Quote:
Originally Posted by markenejackson
I tilled abundance into the vegetable garden for the potash, carbon and trace elements. I use a aggregate of charcoal briquettes and hickory ash (I accept three ample hickory trees). You can add a small amount of ash to a admixture bin, but too abundant may stop the composting process or accession pH.
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Hi markenejackson,
I don't use charcoal briquettes because they have chemicals in them which are detrimental to the micro-organisms within the soil.
I think I made mention of this in an earlier posting, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to purchase real charcoal. This is due to the barbeque market now being flooded with easy light charcoal in the form of briquettes and the like.
Personally I have not found that inoculated charcoal approximating 30% in a compost bin hinders the composting process. However in the case of my bins they are watered with EM solution to encourage the breakdown of vegetation.
Charcoal sweetens the soil therefore pH would I think only be a problem in a high alkaline soil. The ash content will be short lived as a nutrient source only charcoal has longevity within the soil.
However this is your experiment so don't be put off from doing your own thing.
The mind is like a parachute its totally useless unless its open