[Terrapreta] I question compost and charcoal

[Jim Joyner]

Assuming that charcoal enhances compost, there are some other things to consider.

This might be a great boon to folks wanting to apply charcoal to perennials after they are planted. Obviously, your not going to dig up you apple trees or grapes to blend charcoal into the soil. Applying charcoal topically probably won't work. As my friend Kevin has told me, "worms are smart", they are not going to eat and redeposit charcoal. If, however, you want to apply the charcoal before planting, one would probably apply the charcoal directly to the soil and not bother with compost.

If you are a no-till farmer (like myself), it is very difficult to apply compost effectively or economically.
 I grow most all of the applied (if you will) biomass right in the soil. So I still have to apply the charcoal directly to the soil at the get-go.

If everyone used no till, as I believe they should (get rid of your plows and tillers!), then adding charcoal to compost is not the way to apply it. Of course, there is still the possibility charcoal will improve compost. My question is, unless it is a matter of not having another source of replacement nutirent, why go to all the work of making compost when you can grow the biomass? And, with charcoal already in the soil, likely, even the need for growing biomass is reduced.

Jim

----- Original Message ----
From: Kevin Chisholm <kchisholm at ca.inter.net>
To: dyarrow at nycap.rr.com
Cc: terrapreta preta <terrapreta at bioenergylists.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 25, 2007 8:14:31 AM
Subject: Re:
 [Terrapreta] compost and charcoal


Dear David

I think you are "bang on" with your emphasis of the importance of 
microbial action in soils. I think that their importance is grossly 
under-appreciated. Additionally, fungus is very important, particularly
 
in assisting phosphorous uptake by plants.

 From what I can see, the "chemical agriculture" and "organic 
agriculture" people are trying to impose their thoughts on the "soil 
mechanics" who actually get the job done. Mother Nature has her way of 
doing things, and our best strategy is to be supportive of Her way of 
doing things.

Best wishes,

Kevin

dyarrow at nycap.rr.com wrote:
> when the research is all done and written, i expect the judgment will
 be
> that it is not char that reduces NOx emissions, but microbials.  char
> provides habitat and housing for microbes that process and stabilize
> soil N into non-volatile forms, and char is mostly passive in this
> process.  complex, interactive communities of microbes proliferate
> within the char's spongy matrix, and this explosion of living biomass
 is
> where the real action is.  char's main contribution to this NOx
 emission
> reduction is to absorb and hold the various N ions in the C matrix
> rather than allowing the N compounds to dissolve and leach away.
>
> david
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Kevin Chisholm <kchisholm at ca.inter.net>
> Date: Sunday, November 25, 2007 0:50 am
> Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] compost and charcoal
> To: Gerald Van Koeverden <vnkvrdn at yahoo.ca>
>   
>> Dear Gerrit
>>
>> This sounds to me like a great idea, with no downside.
>>
>> I have seen references to the fact that char reduces soil NO2 
>> emissions. 
>> It might do this by adsorption of teh NO2, or it might help create 
>> different "soil mechanics" that result in
 retention of the NO2 as
 NO4.
>>
>> Additionally, there might be a significant absorption of what would 
>> otherwise be "manure tea", that might leach away.
>>
>> Please keep us posted on anything else you might find.
>>
>> Best wishes,
>>
>> Kevin
>>     
>
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>   



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