[Terrapreta] Charcoal, Earthworms and Switchgrass

[Larry Williams]

Tom-------It seems that jump starting the earthworm population due to  
the prior herbicide usage and tillage practices might be in order.  
The question is how fast would the charcoal get into the soil if the  
earthworm population is reduced or minimal at best. I am not a farmer  
although my background includes training in forest ecology which I  
have applied to urban landscaping with good results. Some forest  
ecology also applies to my gardening techniques which are different  
from no till agriculture and permaculture.

I have used a 5' rototiller for years in my landscaping before I  
realized that soil mixing destroys soil structure. I really didn't  
understand what the structure of soil was. Soil structure, as I know  
it, is a myriad of structured pathways and play pens whether created  
by roots, critters, vermin or different combinations of these  
activities. Ecological diversity teaches me a lot of lessons. I now  
believe that rototilling would be alright for crop roots provide rain  
didn't settle the soil, i.e. compact it to a greater or lesser degree  
depending on the puddling of water. The plow pan is another lessen in  
compaction that limit root growth needed for some plants.

Just as a point of reference, a permaculturist that gardens near me  
can easily put his hand up to his mid-palm into his garden site. I  
was impressed. I use a shovel to much to be able to accomplish the  
same in my garden site although I lightly layer with a variety of  
organics continuously throughout the year to encourage biological  
activity in the soil. This layering following a pattern in forest  
ecology.

In the fall if charcoal was spread over a test patch or a field of  
switchgrass, could a disc lightly mix it into the top two 2-3 inches  
without damaging the switchgrass to badly. There must be some  
existing earthworms down to the microorganisms and micro fauna that  
would more quickly benefit with the charcoal in the soil rather than  
on the soil.

If i remember correctly, a healthy population of earthworms can move  
an inch of dirt to the surface in 100 years. Just curious how to  
shorten the amount of time to restore the soil's growth potential  
without oil or with a minimum amount of oil. Earthworms and charcoal  
(and liming?) may be part of the answer. In a different situation  
fallen leaves would be another part of the answer. The near future  
will be far different than what we know today-------Larry



---------------------------------
On Apr 12, 2007, at 8:38 PM, Tom Miles wrote:

> A technique suggested today by folks in the Southern Iowa is to apply
> biochar on switchgrass in the late winter and let the snow and rain  
> work it
> in. Wind is clearly a problem.
>
> There was interest in the idea of using bio-char as a soil  
> amendment to
> bring up the productivity of areas of poor quality, hard clay. So  
> you may
> not treat the whole field but just the areas that need it. They're  
> applying
> about 35-40 lbs N/acre as urea applied with the herbicides.
>
> A side comment was that the heavy use of anhydrous ammonia on these  
> fields
> in earlier years of intensive corn and soybean killed off much of  
> the large
> earthworm population. From what I have seen bio-char seems to be a  
> good way
> of restoring the earthworm population which obviously would have  
> positive
> effects on soil texture.
>
> Tom Miles
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org
> [mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Jeff Davis
> Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2007 4:25 PM
> To: terrapreta at bioenergylists.org
> Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Charcoal, Earthworms and Switchgrass
>
>
> Kurt wrote:
>> Another possible way of preparing the charcoal for adding to the soil
>> might be to mix with a bit of clay and form it into little balls, by
>> agglomeration, a subject that Jeff is very familiar with from his  
>> work
>> with fireballs. The biggest problem with powdered charcoal seems  
>> to be
>> the messiness and easy transport on the wind. The idea of  
>> agglomerating
>> it into small balls (I visualise leadshot size) is also similar to  
>> the
>> seed covering ideas one finds in "The Onestraw Revolution" by  
>> Fukuofa.
>
> I would use water for the charcoal binder, lot easyer than clay.  
> And, yes,
> water is a binder.
>
>
> Jeff
>
>
>
>
> -- 
> Jeff Davis
>
> Some where 20 miles south of Lake Erie, USA
>
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