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Local materials

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!



I prefer peat though coco will work. I concern myself more so with density than with the percentage. Castings can be mucky and overly dense if not cut.
 

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.
picture.php


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I charge it in a tea barrel before I use it.
picture.php
 

Microbeman

The Logical Gardener
ICMag Donor
Veteran
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

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.
 

Microbeman

The Logical Gardener
ICMag Donor
Veteran
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.
View Image

View Image

View Image




I charge it in a tea barrel before I use it.
View Image

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
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.
View Image

View Image

View Image




I charge it in a tea barrel before I use it.
View Image


Put it in a sturdier bag and drive over it a few times.
 

'Boogieman'

Well-known member
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.

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.
 

Microbeman

The Logical Gardener
ICMag Donor
Veteran
According to the pdf I posted pit burns produced 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?

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
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.

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.
 

Microbeman

The Logical Gardener
ICMag Donor
Veteran
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 ?
 

redlaser

Active member
Veteran
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.

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
 

Microbeman

The Logical Gardener
ICMag Donor
Veteran
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.
 

TychoMonolyth

Boreal Curing
Contrary to common statements a couple of studies have shown small - shavings of softwood-hardwood mix to have superior effects to hard wood.
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.



Put it in a sturdier bag and drive over it a few times.
Now you're talking. Burlap & the ATV and we're good to go.



For example here is our pile of material;

View Image

and here is our char maker.

View Image

Now that rocks!
Do you add that to your compost while it's cooking?
 
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