[Terrapreta] Global Carbon Cycle

[rukurt at westnet.com.au]

Kelpie Wilson wrote:
> I was in my local garden center the other day talking to the owner 
> about charcoal. She said that she puts it in the bottom of pots 
> instead of rocks to "sweeten" the water. She sells tiny little 5 pound 
> bags of horticultural charcoal but she said that it's ok to use 
> regular charcoal briquettes as long as you buy the cheapest kind that 
> has no additives to make it start easier.
> Any thoughts on that?
>
Yes, it's a common practice. Try charcoal briquettes with some plants 
you don't mind losing. If they do well, use that particular brand and 
type all the time. The easy lighting ones are likely to be impregnated 
with saltpetre and your plants won't like the sodium in that, nor the 
concentrated nitrate.

That won't make terrapreta though. Make your own charcoal for preference.


Kurt