[Terrapreta] biochar and no-till

[Kevin Chisholm]

Dear May

How do you propose to grind or pulverize your charcoal? What approximate size range are you targeting?

Applying fine dry charcoal would be a messy job, with probable driftage losses. You may wish to consider making a slurry with water, and then spraying the water/charcoal mix. Alternatively, you may wish to consider making your mulch very moist, and then pre-mixing the charcoal powder with the mulch, and then apply the mulch on the ground surface.

Best wishes,

Kevin
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: May Waddington 
  To: Kevin Chisholm 
  Cc: Etelvino Henrique Novotny ; Terra Preta ; greg nagle 
  Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2008 6:21 PM
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] biochar and no-till


  Just another thought... we have established a policy at BD farm that we will mulch, mulch and mulch. This is very different from local traditional practice. Locals "clean" the sandy soil at least twice a year... maybe the charcoal beneath the mulch will be protected from strong winds....


  2008/7/1 May Waddington <may.waddington at gmail.com>:

    In the experiment we are designing at the Buriti Doce farm, we are definitedly counting on the rain to do the trick. The soil is rather sandy, the weather is extremelly hot and dry at this time of the year. We are planning to apply the char/mixed with organic materials just before the rains come in, later on this year.  According to Kevins suggestion, the finest we grind the char the better, uhn? Another reason for waiting on it: dry months are very windy! It would blow away!

    May




    2008/7/1 Kevin Chisholm <kchisholm at ca.inter.net>:


      Dear Etelvino

      Lou asks a very important question. 

      If the char was spread on the surface, how could it get "migrated" to depth without tilling?

      At the present, I can see only two possible mechanisms:
      1: Being ingested by earthworms, and being discharged at depth
      2: Powered charcoal being washed down earthworm holes or burrows.

      If earthworm ingestion was a mechanism, how finely ground would the charcoal have to be, for the earthworms to ingest it? 

      Do earthworms deposit any of their castings below the surface, or do they bring them to the surface and deposit them there?

      Can you see any other mechanisms that could get a significant quantity of char to depth, other than possibly earthworms, or the results of their activity?

      Best wishes,

      Kevin 
        ----- Original Message ----- 
        From: Etelvino Henrique Novotny 
        To: lou gold 
        Cc: Terra Preta ; greg nagle 
        Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2008 12:06 PM
        Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] biochar and no-till


        Dear Lou, I didn't make a revision on the subject or some experiment,
        but I suggest the application of the fine grounded charcoal together
        with some cultural practice, for example seedling or fertilizer. May
        be the concomitant application of charcoal with fertilizer (no-till
        system) could add the beneficial effect of decrease nutrient lost,
        mainly N...

        All the best, Etelvino.

        2008/6/29 lou gold <lou.gold at gmail.com>:
        > Can someone direct me to to articles that explain how
        > biochar is applied to the soils without tilling? I'm
        > interested in the application process for both farm
        > and forest contexts.
        >
        > Thanks,
        >
        > lou
        >



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        Etelvino Henrique Novotny
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