[Terrapreta] Terra Preta Trials 2007

[Bruno M.]

Kelpie you wrote:  " ... we have to burn anyway. "
That's not true, and in many country's even illegal.

You can also chose to compost the stuff, no smoking stinking air 
pollution, no fire(-risk),
and a lot of useful soil amendment as a result.

But then, ... you don't get charcoal to make your Terra Preta.

Another aspect of your scenario, all the ash you put in your garden 
may or may not
be a benefit to your plants, ash makes the Ph of your soil higher, 
not al plants like that.

Grts
Bruno M.
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At 20:50 25/03/2007, Kelpie wrote:
>Here in the Oregon woods, we are constantly clearing small trees and 
>brush around our houses to increase our fire safety. We clear the 
>brush and then make burn piles - spring and fall you will see small 
>burn piles in every back yard. I asked my husband to try to make his 
>burn pile a little cooler to make more charcoal and less ash. After 
>all the small stuff - leaves and small branches - burned up, he 
>misted it with the hose to cool it down and left it smoldering all 
>night. The next day we put the fire out completely with water. We 
>ended up with a nice pile of charcoal for the garden, about 3 
>wheelbarrow loads of mixed charcoal and ash.
>
>I figure that if nothing else, we are keeping some carbon out of the 
>atmosphere by controlling the burn pile this way - we have to burn anyway.
>
>Does anyone have any tips for how much of this charcoal to put in my 
>garden beds? They are raised beds about 4 feet wide and 20 feet 
>long. How thick a charcoal layer do I need? How deep into the soil 
>should I bury it?
>
>Thanks,
>Kelpie
>
>
>At 05:01 PM 3/24/2007, Richard Haard wrote:
>>On Mar 24, 2007, at 10:48 AM, Tom Miles wrote:
>>
>>>We learn by doing. We learn by example. And we learn from each 
>>>other. As far as I know..........
>>
>>
>>And thank you Tom for the opportunity to interact with one another 
>>and to spend time reading the collection of fine articles and posts 
>>you are maintaining.
...
>>Best to all
>>Rich Haard, Bellingham, Washington
>>______________________________________________
>>Terrapreta mailing list
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