Biochar - Anyone used it?

[bobrown14]

Good point bobrown14. Plus, as much as 10% of the carbon found in the Plains of US from 10,000 years+ of prairie fires. Rumor has it there's pretty good soil in the mid west!

+1 on that - didn't the native Americans burn parts of the prairie to promote healthier bison thru healthier grass for them to feed on? they lived in a symbiotic relationship with bison for thousands of years. White settlers moved in, killed off the Bison and the native Americans, planted corn, now GMO corn cause the soil cant grow corn every year without fertilizers, insecticides and all that craziness.

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

Interesting read.

Biochar has a higher cec rating Cation Exchange Capacity which suggest it can hold on to nutrients longer.

Well rock dust are very slow release form of nutrients it takes years for microorganism to break this stuff down !


The combination of two for out door growing over a period of time should be pretty alright.


How ever biochar or terra preta use dates back to pre-Columbian Amazonians

 

[Conradino23]

Yes it does have high CEC which holds anions which are otherwise easily flushed from the soil. Another benwfit is that beneficial fungi love to colonize it due to porous structure and roots tend to gravitate towards it in soil. I saw big root masses in biochar while preparing the soil, and it's really amazing. Plants tend to get huge with biochar in soil. Last but not least it also adds some sulphur to the soil which is a needed micronutrient.

 

[biocharlie]

The (super)porous nature of the char is really amazing. one gram of biochar is equal to 300-400 cubic meters of surface area, equal to the surface area of a basketball court. Weakly negative charge too, which helps to hold onto (but still make bio-available) nutrients.

 

[Conradino23]

You should see this. They analized nutrients adsorbtion by biochar in outdoor beds vs. beds with no biochar added, and they proved its benefit for it. Still, no factual nutrient density (Brix) performance in soil which is rich in nutrients in the first place. But if you went with low NPK soil like we try to do it in High Brix grows then biochar would have significant effect in my opinion.

 

[Sejd2131]

In Jamaica biochar is used in the fields. I have made my own using charcoal and wood. I mix it into my soil and have seen some very good results. Its organic and fertile for your grow...

 

[Conradino23]

That's taken from biochar-international.org:

Biochar reduces soil acidity which decreases liming needs, but in most cases does not actually add nutrients in any appreciable amount. Biochar made from manure and bones is the exception; it retains a significant amount of nutrients from its source. Because biochar attracts and holds soil nutrients, it potentially reduces fertilizer requirements. As a result, fertilization costs are minimized and fertilizer (organic or chemical) is retained in the soil for longer. In most agricultural situations worldwide, soil pH (a measure of acidity) is low (a pH below 7 means more acidic soil) and needs to be increased. Biochar retains nutrients in soil directly through the negative charge that develops on its surfaces, and this negative charge can buffer acidity in the soil, as does organic matter in general.

Yep biochar reaches 10 to 10,5 PH which is like mild detergent with alkaline agent in it It will up your soil's PH quickly if applied in bulk but in smaller quantities it will nicely pump up your root zone with a lot of nitrogen which won't have to be regulated much by fertilization. Cannabis can benefit both from root growth via fungal growth and sulphur which can be a huge help in flowering if available by plant in any minute. This will also help to retain water, another great thing, which is important in hot climates or in grows where your water reserves are limited

 

[jasper19]

+1 on that - didn't the native Americans burn parts of the prairie to promote healthier bison thru healthier grass for them to feed on? they lived in a symbiotic relationship with bison for thousands of years. White settlers moved in, killed off the Bison and the native Americans, planted corn, now GMO corn cause the soil cant grow corn every year without fertilizers, insecticides and all that craziness.

And the Indians lived in barbaric living conditions with no healthcare, dental care, froze in the winter and suffered thru the conditions that "mother earth" threw at them. Don't paint current agriculture as the root of all evil. Modern agriculture isn't perfect but you get to eat because of it. Your dystopian view of the world is a joke. If the Indians had it so good dump all of your electronics, health care, clothing that's not made from buffalo skins and go live like the savages that lived in the mud.
Nothing like environmentalists that never consider the products they use, like a computer, to bitch about modern tech or where the power comes from. Here is a hint. It doesn't just come from the outlet in the wall.
I give it a week and you will be begging for a trip to taco bell to have a taco made from corn grown from the very people you slam.

 

[Zoidberg13]

Working on my Alpha soil mix and planning to use 2 to 5 percent in my blend. Going to run with a triple compost method adding more premium ingredients per run. Wondering what run to use the carbon? I.E. first run or second run. I will talk to my Carbon supplier.

 

[Conradino23]

First run up to 5% and then recycle it.

 

[Zoidberg13]

Will put it in my run!!! Thanks. Absolutely will recycle it.