The costs benefits return component of the argument for biochar is NOT well worked out economically. That biochar can improve soil health and is a natural component of a healthy fire cycle in nature makes the best argument for returning fire to the natural maintenance of agricultural and watershed health. Using biomass for additional biochar generation has a strong economic aspect for much of the world.
most places recommend about 10-12.5% biochar in the soil. A lot depends on what you plant, the condition of the soil, how much rain you get, etc. Higher amounts do not necessarily translate into higher yields. Start with 5% and work your way up until you find the sweet spot for your area. If you are doing a garden and not a farm, get as many fall leaves as you can get. They add in organic matter, minerals, and hold water. Add in some biochar too made from discarded logs and branches. May take up to two years before you see results. If you precharge your biochar, things go faster. Avoid walnut leaves and trees in that family! They are ok to make biochar but NOT ok to use in the garden.
I've done a lot of experimenting with amending poor with biochar soil over the last four years. I've found 3% dry volume is required to realize any improvement. More seems to be better up to 7%, then the benefits taper off rapidly. Not much sense in pushing it higher unless you're growing strawberries in a hot/arid climate or avocados. Again, this is in very poor soil. Results depend a lot on what you're starting with and other factors explained in this vid. PH of biochar varies greatly, so pay attention to that. My native soil is 5.5 to 5.6, so I make sure the biochar is at least 6.8.
WPut manure through pyrolysis to make fertilizer" ... ??? wouldn't that burn the nutrients!? ... just mix the Charcoal into a organic compost ... BAM! Am I missing something?
manure lose it's N content very fast, it doesn't age well. unless you use manure localy, there is bound to be lot of methane emissions and nitrogene losses according to some papers, charing manure can make more stable to be used a mineral fertilizers replacement.
First of all pirolysis is to stabilises the carbon within instead of evaporating it through heat . Second of all you have Nitrogen and Nitrogen , some nitrogen’s are better fixated than others , cover crop like clover or legumes fix the long lasting nitrogen in the soil , while biochar will create accommodation fully furnished for microbes , and over the centuries it will slowly release carbon into the soil . The biochar is to house the naturally occurring NPK and IMOs. If you do it 100% correct you’ll end up with Terra Preta , but that haven’t happened for millennia yet 😂
The most comprehensive, credible and compressed presentation on biochar that I have seen on UA-cam. Highly recommended.
Look up Terra Preta and then you’ll understand why it’s dead topic , it would kill the Fertiliser Industry
Excellent! Thanks!
Biochar soil #biochar #soil #earthloveglobal
Supplies quality biochar soil products.
The costs benefits return component of the argument for biochar is NOT well worked out economically. That biochar can improve soil health and is a natural component of a healthy fire cycle in nature makes the best argument for returning fire to the natural maintenance of agricultural and watershed health. Using biomass for additional biochar generation has a strong economic aspect for much of the world.
Please help with the radio's, Biochar mixtures to dirt / soil. I'm dealing with low levels of organic matter in soil.
most places recommend about 10-12.5% biochar in the soil. A lot depends on what you plant, the condition of the soil, how much rain you get, etc.
Higher amounts do not necessarily translate into higher yields.
Start with 5% and work your way up until you find the sweet spot for your area.
If you are doing a garden and not a farm, get as many fall leaves as you can get.
They add in organic matter, minerals, and hold water.
Add in some biochar too made from discarded logs and branches.
May take up to two years before you see results.
If you precharge your biochar, things go faster.
Avoid walnut leaves and trees in that family!
They are ok to make biochar but NOT ok to use in the garden.
I've done a lot of experimenting with amending poor with biochar soil over the last four years. I've found 3% dry volume is required to realize any improvement. More seems to be better up to 7%, then the benefits taper off rapidly. Not much sense in pushing it higher unless you're growing strawberries in a hot/arid climate or avocados. Again, this is in very poor soil. Results depend a lot on what you're starting with and other factors explained in this vid. PH of biochar varies greatly, so pay attention to that. My native soil is 5.5 to 5.6, so I make sure the biochar is at least 6.8.
WPut manure through pyrolysis to make fertilizer" ... ??? wouldn't that burn the nutrients!? ... just mix the Charcoal into a organic compost ... BAM! Am I missing something?
manure lose it's N content very fast, it doesn't age well.
unless you use manure localy, there is bound to be lot of methane emissions and nitrogene losses
according to some papers, charing manure can make more stable to be used a mineral fertilizers replacement.
First of all pirolysis is to stabilises the carbon within instead of evaporating it through heat . Second of all you have Nitrogen and Nitrogen , some nitrogen’s are better fixated than others , cover crop like clover or legumes fix the long lasting nitrogen in the soil , while biochar will create accommodation fully furnished for microbes , and over the centuries it will slowly release carbon into the soil . The biochar is to house the naturally occurring NPK and IMOs. If you do it 100% correct you’ll end up with Terra Preta , but that haven’t happened for millennia yet 😂