[Terrapreta] Soil test and CEC

[Jim Joyner]

Has anyone here ever done or seen a before-and-after (charcoal)
soil test, particularly with an eye to the cation exchange capacity
(CEC)?



Seems to me, that is the issue in a nutshell. If the CEC is increased
then we have a better potential soil, period.  I say potential because a
higher CEC simply indicates greater holding capacity for nutrient. But
if the CEC is higher, we at least know what needs to be done next and
what to add to the soil. The rest is economics.



I read somewhere in the list archives that there was a concern about
whether or not the charcoal was created at high or low temps (I'm
speaking of wood or trees.). That might make a difference but there is
no reason to think so. I mean, wood has little or no nutrient in it to
begin with. Maybe a little potassium, but pyrolysis doesn't change
that. Potassium doesn't go away in any event. High temp, low
temp, burn it to ash and the potassium is still there. And most soils have sufficient potassium, even the sorry stuff I farm in.



There was some comment about the possibility of "resins" being left in
low temp charcoal. So what? That just means there are still some
hydrocarbons left and that just means there some un-combusted hydrogen.
Either way, that hydrogen is going to go away and carbon is going to be
left -- maybe in a less permanent state than charcoal.  

But going back to my original comment, it's the CEC
that counts. Everything else simply follows. If the CEC is greater and more mutients are available, of course plants will do better and soil biological life will be enhanced. How could it not?



Jim



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