[Terrapreta] Soil test and CEC Stephen?????

[Michael Bailes]

On 03/11/2007, Michael Angel <michaelangelica at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> <terrapreta at bioenergylists.org>
>
>
>
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> 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.
>

Yes there is.
>From what I have read char made at lower temps c400C has more bio oils and
therefore more biological activity at least with rainforest trees.
There are many types of char
I have yet to see CEC for different types, varieties, temps, etc

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.
>

You are talking about Ash and only the chemistry of that.
Not its biogical potential Char is different from ash

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.
>

Those bio-resins seem to be very important to soil microflra/fauna

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



Yep
Want to start a PhD? and find out for sure?

Interesting that some things heated at high temp have very high CEC eg
Vermiculite.


>
> --
>
Michael the Archangel

"You can fix all the world's problems in a garden. . . .
Most people don't know that"
FROM
http://www.blog.thesietch.org/wp-content/permaculture.swf
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