[Terrapreta] Global Carbon Cycle

[Robert Niederman]

Charcoal is sold in my local nursery for orchids at $ 5 for a very tiny
bag.   They report that charcoal used for barbecue is unsuitable for
plants because of contaminants.

Bob Niederman

-----Original Message-----
From: terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org
[mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Tom Miles
Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 9:40 AM
To: 'Kelpie Wilson'; 'Kevin Chisholm'
Cc: terrapreta at bioenergylists.org
Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Global Carbon Cycle

Kelpie,

Following is a common description you find in garden books:
http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/node/198

Charcoal in Secrets to Great Soil: A Grower's Guide to Composting,
Mulching,
and Creating Healthy, Fertile Soil for Your Garden and Lawn (Storey's
Gardening Skills Illustrated)
Elizabeth P. Stell in tdc's Farmgate

"Charcoal used as an aggregate keeps soils 'sweet', and has value
somewhere
between bark and lava rock. It is used as a base layer in planters and
as a
filter media. Charcoal is also used to contain chemical spills and thus
may
capture nutrients and pesticides used in plant cultures. The ability of
plants to recapture these elements and in what form is unknown to this
author. However, charcoal has proven to be an excellent aggregate in
epiphytic culture and a good substrate in planting beds."

Tom Miles

> -----Original Message-----
> From: terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org [mailto:terrapreta-
> bounces at bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Kelpie Wilson
> Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 9:25 AM
> To: Kevin Chisholm
> Cc: terrapreta at bioenergylists.org
> Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Global Carbon Cycle
> 
> Hey Kevin,
> I was just reporting on what a garden store owner's state of
> knowledge about charcoal is. She said that it is good to "sweeten"
> the water because it sits in the bottom of the pot (I guess she has a
> pan under the pot to hold the water). Without the charcoal it gets
> slimy I guess. I told her all about biochar and she had an "aha"
> moment and thought it sounded very interesting. I told her I was
> doing trials in my own garden and I would let her know how it goes.
> -Kelpie
> 
> 
> At 08:59 AM 6/5/2007, Kevin Chisholm wrote:
> >Dear Kelpie
> >
> >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?
> > >
> > > -Kelpie
> >
> >She might be a wonderful person, and might mean well, but my thoughts
> >are she doesn't have a clue.
> >
> >1: Why "sweeten" water water that is going to drain away from the
> plants?
> >
> >2: Ask her to define what she means by "sweeten"
> >
> >3: Charcoal Starter Additives are usually nitrates, or petroleum
> >products (waxes, plastics, etc) The former should make the plants
grow
> >better, if she saved the excess leach water, and then used it to
water
> >the plants the next time around. The latter are insoluble, and should
> >behave as though they weren't there.
> >
> >4: Why waste good charcoal as a mere drainage medium, when she could
> >accomplish the same basic thing with stones that are alot cheaper?
> >
> >5: Did she mention anything about crushing up the charcoal and mixing
> it
> >with the soil? If not, then she is prolly missing the point.
> >
> >I might be wrong, but those are my thoughts. :-) Please let me know
if
> I
> >am in error.
> >
> >Best wishes,
> >
> >Kevin
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
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> 
> 
> 
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