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  • From: Tripp Tibbetts <slowfoodguy@yahoo.com>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] if there were a benefit to deforestation...
  • Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 09:55:42 -0800 (PST)

So basically, more fines/OM in your soil = more CEC = less need for biochar. 
Is there a soil texture at which addition of biochar actually becomes
deleterious?
 
Tripp



The best fertilizer is the gardener's shadow.
-Chinese proverb
 

--- On Thu, 1/7/10, Mathew Waehner <waehner@gmail.com> wrote:


From: Mathew Waehner <waehner@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [permaculture] if there were a benefit to deforestation...
To: "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
Date: Thursday, January 7, 2010, 5:49 PM


>
> >Burning creates smoke, a pollutant

Proper biochar kilns produce very little smoke, because they consume nearly
all of the combustion byproducts, similar to a rocket stove.

> >and materials burned should be cold composted and then returned to the
> soil using appropriate tillage methods


That doesn't work well in the tropics, because soil organisms degrade the
humus and rain washes it away too quickly.  Biochar lasts longer in soil.

As I understand it, the main *proven* benefit of biochar is that it provides
cation exchange capacity.  Some soils in temperate climates are in dire need
of increased CEC, others have different needs.

>From the pictures I've seen on your blog, Larry, you are working good
peidmont clay.  That has good cation exchange capacity, but needs organic
matter to build soil structure.  Biochar probably wouldn't help much there.
But on the sandy soils of Eastern NC, biochar could enhancce soil fertility
significantly by holding onto nutrients.
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As I understand it, biochar improves nutrient holding ability but doesn't
help soil texture and water holding ability like organic matter. On the
scale of a bacteria, a particle of biochar has a labrynthine structure. It
may provide good habitat for the soil food web, but that is a dificult area
to study.

I personally believe that biochar will prove to revolutionize agriculture in
some regions, but I also think there are places it won't have much effect at
all. It is an exciting field of study where back yard experimenters can
make real discoveries.

On Thu, Jan 7, 2010 at 12:55 PM, Tripp Tibbetts <slowfoodguy@yahoo.com>wrote:

> So basically, more fines/OM in your soil = more CEC = less need for
> biochar. Is there a soil texture at which addition of biochar actually
> becomes deleterious?
>
> Tripp
>
>
>
> The best fertilizer is the gardener's shadow.
> -Chinese proverb
>
>
> --- On Thu, 1/7/10, Mathew Waehner <waehner@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> From: Mathew Waehner <waehner@gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [permaculture] if there were a benefit to deforestation...
> To: "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Date: Thursday, January 7, 2010, 5:49 PM
>
>
> >
> > >Burning creates smoke, a pollutant
>
> Proper biochar kilns produce very little smoke, because they consume nearly
> all of the combustion byproducts, similar to a rocket stove.
>
> > >and materials burned should be cold composted and then returned to the
> > soil using appropriate tillage methods
>
>
> That doesn't work well in the tropics, because soil organisms degrade the
> humus and rain washes it away too quickly. Biochar lasts longer in soil.
>
> As I understand it, the main *proven* benefit of biochar is that it
> provides
> cation exchange capacity. Some soils in temperate climates are in dire
> need
> of increased CEC, others have different needs.
>
> >From the pictures I've seen on your blog, Larry, you are working good
> peidmont clay. That has good cation exchange capacity, but needs organic
> matter to build soil structure. Biochar probably wouldn't help much there.
> But on the sandy soils of Eastern NC, biochar could enhancce soil fertility
> significantly by holding onto nutrients.
> _______________________________________________
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>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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