Terra Preta - Dark Soil - Experiment
- Thread starter SilverSurfer_OG
- Start date
High guys 
Heres a cool page from Hawaii which has links to worldwide biochar projects and also links to all the best DIY kilns/retorts etc.
http://ahualoa.net/ag/notes_biochar.html
Heres a cool page from Hawaii which has links to worldwide biochar projects and also links to all the best DIY kilns/retorts etc.
http://ahualoa.net/ag/notes_biochar.html
healthygreen
New member
has anyone tried charging biochar in ACT?
Anyone some experience?
Anyone some experience?
I'd say not unless it's coated with some sort of food source.
I used to use coconut milk. Don't know if it was worth the money. Raw milk perhaps? Hot char in raw milk? Hmmm? I guess it wouldn't be raw anymore. Got me thinking. Take a tote and settle down now. Ahh good.
I'm glad this thread is back up. I thought it was a sticky. It should be. Char, while not earth shattering, doesn't shatter the earth either. Perhaps one of the kindest amendments we can use. One of the cheapest for sure, while being one of the best. It's really a no brainer. Like somebody had me in mind.
humble_gardener
New member
So I'm planning on making some biochar to add to a batch of Cootz's mix. I am planning on soaking it in an AACT, but am not sure on how much N to use in the tea. I do have Neem Cake to use, which should balance the pH. I've been looking through this thread trying to find an amount to use, and all I could find was on the first page, which seems very heavy on the N.
Could anybody tell me an amount of Neem Cake to use?
Could anybody tell me an amount of Neem Cake to use?
humble_gardener
New member
Cool, thanks dude!
SpicySativa
Member
Stink = Anaerobic = Bad. Am I missing something here? Admittedly I haven't read all 50+ pages in this thread, but this caught my eye.
People usually do two things with char,
"Charge it", or add nutrients - presence of oxygen shouldn't matter.
or
Inoculate, or add life - I've not used char in this way so im not sure of the specifics.
I'd imagine if you were soaking the char for any time in aact you'd want to provide oxygen so your population would not collapse and replaced with anaerobes.
I know alot of people just add it to the compost pile, which seems like the easiest and most thorough way to do it - if it does take a long time.
"Charge it", or add nutrients - presence of oxygen shouldn't matter.
or
Inoculate, or add life - I've not used char in this way so im not sure of the specifics.
I'd imagine if you were soaking the char for any time in aact you'd want to provide oxygen so your population would not collapse and replaced with anaerobes.
I know alot of people just add it to the compost pile, which seems like the easiest and most thorough way to do it - if it does take a long time.
Its much more of a problem to under soak/charge your biochar with nitrogen. There is only so much it will adsorb and the rest will stay in the bucket.
Sail forth and show no fear me old sea dogs!!!
Sail forth and show no fear me old sea dogs!!!
a former member did some experimenting with a product advertised as paramagnetic {zeolite} I wouldn't say the results were conclusive {regarding parmagnetics/zeolite} but, i do find him to be a very successful gardener & his mix with the zeolite performs well.
I consider paramagnetics to be one of those things which, if it makes you feel good about your garden, do it
plenty of people garden with no regard for paramagnetics
I consider paramagnetics to be one of those things which, if it makes you feel good about your garden, do it
plenty of people garden with no regard for paramagnetics
C
ct guy2
FYI, the basalt from Cascade minerals is paramagnetic.
How are you guys using the term paramagnetic. Are you saying that the atoms have unpaired electron(s) or are you just saying the material is attracted to a magnet. If it is the latter, is it that significant? If you take a magnet to the beach, you will find it that many sand particles will stick to the magnet. When all or most stick to the magnet it is usually magnetite. (black sand)
umbralindigo
Member
I am currently using Ruby Mountain Stone Flour and Basalt Microfines from rockdustlocal. These are rated as "highly paramagnetic". The way I understand this concept is to quote Philip S. Callahan, "Paramegnetism is the ability of a substance to collect or resonate to the magnetic field of the Cosmos. It is not magnetism.". And another, " ...paramagnetism is the alignment of a force field in one direction by a substance in a magnetic field...". So, with that, the opposing force is all plant life being diamagnetic. They are the opposing force negatively charged with a weak magnetism, while soil is/could be the paramagnetic and applying the "magnetic field of the Cosmos" to the plant life .
I was reading about the use of zeolite in growing rye grass, and supplementing with zeolite worked better than the other two amendments tested. I think it's more the micronutrient profile than the paramagnetism or whatever that lead to greater yields. I could be wrong. 
As for terra preta being pH 6.5; tropical rainforest soils based on basalt/granite tend to be highly acidic because of the parent rock and high rainfall, so charcoal/ash would be perfect for getting the pH right. Throughout the world's tropical areas, slash and burn agriculture is employed and ash is added to provide nutrients (and incidentally get the pH where it needs to be).
As for terra preta being pH 6.5; tropical rainforest soils based on basalt/granite tend to be highly acidic because of the parent rock and high rainfall, so charcoal/ash would be perfect for getting the pH right. Throughout the world's tropical areas, slash and burn agriculture is employed and ash is added to provide nutrients (and incidentally get the pH where it needs to be).
umbralindigo
Member
Agriculture
In agriculture, clinoptilolite (a naturally occurring zeolite) is used as a soil treatment. It provides a source of slowly released potassium. If previously loaded with ammonium, the zeolite can serve a similar function in the slow release of nitrogen. Zeolites can also act as water moderators, in which they will absorb up to 55% of their weight in water and slowly release it under the plant's demand. This property can prevent root rot and moderate drought cycles.
So, it is an aluminosilicate as I thought Azomite is, and Botanicare has a line of zeolite that they advertise to hold nutrients in the zeolite, along with water til the plant needs it, similar to vermiculite in that aspect. I personally have never heard anyone refer to it as paramagnetic. I believe it is not. It looks like it would have its place in space, just not in the realm of paramagnetism.
In agriculture, clinoptilolite (a naturally occurring zeolite) is used as a soil treatment. It provides a source of slowly released potassium. If previously loaded with ammonium, the zeolite can serve a similar function in the slow release of nitrogen. Zeolites can also act as water moderators, in which they will absorb up to 55% of their weight in water and slowly release it under the plant's demand. This property can prevent root rot and moderate drought cycles.
So, it is an aluminosilicate as I thought Azomite is, and Botanicare has a line of zeolite that they advertise to hold nutrients in the zeolite, along with water til the plant needs it, similar to vermiculite in that aspect. I personally have never heard anyone refer to it as paramagnetic. I believe it is not. It looks like it would have its place in space, just not in the realm of paramagnetism.
