[Terrapreta] char organic?

[Michael Bailes]

>
>
> While, I suspect almost any soil can benefit from charcoal, for organic
> growers, only a few of us who have special case poor soils need it (like
> amazon farmers or farmers like me with light silty, sandy soils).
>
> Best regards
>
> Jim
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
I think this is sadly short-sighted.
Organic farmers do add carbon to the soil in the form of organic matter all
the time. Charcoal is just a special form of this.
Charcoal's huge advantage to the organic farmer is the increase it soil
microbial life is provides. Erich talks about "wee beastie" 'condos' and if
you look at electron microscope pictures of charcoal you will see what he
means. Charcoal provides and ideal environment for many soil organisms.
Charcoal acts as a catalyst to the organic matter the Organic farmer is
already adding to his soil. Thus helping maintain soil microbial life and
hence fertility.

Yes, a  traditional chemical farmer will get value from charcoal, as less of
his fertiliser will run off into the local creek, but without organic matter
and soil micro-organisms much is lost.
The whole "terra preta" concept  fits much better with organic and bio
dynamic gardening than conventional farming.
How many pottery shards have you added to your fields today?


> <http://info.bioenergylists.org>
>
>
-- 
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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