[Terrapreta] SEED BALLS

[Richard Haard]

I strongly do not agree. I see no reason to single out this posting  
with everything else that comes through.

This is directly relatated to design of research using charcoal  
powder. I would rather have innovations using charcoal discussed in  
open forums and put into general use than dealing with trade secret  
and patent protected before we can use the application.

What better way to put charcoal in contact with plants. We can move  
from tons per acre to ounces per acre needed for a tp nova situation.


Rich
On May 24, 2008, at 7:54 PM, Michael Bailes wrote:

> Benjamin this is all very interesting but this list is about Terra  
> preta and issues relating to that.
> Could you please restrict your posts to that topic or at least show  
> how what you are posting is relevant to the topic.
> Thank you
> Michael Bailes
> TP List Moderator
>
> 2008/5/25 Benjamin Domingo Bof <benjaminbof at yahoo.com.ar>:
> On Seedballs
>
> Seedballs are seeds wrapped in a mixture of red clay and fine  
> compost and rolled into balls about one-half inch in diameter or  
> smaller.
>
> They can be an effective way to provide broadcast sown seeds with  
> protection from birds, insects and other creatures.
>
> They can be useful in broadcast sowing food crops, and also for  
> ecosystem modifications such as restoring native plants or  
> regenerating plants in damaged or other plant-deficient areas.
>
> The words "can be" are used because they don't always work the way  
> one hopes. Their effectiveness depends upon environmental conditions  
> and timing. It takes rain or irrigation to dissolve the clay and  
> release the seeds to germination, and even if the seeds are released  
> the resulting seedlings could be overwhelmed and suppressed by  
> existing vegetation.
>
> The most commonly used basic formula for making seedballs is to take  
> one part of seeds (by volume), three parts of relatively dry and  
> sifted compost, and five parts of dry powdered red clay. Mix the  
> seeds into the compost to partially coat the seeds with the compost,  
> and then mix the powdered clay in to coat the seeds/compost. Then  
> start adding water sparingly until you have a somewhat thick mud  
> pile. Break off a small chunk (about the size of a marble) of this  
> mud pile with your fingers or a small spoon and then roll the chunk  
> in the palms of your hands until it feels firm. Set aside to dry,  
> break off another chunk, and keep repeating until the mud pile is  
> gone.
>
> Some people add microorganism inoculants to the mixture. Some add  
> powdered hot red pepper to increase repulsion of creatures that  
> might otherwise feed on the seeds.
>
> Some people mass produce seedballs by putting the seeds/compost/clay  
> mixture into a large rotating drum, such as a cement or mortar mixer  
> with smooth interior walls, adding water, and extracting the  
> seedballs as they are formed to the right size by the revolving  
> action of the mixer.
>
> Before you start making and using seedballs it is important to do  
> some research and do a little thinking about what you might unleash  
> if your seedballs work. There is an inherent danger in their use -  
> the introduction of plants into an ecosystem that become invasive  
> and destructive to existing desirable vegetation.
>
> An excellent place to start your research is at the seedballs.com  
> website. There are several articles about how to make and use  
> seedballs, how they have been used to modify ecosystems in a  
> beneficial way, and about what you really need to think about before  
> you start making and using them.
>
> -- Lawrence Haftl
>
>
> Tarjeta de crédito Yahoo! de Banco Supervielle. Solicitá tu nueva  
> Tarjeta de crédito. De tu PC directo a tu casa.
> Visitá www.tuprimeratarjeta.com.ar
>
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>
> -- 
> Michael the Archangel
> "Politicians will never solve The Problem;
> because they don't realise they are The Problem.".
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