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Oh - the holes are 24" squares and 15" deep.
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Terra Preta - Dark Soil - Experiment
- Thread starter SilverSurfer_OG
- Start date
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Part of the terra petra soil is ceramic(pottery) shards in the soil. Espoma has come out with Soil Perfector...kiln dried ceramic mineral to add to the soil. I can't find it locally but it looks like might be interesting.
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jaykush said:
Yeah if ya click on the pic it shows it better. Y takin the mickey out of me retarded fotograffic skills hmmm?
I'm thinkin the mantis prolly does no good, only a poser....
Ceramics/pottery - Yes. I'm looking up some of this and the bones too.
I'm beginning to collect bones, it's a lot cleaner and less smelly than it sounds. If you have cat/s...
I eat my meals and give the bones to the cats they work all the meat gristle etc off and leave nice clean little bits that dry in the sun. If they miss anything the ants take it. You could probably do this with ants alone if they're fast enough to beat the rot.
Fish bones, chicken bones, lamb and beef. Starting a wee pile to put in a future TP plot.
now the ceramics - being clay I think a portion of clay soil may be helping my mix along as well. Fired and hardened ceramic pieces could possibly be made from clay while making the charcoal?
The charcoal alone is a great microbial reef and assists in water retention. The clay I think may have more to do with Carbon Exchange Capacity in so far as benefits to the Tera Preta are concerned. Theorising again.
In sphagnum moss the higher the CEC the faster the degree of degradation. So increasing the CEC in the soil and adding compost should ultimately speed up the creation of humus which in turn will perpetuate itself (with organic additions) - The original TP also has much organic material that doesn't degrade - humus.
Two types of clay are recognized, silicate clays and iron and aluminum hydroxide clays. Agricultural regions are dominated by silicate clays.
Anyone recall reading what type of clay is in the region of the TP? I think it may be the iron and aluminium hydroxide clays which are more the red and yellow soils. Identifying the TP pottery clay type, and then the source of your own clay or pottery, may well help the final results.
This '2 types of clay' is very broad sweeping. There are many sub categories, a myriad of varying other minerals... other means of classification even.
I got no problem looking further into it once I identify which type I'm looking into.
Have I said - Tera Preta Rocks!
Rock on Bongsong!
The silica in the clay will be very beneficial for our plants
Have to get me hands on some... theres plenty of sun baked bones laying around here i can scavenge too. Have to get me something to smash em up in.
My girls in the TP are going well. Still no real difference between the mediums yet but still early days. They have been punished a bit with possums having a go and me spraying them with dilute fish sauce which fried some fan leaves...the Mex sativa in coco is budding nicely.
The plants in TP are bit bushier and recovered well from their punishment. They havnt stretched as much either but of course that could be genetics.
They go from left to right: TP in homemade soil - homemade soil - TP in coco/perlite/compost - coco/perlte/compost
Harvested a few indoors that were in a bit of charcoal. Lots of new stuff going on here so hard to tie down any particular benefits... but they are very nice buds. Heres a pic of some Moroc x Afghani, Bigbud and Menage a trois that are in a mix of coco, perlite, compost and charcoal.
The silica in the clay will be very beneficial for our plants
Have to get me hands on some... theres plenty of sun baked bones laying around here i can scavenge too. Have to get me something to smash em up in.
My girls in the TP are going well. Still no real difference between the mediums yet but still early days. They have been punished a bit with possums having a go and me spraying them with dilute fish sauce which fried some fan leaves...the Mex sativa in coco is budding nicely.
The plants in TP are bit bushier and recovered well from their punishment. They havnt stretched as much either but of course that could be genetics.
They go from left to right: TP in homemade soil - homemade soil - TP in coco/perlite/compost - coco/perlte/compost
Harvested a few indoors that were in a bit of charcoal. Lots of new stuff going on here so hard to tie down any particular benefits... but they are very nice buds. Heres a pic of some Moroc x Afghani, Bigbud and Menage a trois that are in a mix of coco, perlite, compost and charcoal.
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13 1/4 hours daylight here today, slowly decreasing...
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Yeah gotta show off my hard work! 
The simplicity of this is what makes it so wonderful. Well simple as you want to make it...
Its all about the love baby
Wont most ganja plants survive a frost?
The simplicity of this is what makes it so wonderful. Well simple as you want to make it...
Its all about the love baby
Wont most ganja plants survive a frost?
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edit.....
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secure a tea
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He he cool, i can actually see the mantis now
Thats awesome with your peppers. You did mention ph issues with your normal pepper but i take it this is sorted now.
My plants with the charcoal are doing well. I have one reclining buddah in plain coco and one in my soil mix with 30% charcoal. They are clones from same mother. It will be interesting to see if TP can produce results as good as coco indoors. I will post up some pics in a day or two.
I now have cabbages, broccoli, cauliflowers and leeks growing in boxes with charcoal so will see how they go.
Not sure about your fungal tea but i just gave all mine a bacterial/fungi tea. Not sure if i managed to grow fungi as its my first go...
Thats awesome with your peppers. You did mention ph issues with your normal pepper but i take it this is sorted now.
My plants with the charcoal are doing well. I have one reclining buddah in plain coco and one in my soil mix with 30% charcoal. They are clones from same mother. It will be interesting to see if TP can produce results as good as coco indoors. I will post up some pics in a day or two.
I now have cabbages, broccoli, cauliflowers and leeks growing in boxes with charcoal so will see how they go.
Not sure about your fungal tea but i just gave all mine a bacterial/fungi tea. Not sure if i managed to grow fungi as its my first go...
ThaiPhoon
Active member
Terra Preta is great! Check out these plants. They were in small black plastic pots before I transplanted them into the TP mix. The soil became so hot and really negatively affected the plants. Now they are in nice big clay pots with a TP mix !!
Here is the mix they are in:
30% coconut coir
7.5% used coffee grounds
17.5% rice husk charcoal
15% rice husks
15% ewc
15% home made compost
To the 5 or 6 gallons of that stuff I mixed up, I added a cup or 2 of the following
azomite, thai bat guano, sugar cane compost, organic neem based fertilizer, and wet the whole mixture with water mixed with molasses and humic and fulvic acid. I let that whole mix set for 4 weeks before I used it.
Here is the mix they are in:
30% coconut coir
7.5% used coffee grounds
17.5% rice husk charcoal
15% rice husks
15% ewc
15% home made compost
To the 5 or 6 gallons of that stuff I mixed up, I added a cup or 2 of the following
azomite, thai bat guano, sugar cane compost, organic neem based fertilizer, and wet the whole mixture with water mixed with molasses and humic and fulvic acid. I let that whole mix set for 4 weeks before I used it.
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looking very good TP, sometimes black pots can help if the weather is a bit cooler, but in spring/summer here black pots are death to microheard and plants. ive always wanted some big pots like those but there too much. i bet they let tons of air even through the side of the pots.
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Yum - that vietchunck (spelling?) looks beautiful. Does it try to put out a little 'spare' leaf off the base of the 7's?
Looks to me like a nice Sativa dominance. Seedlings aren't they?
Silver Surfer -The pH in greenhouse is lowered now but still not ideal. I'll let time sort the rest out, was my mistake trying to sort pH buffering the lazy way with limestone instead of dolomite (didn't have dolomite at time of finding pH too low...).
Any luck with Toms this year. We've all (folks about here abouts) had small crops of fruit that are delicious, but slow to fruit, and not much fruit. I got a mold/fungi on one too, going to try zap it with a tea.
That being said last years mushrooms were pathetic as far as seasons go, this years mycelium looks set to go bumper crops! Provided we get the rain...
Great to have another TP experiment onboard Thaiphoon, the more the merrier.
Looks to me like a nice Sativa dominance. Seedlings aren't they?
Silver Surfer -The pH in greenhouse is lowered now but still not ideal. I'll let time sort the rest out, was my mistake trying to sort pH buffering the lazy way with limestone instead of dolomite (didn't have dolomite at time of finding pH too low...).
Any luck with Toms this year. We've all (folks about here abouts) had small crops of fruit that are delicious, but slow to fruit, and not much fruit. I got a mold/fungi on one too, going to try zap it with a tea.
That being said last years mushrooms were pathetic as far as seasons go, this years mycelium looks set to go bumper crops! Provided we get the rain...
Great to have another TP experiment onboard Thaiphoon, the more the merrier.
ThaiPhoon
Active member
jaykush, I have learned my lesson the hard way as usual about using plastic pots here. In my climate the sun is so intense. I won't use them again...ever...clay is so cheap here. I paid 15 baht (less than 50cents USD) for each of them! The fact that clay "breathes" is a plus. The soil does not get anywhere near as hot as it used to!!
Bongsong, they are seedlings, and yes on some plants there are more than 7 leaves. I think that the climate here is allowing them to express the sativa side more than the indica. I have been adding rice husk charcoal to my soil for a few years. I have learned many lessons the hard way, but now things are starting to fall into place. Every bit of soil I use now has at least 10% rice husk charcoal in it. From what I have seen, the longer or older the TP is the better it gets!
Bongsong, they are seedlings, and yes on some plants there are more than 7 leaves. I think that the climate here is allowing them to express the sativa side more than the indica. I have been adding rice husk charcoal to my soil for a few years. I have learned many lessons the hard way, but now things are starting to fall into place. Every bit of soil I use now has at least 10% rice husk charcoal in it. From what I have seen, the longer or older the TP is the better it gets!
Nice plants Thaiphoon. Have you been re-using your soil with the charcoal and adding it back to your compost? You must grow some interesting stuff in the tropics
Those clay pots look nice. Might have to keep me eyes out for some cheap terracotta... might smash some up and add it to my compost heap and soil!
How does that neem oil fertiliser go? Keep the bugs away for a while? I recently got some cold-pressed organic neem oil. I have virtually eliminated my gnat problem with it in a spray bottle. Seedlings seem to like it too.
Hey Bongsong, those TP peppers still getting plain water? I think my leeks maybe getting bit burnt from my TP mix. I have had lots of heavy rain past week or so maybe thats a factor too... my toms arent doing well, possum has wrecked most of em... having to take them off green. Very tasty but!
Those clay pots look nice. Might have to keep me eyes out for some cheap terracotta... might smash some up and add it to my compost heap and soil!
How does that neem oil fertiliser go? Keep the bugs away for a while? I recently got some cold-pressed organic neem oil. I have virtually eliminated my gnat problem with it in a spray bottle. Seedlings seem to like it too.
Hey Bongsong, those TP peppers still getting plain water? I think my leeks maybe getting bit burnt from my TP mix. I have had lots of heavy rain past week or so maybe thats a factor too... my toms arent doing well, possum has wrecked most of em... having to take them off green. Very tasty but!
ThaiPhoon
Active member
Off topic...About the neem I use to mix in with the charcoal is about a 5-5-5 npk. One form is like sawdust, the other is a pelletized form. I break the pellets up a bit by hand before mixing them in. There are plenty of companies from India exporting these neem things, try a google for neem fertiliser or something, sorry I haven't got the links. Neem is truly amazing and has amazing properties...thats why I use it in the Terra Preta mix...source of N P K Ca and Mg. I bet this stuff would work great in your coco experiment SS, to supplement Ca and Mg, etc.
Peace
Peace
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Yeah neem. it just made em look better. I hardly use it now but it's my first line of defense if bug numbers start arriving. I like to have a few bugs, means the predators are just round the corner.
The TP pepper got it's first feed of Aqua water 2 weeks ago I wasn't thinking and it was dry and right by the pond....
Considering it's in a plastic pot in a greenhouse - should be cooked - way to go TP!
I'm convinced of this stuff. My soil sucks but you'd never know it out where the plants are.
Bones in my teeth now, gonna get it.
I'll do a phoenix trick before too long, take care fellas.
The TP pepper got it's first feed of Aqua water 2 weeks ago I wasn't thinking and it was dry and right by the pond....
Considering it's in a plastic pot in a greenhouse - should be cooked - way to go TP!
I'm convinced of this stuff. My soil sucks but you'd never know it out where the plants are.
Bones in my teeth now, gonna get it.
I'll do a phoenix trick before too long, take care fellas.
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Heres my ladies now in full flower
Mex sativa - coco/perlite. Has a few weeks head start in flower.
R.Buddah - Soil
R.Buddah - Terra Preta
R.Buddah - coco/charcoal
All plants lookin good so far. A nice spell of sunny weather is bringing em on good. I am loving how the buds are shaping up on my Terra Preta plant.
Mex sativa - coco/perlite. Has a few weeks head start in flower.
R.Buddah - Soil
R.Buddah - Terra Preta
R.Buddah - coco/charcoal
All plants lookin good so far. A nice spell of sunny weather is bringing em on good. I am loving how the buds are shaping up on my Terra Preta plant.
Mr.Botanical
Member
All the plants looks great, folks. However, it's not true terra preta unless it has the special property found in the original terra preta in Brasil. That special property is the ability for the terra preta to actually grow, just like a living organism, x amount per year.
Indeed, the soil actually self-regenerates. Also, the wood used for the charcoal has to be burned a certain way to increase oils within the coals. A regular old raging fire just wont do. I'm not sure if this was already covered in the original article, but it's important enough to repeat.
Proper and true terra preta has been shown in scientific studies to increases growth rates an yield up to 800% over vegetation grown in regular soil.
Indeed, the soil actually self-regenerates. Also, the wood used for the charcoal has to be burned a certain way to increase oils within the coals. A regular old raging fire just wont do. I'm not sure if this was already covered in the original article, but it's important enough to repeat.
Proper and true terra preta has been shown in scientific studies to increases growth rates an yield up to 800% over vegetation grown in regular soil.
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no that is not covered in the original article mr.botanical
where did you find terra preta info?
what charcoal burned how? do you know?
and yes i think thats one of the 'odd' things they cover on some terra preta articles is that it actually grows slowly over the years. and that for the last 500 years its been growing but a lot of people look for it and take it with them. i wonder how much is left?
it seems its the combination of charcoal, clay, and animal remains thats the trick. i think its not completely combusted wood char, its like slow burned or something.
where did you find terra preta info?
what charcoal burned how? do you know?
and yes i think thats one of the 'odd' things they cover on some terra preta articles is that it actually grows slowly over the years. and that for the last 500 years its been growing but a lot of people look for it and take it with them. i wonder how much is left?
it seems its the combination of charcoal, clay, and animal remains thats the trick. i think its not completely combusted wood char, its like slow burned or something.
