have experience using it? I'm thinking of
adding it to my flower gardens and vegetable beds.
nancy
Posted by Billy on February 2, 2011, 1:17 pm
> Hi, all.
>
> I keep hearing good things about biochar as a soil amendment.
>
> Does anyone here have experience using it? I'm thinking of
> adding it to my flower gardens and vegetable beds.
>
> nancy
Also known as "Terra Preta", I regularly add charcoal, and wood ash, to
my garden beds, but I haven't noticed any effect, but then I haven't
added it at the rate of 5 kg/m2 (1 lb/ft2). I don't doubt its efficacy,
it has been shown to work.
There is a good article on making charcoal at
<http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Make-Biochar-To-Improve
-Your-Soil.aspx?page=2>
unfortunately these folks refer to wood ash as being a good source for
phosphates(?). It isn't. It's a good source for potassium.
One important point that they bring up is
"Charcoal briquettes used in grilling are probably not a good choice
(for a source of charcoal). Those designed to light fast often include
paraffin or other hydrocarbon solvents that have no place in an organic
garden. Plain charred weeds, wood or cow pies are better materials for
using this promising soil-building technique based on ancient gardening
wisdom."
Lump charcoal (unprocessed charcoal) or it's powder at the bottom of the
bag, is OK. My main source of charcoal comes from the wood chips that I
use in my barbecue to flavor meat. I soak them in water, wrap them in
tin foil and then place them on the coals. After the barbecue cools off,
you will find that the wood chips have become charcoal, and this is what
I add to our garden beds. I just scratch it into the surface.
--
- Billy
"When you give food to the poor, they call you a saint. When you ask why the
poor have no food, they call you a communist."
-Archbishop Helder Camara
http://peace.mennolink.org/articles/israelpeacegroups.html
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/01/20111812130964689.html
Posted by Nancy Young on February 2, 2011, 1:35 pm
Billy wrote:
>
>> Hi, all.
>>
>> I keep hearing good things about biochar as a soil amendment.
>>
>> Does anyone here have experience using it? I'm thinking of
>> adding it to my flower gardens and vegetable beds.
> Also known as "Terra Preta", I regularly add charcoal, and wood ash,
> to my garden beds, but I haven't noticed any effect, but then I
> haven't added it at the rate of 5 kg/m2 (1 lb/ft2). I don't doubt its
> efficacy, it has been shown to work.
>
> There is a good article on making charcoal at
> <http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Make-Biochar-To-Improve
> -Your-Soil.aspx?page=2>
> unfortunately these folks refer to wood ash as being a good source for
> phosphates(?).
Hey, I could add to it my dishwasher. Heh.
> It isn't. It's a good source for potassium.
>
> One important point that they bring up is
> "Charcoal briquettes used in grilling are probably not a good choice
> (for a source of charcoal). Those designed to light fast often include
> paraffin or other hydrocarbon solvents that have no place in an
> organic garden. Plain charred weeds, wood or cow pies are better
> materials for using this promising soil-building technique based on
> ancient gardening wisdom."
One article I read gave me a source that I can find, Cowboy
Charcoal. I'm good with buying a few bags of that.
> Lump charcoal (unprocessed charcoal) or it's powder at the bottom of
> the bag, is OK. My main source of charcoal comes from the wood chips
> that I use in my barbecue to flavor meat. I soak them in water, wrap
> them in tin foil and then place them on the coals. After the barbecue
> cools off, you will find that the wood chips have become charcoal,
> and this is what I add to our garden beds. I just scratch it into the
> surface.
You told me all I need to know, including how to apply. Thanks a
million. I'm interested to see how effective this is.
nancy
Posted by Billy on February 2, 2011, 2:36 pm
> Billy wrote:
>
> >
> >> Hi, all.
> >>
> >> I keep hearing good things about biochar as a soil amendment.
> >>
> >> Does anyone here have experience using it? I'm thinking of
> >> adding it to my flower gardens and vegetable beds.
>
> > Also known as "Terra Preta", I regularly add charcoal, and wood ash,
> > to my garden beds, but I haven't noticed any effect, but then I
> > haven't added it at the rate of 5 kg/m2 (1 lb/ft2). I don't doubt its
> > efficacy, it has been shown to work.
> >
> > There is a good article on making charcoal at
> > <http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Make-Biochar-To-Improve
> > -Your-Soil.aspx?page=2>
> > unfortunately these folks refer to wood ash as being a good source for
> > phosphates(?).
>
> Hey, I could add to it my dishwasher. Heh.
>
> > It isn't. It's a good source for potassium.
> >
> > One important point that they bring up is
> > "Charcoal briquettes used in grilling are probably not a good choice
> > (for a source of charcoal). Those designed to light fast often include
> > paraffin or other hydrocarbon solvents that have no place in an
> > organic garden. Plain charred weeds, wood or cow pies are better
> > materials for using this promising soil-building technique based on
> > ancient gardening wisdom."
>
> One article I read gave me a source that I can find, Cowboy
> Charcoal. I'm good with buying a few bags of that.
Looks good :O)
>
> > Lump charcoal (unprocessed charcoal) or it's powder at the bottom of
> > the bag, is OK. My main source of charcoal comes from the wood chips
> > that I use in my barbecue to flavor meat. I soak them in water, wrap
> > them in tin foil and then place them on the coals. After the barbecue
> > cools off, you will find that the wood chips have become charcoal,
> > and this is what I add to our garden beds. I just scratch it into the
> > surface.
>
> You told me all I need to know, including how to apply. Thanks a
> million. I'm interested to see how effective this is.
>
> nancy
You may want to look at
<http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/05/biochar-test-shows-17-percent-cr
op-yield-increase.php>
--
- Billy
"When you give food to the poor, they call you a saint. When you ask why the
poor have no food, they call you a communist."
-Archbishop Helder Camara
http://peace.mennolink.org/articles/israelpeacegroups.html
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/01/20111812130964689.html
Posted by FarmI on February 2, 2011, 5:48 pm
> Billy wrote:
>>
>>> Hi, all.
>>>
>>> I keep hearing good things about biochar as a soil amendment.
>>>
>>> Does anyone here have experience using it? I'm thinking of
>>> adding it to my flower gardens and vegetable beds.
>> Also known as "Terra Preta", I regularly add charcoal, and wood ash,
>> to my garden beds, but I haven't noticed any effect, but then I
>> haven't added it at the rate of 5 kg/m2 (1 lb/ft2). I don't doubt its
>> efficacy, it has been shown to work.
>>
>> There is a good article on making charcoal at
>> <http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Make-Biochar-To-Improve
>> -Your-Soil.aspx?page=2>
>> unfortunately these folks refer to wood ash as being a good source for
>> phosphates(?).
> Hey, I could add to it my dishwasher. Heh.
>> It isn't. It's a good source for potassium.
>>
>> One important point that they bring up is
>> "Charcoal briquettes used in grilling are probably not a good choice
>> (for a source of charcoal). Those designed to light fast often include
>> paraffin or other hydrocarbon solvents that have no place in an
>> organic garden. Plain charred weeds, wood or cow pies are better
>> materials for using this promising soil-building technique based on
>> ancient gardening wisdom."
> One article I read gave me a source that I can find, Cowboy
> Charcoal. I'm good with buying a few bags of that.
>> Lump charcoal (unprocessed charcoal) or it's powder at the bottom of
>> the bag, is OK. My main source of charcoal comes from the wood chips
>> that I use in my barbecue to flavor meat. I soak them in water, wrap
>> them in tin foil and then place them on the coals. After the barbecue
>> cools off, you will find that the wood chips have become charcoal,
>> and this is what I add to our garden beds. I just scratch it into the
>> surface.
> You told me all I need to know, including how to apply. Thanks a
> million. I'm interested to see how effective this is.
In addition to the things that Billy has said, in the 'old days' when wood
burning fires were still common, the seived charcoal was used in Spring to
spread in an area where the soil needed warming. Being black it worked to
warm the soil and so give gardeners a bit of a jump on the season.
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>
> I keep hearing good things about biochar as a soil amendment.
>
> Does anyone here have experience using it? I'm thinking of
> adding it to my flower gardens and vegetable beds.
>
> nancy