[Terrapreta] CORRECTION re: Terra preta 101

[Kevin Chisholm]

Dear Sean

If Carbon is insoluble in water, how can it change alkalinity or pH?

Kevin

Sean K. Barry wrote:
> Hi Allan,
>  
> Yes, I agree.   Charcoal put into acidic soils (with lower pH) can raise 
> the pH, buffering the acidity, making the soil more alkaline.
> Charcoal and ash are both alkaline, ash more so than charcoal.  Alkaline 
> is HIGHER pH.
>  
> Regards,
>  
> SKB
> 
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     *From:* Allan Balliett <mailto:aballiett at frontiernet.net>
>     *To:* Michael Bailes <mailto:michaelangelica at gmail.com> ;
>     terrapreta at bioenergylists.org <mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org>
>     *Sent:* Thursday, September 20, 2007 4:54 AM
>     *Subject:* [Terrapreta] CORRECTION re: Terra preta 101
> 
>     Mihael Bailes said:
> 
>      >Charcoal will lower pH. Ash will lower it drastically
> 
> 
>     Like I often do, I think you flipped a bit on what moves soil sweet
>     and what moves it sour.
> 
>     Here's a comment from the U of Conn on the affects of wood ash on
>     garden soils:
> 
>      >Wood ash acts on the soil much like limestone in that it raises the
>      >pH or alkalinity of the soil. Consequently, many wood stove burners
>      >dump the ashes on their garden site with the thought that they are
>      >improving the soil condition of their garden. Yet unlike limestone,
>      >which can take six months sunfloweror more to take effect, wood ash
>      >has high water solubility and quickly changes the soil pH. This can
>      >cause a problem with raising the soil pH over the optimum level of
>      >6.5 to 7.0 if we spread too many ashes in the same area. A soil pH
>      >over the optimum level can affect plants as adversely as a pH that
>      >is too low. High pH will limit the uptake of important soil
>      >nutrients needed by the plant such as phosphorous, iron, and
>      >magnesium.
> 
>     I'm here to tell you: you don't want to get your soil pH higher than
>     7.5 if you want your gardening efforts to be productive.
> 
>     Here's a perhaps off-topic question for you soil scientists: what is
>     the relationship between "alkalinity" and 'pH'? I've been lowering
>     the pH of my well water (8.2) with the addition of vinegar for foliar
>     spraying and find that test strips may show a pH of 6.0 but we are
>     still over the top on alkalinity, even if I add an agricultural soil
>     softener and bring us into the test strip 'soft' range.
> 
>     -Allan Balliett
>     Fresh and Local CSA
>     Shepherdstown, WV
> 
> 
> 
> 
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