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pseudostelariae
Active member
i'll be running a 2 clone side by side with a mix of 1:1:1 coco, worm castings, and perlite vs the same with 5% inoculated biochar in about a month. will be sure to post pictures of the progress.
Including it in a round of compost is an excellent idea. I do not know whether putting it in an active worm bin is effective but I would guess soaking it in a vermicompost slurry would be. We have soaked it in ACT for a short duration to ensure high aerobic activity with success.
We had less success mixing the char with soil/media then soaking with ACT. We experienced the proverbial N lock up and yellowing of plants.
FYI, IMO, IME & AFAIK (how is that for Internet speak?) nitrogen lock up occurs when there is a high rate of carbon, such as lots of wood - lignin and the soil microorganisms utilize all the available N as fuel to degrade the carbon, robbing N from the plants. This usually takes place only when non-composted substances are mixed into the soil/media rather than topdressed. This is the reason I keep recommending topdressing raw organic matter.
We had less success mixing the char with soil/media then soaking with ACT. We experienced the proverbial N lock up and yellowing of plants.
FYI, IMO, IME & AFAIK (how is that for Internet speak?) nitrogen lock up occurs when there is a high rate of carbon, such as lots of wood - lignin and the soil microorganisms utilize all the available N as fuel to degrade the carbon, robbing N from the plants. This usually takes place only when non-composted substances are mixed into the soil/media rather than topdressed. This is the reason I keep recommending topdressing raw organic matter.
I concur tim.
strictly organic precludes miraclegrow.
I used ACT, alfalfa meal, and kelp meal combined...not to take chances (I didn't pee in it).
long soak...
added to both garden and compost pile.
strictly organic precludes miraclegrow.
I used ACT, alfalfa meal, and kelp meal combined...not to take chances (I didn't pee in it).
long soak...
added to both garden and compost pile.
T
Terps
Is biochar best to use crushed to a powder or better as small fragments?
I add it to my wormbins so it eventually becomes a part of my soil mix
crushed.
the more surface area exposed the better it's ability to hold onto nutrients and organisms.
C
ct guy2
Mine is from Black Owl and is a combination of both. I feel like this also gives me a bit of aeration in my soil and will slowly break down over time.
mine is from my stainless steel smoker box and is whatever I want...so I am recycling what I used to throw away...organics rule ...yeehaw ...and yes I grill a lot... I also make char cloth for camping
Excellent ST. I have been using the char from my electric stainless steel smoker box as well, adding it to my worm bin, where it eventually finds its way into my soil.
I got one of these last year and I love it.
http://www.smokin-it.com/Smoker_p/smkmdl1.htm
This style smoker uses hardwood chunks and I have incorporated cherry, hickory and pecan char into my soil as a result.
My worm bin has also received the dust from Lazzari mesquite charcoal and some homemade dogwood char on other occasions. Worms love it, in moderation I'm sure, and so far I like it as part of my soil strategy.
I got one of these last year and I love it.
http://www.smokin-it.com/Smoker_p/smkmdl1.htm
This style smoker uses hardwood chunks and I have incorporated cherry, hickory and pecan char into my soil as a result.
My worm bin has also received the dust from Lazzari mesquite charcoal and some homemade dogwood char on other occasions. Worms love it, in moderation I'm sure, and so far I like it as part of my soil strategy.
I crush mine with the car after I soak it in kelp water. First soak it for a day, then drain the water and use it later. Fill and crush about half a bag at a time, helps if someone moves the bag of coals around while the driver rolls over and back, so ya don't have to keep getting out. Then add it to your mix at rate of 2.5% to 5%, no more than 5%. 1 part of 20.
Ive been reading a decent little bit on Terra Preta and biochar lately and want to try it in my soil next run.
I was looking at buildasoil website has 4 gallons of biochar for $25 shipped but shipping is the killer and makes the cost so high. I saw bags of mesquite lump charcoal for $4 at the grocery store the other day, could I use that at 5% or less in my soil mix provided I soak in some fish hydrolysate, kelp extract, molasses and ewc or brew an ACT, possibly humic acid concentrate in small amount if recommended?
I only need a real small amount right now I am just starting running two soil batches perpetually with one re-amended and "cooking" while the other is flowering. The batches are small, 18-20 gallons each since I only run a 6 sq ft flowering space thats all the soil I need really. Anyway point being I need very little so buying it and having it shipped is not cost effective so either should I get the $4 bag of mesquite lump charcoal which will be enough for both soil batches will run or should I make one of those nifty paint can biochar furnaces and make my own?
Also I have an old "dead" carbon filter around, granulated carbon not pellets, if that would be good to use then I can use that its already broken into tiny pieces.
I was looking at buildasoil website has 4 gallons of biochar for $25 shipped but shipping is the killer and makes the cost so high. I saw bags of mesquite lump charcoal for $4 at the grocery store the other day, could I use that at 5% or less in my soil mix provided I soak in some fish hydrolysate, kelp extract, molasses and ewc or brew an ACT, possibly humic acid concentrate in small amount if recommended?
I only need a real small amount right now I am just starting running two soil batches perpetually with one re-amended and "cooking" while the other is flowering. The batches are small, 18-20 gallons each since I only run a 6 sq ft flowering space thats all the soil I need really. Anyway point being I need very little so buying it and having it shipped is not cost effective so either should I get the $4 bag of mesquite lump charcoal which will be enough for both soil batches will run or should I make one of those nifty paint can biochar furnaces and make my own?
Also I have an old "dead" carbon filter around, granulated carbon not pellets, if that would be good to use then I can use that its already broken into tiny pieces.
Bueno, as long as the mesquite charcoal is 100% mesquite then it shouldn't be a problem at all.
I have never tried the carbon from a filter.
Re: BuildASoil, check out the build a box option for small custom orders. I just ordered a 40 cup box of small black lava rock, oyster shell flour, mineral mix, glacial rock dust and basalt.
http://buildasoil.com/products/build-a-box-large
I have never tried the carbon from a filter.
Re: BuildASoil, check out the build a box option for small custom orders. I just ordered a 40 cup box of small black lava rock, oyster shell flour, mineral mix, glacial rock dust and basalt.
http://buildasoil.com/products/build-a-box-large
Nice, ya I was going to do the build a box 40 cup box too once I decide what amendments Im going to be using to re-amend or top dress and decide how many cups of each to get. Right now I have the BAS ClackamasCoots kit in my soil mixes right now. Has all kinds of good stuff in it, neem, karanja, crustacean meal, kelp, glacial rock dust, brix blend basalt, gypsum, and oyster shell.
Probably will stick with those amendments when I order a build a box and add a couple more inputs in small amounts for more variety.
Probably will stick with those amendments when I order a build a box and add a couple more inputs in small amounts for more variety.
Thinking about it, it was probably reading your thread that I first found out about buildasoil since it was quite recent. I was happy for the reference, even though I immediately forgot where I read it, since it allowed me to get small amounts of some items I wanted to incorporate into my soil for the sake of diversity and remineralization in the long run. Thank you for mentioning them.
HAH! Glad I am not the only one using smoker refuse. Big Chief never saw this coming.... XD
I haven't really looked in to this, but there was a commercial biochar producer on here recently, claiming that temperature was key, the higher the better. Any idea'rs on that? I may poke around the ternetin later today.
I haven't really looked in to this, but there was a commercial biochar producer on here recently, claiming that temperature was key, the higher the better. Any idea'rs on that? I may poke around the ternetin later today.
