Thought I understood bio char until you showed that video awhile back, the way that guy cuts those barrels is worth paying attention to. Seems very efficient
Local materials
- Thread starter Microbeman
- Start date
T
Teddybrae
I mixed the worm cast/soil at 15%. Added Coco and sharp sand.
The mix caused tip scorch, slow growth altho root development seemed good. Drainage poor.
The stuff is obviously richer/denser than I thought. So I think 5% is about right.
Quite amazed the stuff is so potent.
Thanks!
The mix caused tip scorch, slow growth altho root development seemed good. Drainage poor.
The stuff is obviously richer/denser than I thought. So I think 5% is about right.
Quite amazed the stuff is so potent.
Thanks!
TychoMonolyth
Boreal Curing
Like I've said before, I'm a lazy SOB. But only because I have lots going on. If I was bored, I might go at it the long way around.
This is what I use for biochar. It's hard to beat for $10.
I still have to crush to by hand. And yes, I'm looking for a shortcut there too.
I charge it in a tea barrel before I use it.
This is what I use for biochar. It's hard to beat for $10.
I still have to crush to by hand. And yes, I'm looking for a shortcut there too.
I charge it in a tea barrel before I use it.
It is a good idea to think about efficiency - the amount of smoke one makes related to collected char.
Dare I bring political shit here, this is the opposite to the greedy thinking of Trump types.
Contrary to common statements a couple of studies have shown small - shavings of softwood-hardwood mix to have superior effects to hard wood.
HorseBadoritiz
Active member
'Boogieman'
Well-known member
According to the pdf I posted pit burns produce a higher yeild of cleaner biochar if done right and that's why I use the pit method. I don't want dirty biochar in my soil based on false claims. It's also a smokeless burn, when is the last time you made any biochar? I think you highly underestimate the pit method.
Sorry if you think I was criticizing you but it is obvious the method in the video burns much cleaner. I was probably making char prior to you thinking about growing cannabis. You might see the work I did in my album but I realized this bloke did it better.
'Boogieman'
Well-known member
It looks like a good method. According to the pdf and other sources I read a pit burns gets hotter and create a cleaner more porous biochar. I also read that pit made biochar is better at water retention due to a hotter burn which is one of my main goals for my soil.
For example here is our pile of material;
and here is our char maker.
and here is our char maker.
'Boogieman'
Well-known member
Looks neat, what material are you using? I'm only using hardwood because I wouldn't get the yields I need with softer material.
It was a mix of fir, pine and spruce shavings from a local sawmill. Really cheap. We poured compost tea through the char [slowly] to charge it.
One uses what is available.
St. Phatty
Active member
Anybody try HugelKultur with Blackberry stems ?
Normally I burn them, but they're just sitting there, right next to where a fruit tree is going to be.
If I cover the stems with leaves, and cover the leaves with dirt, and cover the dirt with manure, and then it rains - how is that different than if there were no blackberry stems ?
Normally I burn them, but they're just sitting there, right next to where a fruit tree is going to be.
If I cover the stems with leaves, and cover the leaves with dirt, and cover the dirt with manure, and then it rains - how is that different than if there were no blackberry stems ?
I would imagine there is a way to achieve a decent biochar burn in a pit, but it doesn’t seem like it would be nearly as efficient as Mr. Rogers kiln set up with the 55 gal barrels.
Seems unlikely that you could get enough air coming into the bottom of the pile to achieve what the kiln would do, plus it would need the after burner chimneys to burn like a rocket stove.
The kiln in your picture seems like a good modification of Mr. Rogers 55 gal barrel method, a bigger barrel would produce more quicker
Actually the burner I designed and used was not efficient and Mr Roger's set up is way better. We incorporated a full 55 gal barrel inside the burner. It had holes and air intakes. We went through too much fuel to char the material.
Dandelion harvest 2020
Anyone know what this bug is?
Lady bug larvae
TychoMonolyth
Boreal Curing
Wood shavings leach Nitrogen from the soil. I guess if you compensate by adding more N, it would work. Maybe that's why the studies show it. More N was added.
Now you're talking. Burlap & the ATV and we're good to go.
Now that rocks!
Do you add that to your compost while it's cooking?
