[Terrapreta] Potatoes + Tires + Terra Preta

[Richard Haard]

Jeff

Thank you Michael - I was going to say good idea. If you read my  
recent post you can see I was frustrated attempting to include this  
research into a producing farm. My friend Larry composted his  
charcoal and did his experimental work in an about 30' raised bed. I  
like the idea of a replicated experiment using containerized plants.  
The image I presented showing plant root and fungal activity on the  
large chunks of char is quite inspiring.

I may be similarly inspired to try this approach this summer myself  
perhaps 5 gallon or much larger containers .

It is worth while to review the randomized block experiment conducted  
by Christoph Steiner in Brazil. Here he multiple cropped back to back  
for (?) 3 years and recorded yields of several kinds of crops. His  
treatments were charcoal, charcoal+fertilizer, and control. What is  
really impressive about his work is that subsequent crops on  
fertilizer plus charcoal continued to improve without addition of  
fertilizer.

Also to see the terra preta effect as it is expressed in the moist  
tropics the the soil or growing medium should be subjected to  
leaching as the tropical soils are. We have a sandy loam here - I am  
wondering if other list readers have comments on experimental design  
and growing medium.

Rich Haard
On Feb 23, 2007, at 6:53 AM, Michael Bailes wrote:

> This month's ABC Gardening magazine has a comment by Peter Cundal  
> on Tires
> He says "There is evidence that toxic substances such as high  
> aromatic oils within the treads of certain tires can leach out into  
> the soil and be taken up by plants such as carrots, parsnips and  
> other nearby crops.
>
>  My advice is to carry out some research and proceed with care.
>
>  In the last year some manufacturers have been excluding these  
> toxic compounds from tires"
>  P 12 Gardening Australia Feb 2007
>
> On 23/02/07, Jeff Davis <jeff0124 at velocity.net> wrote:
> Dear List,
>
> This year I will be growing potatoes in old tires. Would it be  
> helpfull to
> mix charcoal in with the compost before filling the tires?
>
> Maybe I should have a control group??
>

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