Terra Preta Group and Blog?

[nutronjon]

Yes.

but

as freezar said, be careful you don't buy what is sold here as "BBQ fuel" which is full of binders and kerosene? to help it burn.

 

 

Thanks that will save me a bundle. I already figured I want to avoid any additives in the charcol. And I appreciate the explanation of how much to use. If I understand correctly, that is a lot of charcol. I figure I will buy one small bag of pure charcol if I can find it. Smash it up as best as I can, and add it to the soil I hope to buy for my 10X20 plot. Is this about right?

 

We have volcanic ash about 12 inches down, and I wish I had the strength to rototile that up. Hopefully the person before me rototiled the plot well, but it is too much clay! I need sand really badly, but have to cut cost somewhere. A load of top soil is pushing my budget. Maybe I should go for sand instead of rich top soil, but the sand would need to be rototiled in and I just don't have the strength for that?

[UncleAl]

Terra preta soil is best as activated charcoal. About 10 wt-% granular charcoal replacing sand retains drainage, makes fertilizer more effective, and really juices up pots and the garden. Powdered charcoal will *not* improve drainage. Little jars of activated charcoal are grossly overpriced. These folk are a little looney in philosophy but rock solid as honest bulk vendors. (Link titles do not commit you to purchase)

 

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[freeztar]

Terra preta soil is best as activated charcoal.

 

Where did you read that Al?

From all the info I've read here, low temperature charcoal (450C) is best for soil.

[Essay]

Where did you read that Al?

From all the info I've read here, low temperature charcoal (450C) is best for soil.

Good point, from what I understand about TP.

 

I wonder if those guys who clean office aquariums just toss their used charcoal. It would be "de-activated."

More than that, it would be re-resinated and pre-primed with nutrients and beasties (that'd then get eaten by the soil microbes).

;)

[Ahmabeliever]

That's some misinformation there allright. Ancients weren't making activated charcoal and so nor am I.

 

Pyrolised. I really want some low temp stuff to see how fast the bacteria in my aqua beds can chew up the remaining resins....

 

Also want to test granulated resins on worms and soldier flies. Might be that they directly eat what we consider to be pollution. (well, it is if burnt).

 

I know bacteria consume this waste, but how fast?

[Michaelangelica]

I hate to agree. It goes against the grain.; but Uncle Al could be part right.

(Where is my diamond Al!!)

 

Activated charcoal certainly has more Condos (Eric's word) for 'wee beasties', adsorbs more everything -fertiliser, water, pesticide et al

But

Non-activated charcoal (low temp 350-400C) contains more bio oils which feed "wee beasties". Besides it is too expensive to consider activated-charcoal unless you can get waste AC for free.

BEST Energies pyrolysis 'machine' can "part-activate' charcoal if you ask them to" make it so"!.

[TerryPradha]

I appreciate the the input. Pots are definately the next step of the experimental TP activity. I wanted to start in the right direction and you guys helped.

Perhaps, shoot for, a permanent clay pot in which the soil is always fertile, with clay shards for drainage.

 

The campfire chunks are cheap enough, unless they burn a hole in my good jacket. :esmoking:

[nutronjon]

I hate to agree. It goes against the grain.; but Uncle Al could be part right.

(Where is my diamond Al!!)

 

Activated charcoal certainly has more Condos (Eric's word) for 'wee beasties', adsorbs more everything -fertiliser, water, pesticide et al

But

Non-activated charcoal (low temp 350-400C) contains more bio oils which feed "wee beasties". Besides it is too expensive to consider activated-charcoal unless you can get waste AC for free.

BEST Energies pyrolysis 'machine' can "part-activate' charcoal if you ask them to" make it so"!.

 

Dang, I am confused again:confused: What activates the charcol? Like there is a huge aquarium running down the side of the bike path. It is full of fish and ducks, and varies other animals. I could throw crushed charcol in a mesh bag and throw it in the water way. Would that improve the charcol?

[Michaelangelica]

Dang, I am confused again What activates the charcol?

oxygen/air

It pops' a little like popcorn giving you a far grater surface area for adsorption. (They do the same for Vermiculite and perlite which start life as rocks.)That is why AC is used in filters. It is also usually fired at a much higher temperature, and ground micron fine. The extra processing makes the extra expense. Use it if you can get it cheap!

TP char in pyrolysis is fired at c.350-400C at that temp you keep some of the woods bio oils (if you are using wood) which maybe helpful for soil micro-organisms. Also you can harvest either electricity or bio-oils from the process at the lower temps.

If i go on I think I might confuse you more have a quick look at Wiki on activated charcoal. Come back if still confused. I am no expert.

 

It might be a good thing for the wizz kids on the "sums" thread to work out with the extra energy inputs into activated charcoal would activated char work as well as normal char in 'reducing' global warming???

 

The campfire chunks are cheap enough, unless they burn a hole in my good jacket.

Terry just watch ash and char seem to have different effects on soil pH. Ash acts like lime increasing soil pH.

[Ahmabeliever]

Ash acts like lime increasing soil pH.

 

Hmm, who mentioned TP drops pH in some soils, erich?

 

The ancients probably had ash and charcoal they added simultaneously, and the ash gave the soil a boost while the charcoal bacteria fungi and OM matured...

 

Perhaps...

[TerryPradha]

I had also read that pine char lowers the ph when oak char increases ph. (or vice versa).

Is this a significant ph change either way? Does it make sense that keeping the ash with the char keep us close to neutral change?

[Ahmabeliever]

I think you should asess your soil and ask locally (say a garden store) about the application of ash.

 

Some soils it might work really well, others it could be the wrong thing to do. I theorised it would help, and in most situations would, but not all.

[TerryPradha]

I was not talking about any soil in particular. Just the interaction between char and ash. One being low ph and the other being a higher ph.

If the two together balanced out enough so as, not be a concern in the soil?

[Ahmabeliever]

Too broad sweeping a question, in theory... perhaps....

[TerryPradha]

Ok, thanks :hihi:

 

At the end of the season I will test the ph of my TP mixtures. Then compare with the various soils I used for those mixes.

I wonder if it would be accurate to test the ph of groundup char itself?

[freeztar]

I was not talking about any soil in particular. Just the interaction between char and ash. One being low ph and the other being a higher ph.

If the two together balanced out enough so as, not be a concern in the soil?

 

It's an interesting question.

I guess the only way to know is to experiment and find out. :hihi:

[freeztar]

At the end of the season I will test the ph of my TP mixtures. Then compare with the various soils I used for those mixes.

 

Cool! I'm about to start an experiment to determine the best ratio of char to soil for my soil type here. It would be great to compare results. :hihi:

I wonder if it would be accurate to test the ph of groundup char itself?

 

Funny you should mention that. On my way home from work today, I was thinking about testing the pH of a pile of ground up char I have sitting in the yard. It rained yesterday, so the pile is still wet. I'll go test it right now and post my results in a bit.