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Hi All,

In my research for other materials which might add to the nutrient base of Terra Preta I came across one which I think would be ideal. It is industrial Cannabis or Hemp, as some of you will know it is grown under license in the UK for the production of hemp flour and seed.

This is a highly nutritious flour used in bread making, soups and stews and imparts a slightly nutty flavour to the food produced using it.

However, the stems and leaves are crushed, steamed, extruded and made into pellets for animal bedding, there is still a lot of nutrient to be had from these pellets if composted.

Now there are added bonuses to using these hemp pellets, they are highly absorbent, trap odours and repel flies and other insects because of the odour given off by the pellets.

I think that it would also be a bonus to those adding Bokashi to their compost bins. The hemp pellets would help to remove the scent of animal protein therby deterring vermin.

There is a fair amount of evidence that the natives of the Amazon delta had been using Cannabis long before the advent of European explorers. They may well have cultivated it and deposited the stems and leaves in their rubbish pits.

I have purchased a 35 litre bag to experiment with next season this should add a new dimension to the process. There are many ways in which you can employ it as in, add it to the charcoal slurry, inoculate it with diluted molasses or even add it to the bottom of a new compost bin to soak up nutrient.

Just thought this might be of interest.

Hugro Hemp Pellets - Great deals on cat litter at zooplus


Uriel

The mind is like a parachute, its totally usless unless its open