[Terrapreta] Composting with Char

[Kevin Chisholm]

I would like to try some experiments of composting with char. Note that 
this is not simply mixing compost with char, but rather adding char to 
kitchen scraps and turning them periodically to aerate.

Char will be low temperature char, sized to 100% -4 MM. I tentatively 
propose to run with about 1 part char to three parts compostable waste, 
by volume,  from the kitchen sourced compostables.

Would anyone have suggestions on minimum or maximum amounts of char? Or, 
any suggestions for other additives?

Dr. Karve's process of composting "in place" seems to make the greatest 
sense. Would it inherently be better to compost with a soil addition to 
the char and vegetative matter?

What about the following "recipe:
1 volume of charcoal
1 volume of soil
3 volumes of compostable vegetative material.

When finished, this should be roughly 1 part charcoal, 1 part soil, and 
1 part compost. This could be added to the soil by tilling in to the 
soil, or, by being spread on the surface, if "no-till agriculture" was 
employed.

Any other comments or suggestions?

Best wishes,

Kevin