in my recent readings on biochar i
was hoping a few books published in the
past few years would have more actual
science and evaluation. alas the books
_the biochar debate_ and _the biochar
solution_ both could have filled more
of that gap.

not that there wasn't scientific ideas
in either of them, but that they both
lacked discussion of experiments, methodology,
or what you might expect while talking about
something as basic as biochar.

of the two the second book by Albert
Bates _the biochar solution_ at least
did have several ideas that i hadn't seen
before in the climatology debate. that
was that the Little Ice Age was partially
caused by the reforestation of the Amazon
jungle (as a result of 99+% population
decline after the European diseases were
introduced). i didn't think the carbon
ratio in the record had declined during
that period. i'll have to go find some
studies on that and see if it shows or
not...

in looking around on-line the topic of
biochar and evaluating it is still rather thin
with quite a few links to works of very
questionable value.


if you are looking into getting biochar
for a garden you can do some things to
make it more likely it will turn out ok.

- check the pH (both the soil and the
biochar) -- you don't want to make your
garden more acidic or alkaline

- make sure it has been processed under
low temperatures (300-600C)

- make sure it is from plant sources and
not soot or made from burned random garbage
(tires, plastics or even crushed coal)

- the resulting material varies by what is
used and the temperature and process and
might even vary from batch to batch if
the system or inputs are not consistent

- if it isn't already charged (by running
it through a compost heap) it's likely to
be a nutrient drain until it gets colonized
by soil organisms

- worms should thrive in it (once it is
charged up)

my own additions would be to make sure it is
handled carefully when damp and to bury it deep
enough to prevent it from blowing around or
washing away.


songbird

In article ,
songbird wrote:

in my recent readings on biochar i
was hoping a few books published in the
past few years would have more actual
science and evaluation. alas the books
_the biochar debate_ and _the biochar
solution_ both could have filled more
of that gap.

not that there wasn't scientific ideas
in either of them, but that they both
lacked discussion of experiments, methodology,
or what you might expect while talking about
something as basic as biochar.

of the two the second book by Albert
Bates _the biochar solution_ at least
did have several ideas that i hadn't seen
before in the climatology debate. that
was that the Little Ice Age was partially
caused by the reforestation of the Amazon
jungle (as a result of 99+% population
decline after the European diseases were
introduced). i didn't think the carbon
ratio in the record had declined during
that period. i'll have to go find some
studies on that and see if it shows or
not...

in looking around on-line the topic of
biochar and evaluating it is still rather thin
with quite a few links to works of very
questionable value.


if you are looking into getting biochar
for a garden you can do some things to
make it more likely it will turn out ok.

- check the pH (both the soil and the
biochar) -- you don't want to make your
garden more acidic or alkaline

- make sure it has been processed under
low temperatures (300-600C)

- make sure it is from plant sources and
not soot or made from burned random garbage
(tires, plastics or even crushed coal)

- the resulting material varies by what is
used and the temperature and process and
might even vary from batch to batch if
the system or inputs are not consistent

- if it isn't already charged (by running
it through a compost heap) it's likely to
be a nutrient drain until it gets colonized
by soil organisms

- worms should thrive in it (once it is
charged up)

my own additions would be to make sure it is
handled carefully when damp and to bury it deep
enough to prevent it from blowing around or
washing away.


songbird

1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann

http://www.amazon.com/1491-Revelatio...umbus/dp/14000
32059/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1296839060&sr=1-1

p.344

*Terra preta exists in two forms: terra preta itself, a black soil thick
with pottery, and terra mulata, a lighter dark brown soil with much less
pottery. A number of researchers believe that although Indians made
both, they deliberately created only the terra mulata. Terra preta was
the soil created directly around homes by charcoal kitchen fires and
organic refuse of various types.
-------

It seems as if any old charcoal (cellulose) will do. I don't think we're
talking rocket science here, IMHO. I just throw the charcoal from
barbecues, or our wood stove in with the mulch on the garden. I'm not
recommending this, but it is what I do. It doesn't collect of the
surface, so it must be going somewhere. Digging it in will just destroy
all of the worm's work in creating corridors in the soil that aerate,
and drain the soil. My oldest garden bed is wondrously soft, considering
I started with grey, rocky clay.

I thinned the seedling in the germination trays a couple days ago. I
don't want to do that again. What a waste.

--
Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg
or
E Pluribus Unum
Next time vote Green Party

Billy wrote:
....
1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann

http://www.amazon.com/1491-Revelatio...umbus/dp/14000
32059/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1296839060&sr=1-1
....
-------

terra preta is not biochar.


It seems as if any old charcoal (cellulose) will do. I don't think we're
talking rocket science here, IMHO.

unfortunately, some folks are being sold stuff
made from plastics, tires, coal, etc. others may
be buying decent biochar, but if it isn't pre-
charged with beneficial critters/nutrients then
it may reduce production.

it may not be rocket science yet the quality
does vary.


I just throw the charcoal from
barbecues, or our wood stove in with the mulch on the garden. I'm not
recommending this, but it is what I do. It doesn't collect of the
surface, so it must be going somewhere. Digging it in will just destroy
all of the worm's work in creating corridors in the soil that aerate,
and drain the soil. My oldest garden bed is wondrously soft, considering
I started with grey, rocky clay.

for a small garden that is established i wouldn't
see a harm in small surface applications. it falls
down in the mulch and doesn't likely get washed away
and there is no need to worry about charging it with
beneficials because it will get those as it works
through the mulch.

my previous comments are geared towards those who
may be thinking of buying it or making it.

the wormies in the back gardens are challenged in
most places as they are often flooded and the soil
is heavy. as i get the area raised up and get more
organic materials they do better. the wormies inside
in the worm farm do much better. i'm ready for
spring planting, just waiting for things to warm up
enough and dry out enough. might be a while yet,
we're still getting snow and overnight temps in the
teens...


I thinned the seedling in the germination trays a couple days ago. I
don't want to do that again. What a waste.

most plantings here are direct planted into
the ground. beets are the one i have to thin
as the seeds are in clumps.


songbird

In article ,
songbird wrote:

Billy wrote:
...
1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann

http://www.amazon.com/1491-Revelatio...umbus/dp/14000
32059/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1296839060&sr=1-1
...
-------

terra preta is not biochar.


It seems as if any old charcoal (cellulose) will do. I don't think we're
talking rocket science here, IMHO.

unfortunately, some folks are being sold stuff
made from plastics, tires, coal, etc.
Those people should be in investment banking!

others may
be buying decent biochar, but if it isn't pre-
charged with beneficial critters/nutrients then
it may reduce production.

May! I suspect that the charcoal becomes home for microorganisims very
quickly.

it may not be rocket science yet the quality
does vary.

Make me wonder what similarities, and differences there may be between
the ecological web in a tropical rain forest, and one in Wisconsin, or
Michigan.

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/09/soil/mann-text/8
Key to terra preta is charcoal, made by burning plants and refuse at low
temperatures. [I'm guessing this is to maximize charcoal yield] In March
a research team led by Christoph Steiner, then of the University of
Bayreuth, reported that simply adding crumbled charcoal and condensed
smoke [?] to typically bad tropical soils caused an "exponential
increase" in the microbial population‹kick-starting the underground
ecosystem that is critical to fertility. Tropical soils quickly lose
microbial richness when converted to agriculture. Charcoal seems to
provide habitat for microbes‹making a kind of artificial soil within the
soil‹partly because nutrients bind to the charcoal rather than being
washed away. Tests by a U.S.-Brazilian team in 2006 found that terra
preta had a far greater number and variety of microorganisms than
typical tropical soils‹it was literally more alive.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke
Some components of smoke are characteristic of the combustion source.
Guaiacol and its derivatives are products of pyrolysis of lignin and are
characteristic of wood smoke; other markers are syringol and derivates,
and other methoxy phenols. Retene, a product of pyrolysis of conifer
trees, is an indicator of forest fires. Levoglucosan is a pyrolysis
product of cellulose. Hardwood vs softwood smokes differ in the ratio of
guaiacols/syringols.


Aw Jeez, condensed smoke is turning into a sink hole.

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf2003392
A new liquid rice hull smoke extract with a smoky aroma and sugar-like
odor prepared by pyrolysis of rice hulls followed by liquefaction of the
resulting smoke contained 161 compounds characterized by GC/MS.
Antioxidative, antiallergic, and anti-inflammatory activities of the
extract were assessed in vitro and in vivo.

http://www.climatechange.gov.au/gove...sed-consultati
ons/~/media/submissions/cfi/242-black-earth-products-pty-ltd.pdf
Condensed smoke liquids and oils are a by-product of producing Biochar,
the amount of liquids produced depends on the amount of moisture
contained in the feedstock, Chicken littler waste can produce up to
300lt of liquid per ton, The condensed liquid called ’\0¨ SPyroligneous
Acid’\0¨ ù\0 which contains over 200 organic compounds and can be
separated into two products, Liquid smoke or wood vinegar and Pyrolysis
oil, the liquid smoke is high in organic acids (formic acid, acetic
acid, propionic acid, butyric acid and more) it as a well known compost
activator and has been used in Japanese agriculture for many years.

[The above seems to be from an Australian government/ private enterprise
initive. Watch out for "free market" types to rant about this.] It has
an mind numbing list of elements and compounds found in condensed smoke.
Seems like one of the main ones is butyric acid (the smell of rancid
butter).

It's starting to remind me of the time that Charlie found some clay
(aluminum phyllosilicate) that was supposed to be a super nutrient.
I wonder whatever became of it. I wonder what ever became of Charlie!


I just throw the charcoal from
barbecues, or our wood stove in with the mulch on the garden. I'm not
recommending this, but it is what I do. It doesn't collect of the
surface, so it must be going somewhere. Digging it in will just destroy
all of the worm's work in creating corridors in the soil that aerate,
and drain the soil. My oldest garden bed is wondrously soft, considering
I started with grey, rocky clay.

for a small garden that is established i wouldn't
see a harm in small surface applications. it falls
down in the mulch and doesn't likely get washed away
and there is no need to worry about charging it with
beneficials because it will get those as it works
through the mulch.

my previous comments are geared towards those who
may be thinking of buying it or making it.

the wormies in the back gardens are challenged in
most places as they are often flooded and the soil
is heavy. as i get the area raised up and get more
organic materials they do better. the wormies inside
in the worm farm do much better. i'm ready for
spring planting, just waiting for things to warm up
enough and dry out enough. might be a while yet,
we're still getting snow and overnight temps in the
teens...

Yes, wormies!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_preta#Microorganisms_and_animals
The peregrine earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus (Oligochaeta:
Glossoscolecidae) ingests pieces of charcoal and mixes them in a finely
ground form with the mineral soil. P. corethrurus is widespread in all
Amazonia and notably in clearings after burning processes thanks to its
tolerance of a low content of organic matter in the soil.[42] This as an
essential element in the generation of terra preta, associated with
agronomic knowledge involving layering the charcoal in thin regular
layers favourable to its burying by P. corethrurus.


I thinned the seedling in the germination trays a couple days ago. I
don't want to do that again. What a waste.

most plantings here are direct planted into
the ground. beets are the one i have to thin
as the seeds are in clumps.
Same problem, but inside. I plan on using a dustier compost for covering
my seeds next year, and then lift out, and immediately repot them.
The process is described in Creative Propagation by Peter Thompson and
Josie Owen
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...stripbooks&fie
ld-keywords=Creative+Propagation&x=15&y=21
Also available at your local library.

I haven't had muck luck with direct planting, which I think is a result
of my mulching. It gives too much cover to the rolly pollies, earwigs,
and others. To direct sow I'd need to pull back all the mulch, and get
the beds down to raw soil.


songbird

Ciao

--
Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg
or
E Pluribus Unum
Next time vote Green Party