[Terrapreta] Charcoal Injector

[Sean K. Barry]

Hi Tom,

I don't know how to answer those questions.  I think these are the kinds of questions for why and what we would be doing as basic research on "charcoal as a soil additive".  We might possibly get some guidance from people like Christoph Steiner or Johannes Lehman or their associates at Cornell on the density of charcoal treatment in soil, with what other additives , and/or how to conduct any soil experiments.  They have some documented experience.

I know we will need experimental controls in untreated soil with otherwise identical treatments (added fertilizer, crops grown, watering regimen, etc.).  I also do not think that putting charcoal alone into soil is sufficient to make "Terra Preta".  There seems to be other things that go on, related to the soil microbiology to improve the soil fertility.  We may need to enlist the expertise of outside testing agencies to make some of our observations.  The raw biomass source material used, the temperature, the residence time, proximate analysis, i.e. process for making and the characterization of charcoal used are also parameters that require experimentation (for their effect on resulting soil qualities).  There may also be some sort of "incubation time" required.  That could be years or multiple growing seasons.

I think the best course to follow is for us to take on research tasks individually.  We should write proposals to this group about what we intend to do and how, etc.  Be frank and leave it open for review by others before acting on the plans.  Revise the plans if someone makes an important or useful suggestion.  Post the revised plans.  Do the experiments.  Take notes and pictures to make any observation of the results clear.  Post an experiment description, and observed results summary.  Be patient and diligent with reporting to the "team".  I think that if we cooperate we can achieve more.

Regards,

SKB
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Tom Miles<mailto:tmiles at trmiles.com> 
  To: 'Sean K. Barry'<mailto:sean.barry at juno.com> ; 'Jeff Davis'<mailto:jeff0124 at velocity.net> 
  Cc: 'terrapreta'<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
  Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2007 10:45 PM
  Subject: RE: [Terrapreta] Charcoal Injector


  Sean, Jeff,

   

  Let me ask some fundamental questions like:

   

  What function would charcoal play to improve growth in switchgrass? Would it improve yields? If so how?

   

  Where, how much and in what form should charcoal be applied? A simple slot injection between "rows" might work if it puts it in the right place. 

   

  Would charcoal use reduce the amount of fertilizer used for the same yield?

   

  Too bad we don't have a budget for the agronomic work in the Chariton Valley Biomass Project ( www.iowaswitchgrass.com<http://www.iowaswitchgrass.com/> ) project anymore.   

   

  Tom

   

   

  From: terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org [mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Sean K. Barry
  Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2007 7:31 PM
  To: Jeff Davis
  Cc: terrapreta
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Charcoal Injector

   

  Hi Jeff,

   

  I can't say that I know anything about this.  I would think, though, that one could find a way to inject charcoal into the slot provided by a chisel plow, behind it for instance (if you even use this form of "low till" practice).  Anhydrous ammonia injection is of a liquid.  Possibly, you could pulverize charcoal into very fine dust, mix it with water, and inject it also as a liquid with the same or similar equipment?  Barring that, I would say that the charcoal needs to be "tilled"/"cultivated" into the soil.  Most, I think, consider incorporation to the depth of the root zone is ideal and sufficient (scary when you consider that alfalfa can root 15 feet deep?!).  Is it possible that the switch grass can survive being "tilled" with charcoal into the soil?  Maybe you could wait to let it go to seed, till the charcoal in then, water the shit out of it, and when the sprouts pop, put a little fertilizer on it?

   

  The "SPIKE" or the "NO TILL" injectors from NUHN look like the ticket for doing what you want to do.  I think you just need to make the charcoal into a liquid "slurry" maybe to use it in those equipment.

   

  Just some ideas.

   

  SKB

    ----- Original Message ----- 

    From: Jeff Davis<mailto:jeff0124 at velocity.net> 

    To: terrapreta at bioenergylists.org<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 

    Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2007 8:51 PM

    Subject: [Terrapreta] Charcoal Injector

     

    Dear List,

    Being a switchgrass grower I would not want to plow up the grass in order
    to add charcoal to the soil. I do not think that adding it to the top of
    the grass would do much.

    I do not know anything about these injectors so does anybody know if the
    below machines would inject charcoal into the soil but not damage the
    grass:

    http://www.nuhn.ca/prod_injector.html<http://www.nuhn.ca/prod_injector.html>


    Jeff






    -- 
    Jeff Davis

    Some where 20 miles south of Lake Erie, USA

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