[Terrapreta] Biochar and the nitrogen cycle

[Greg and April]

Char will decrease nitrogen run off, only if you convince farmers to decrease nitrogen application and since most farmers apply more nitrogen and other macro nutrients ( phosphorous and potassium ), than is actually needed any way in the belief that it is actually helping - I wish you good luck.


Only education alone in this area will actually stop the use of excess fertilizer.    

Char can help by decreasing the amount needed to be applied at any one time, but until you can get the farmer past the belief that "more is better" all it will do is slow things down for a short time, until it is saturated, then it will go back to the same level of run off, if the application rates do not fall dramatically.

Greg H.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Michael Bailes 
  To: Terra Preta 
  Sent: Sunday, May 18, 2008 22:50
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Biochar and the nitrogen cycle


  Interesting article thanks
  I was not aware that nitrogen was a"problem" except' in excess and in run-off into creeks rivers dams etc.
  Char should decrease such run-off.

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