[Terrapreta] biochar and no-till

[Larry Williams]

Lou-------My solution to the problem of moving charcoal into the  
soil, for better or worst, is to make a very fine power out of it and  
with water (urine, rock dust, garden weeds for added richness and a  
couple of weeks in solution) then drench the soil. This is an effort  
to duplicate, in part, the movement of suspension of clay particles  
threw the soil in water.

I have seen the fine particles of clay, in suspension, move through  
several hundred feet of Pacific NW forest duff (0-12 inches / 0-30  
centimeters) and cloud up a fairly large pond. Of course, this was a  
800 home housing tract and the discharge water from an overfilled  
detention pond through a 6" (15 centimeter) pipe likely discharged   
several thousand gallons of storm water. A similar event happened  
with a an uphill pile of exposed excavated subsoil. In this case, the  
sediment was put in to motion by rain drops off the branches of Cedar  
trees. The suspended material traveled 50 feet (15 meters) in the  
duff layer (not surfacing) till reaching a gravel driveway.

It would be advisable to add the charcoal fines under a dryer soil  
conditions so that the suspension does not travel to far.

I know that this is a small percentage of the charcoal and at the  
same time who said we needed to replicate 1 to 6,000 years of  
application in one effort. In addition, manual turning of a surface  
accumulation of fine charcoal, the washing of fine particles into  
hoof prints or into critter holes cannot be excluded.

This is an idea that I am working with and labor and  energy  
intensive techniques can be done by others... as long as the oil  
flows. Hugs and, to all, I will pass on any kisses. Your a pleasure  
to write to-------Larry


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On Jun 29, 2008, at 1:20 PM, lou gold wrote:

> 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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