charging/activating my biochar......HELP PLEASE

[FamMan]

I have an alfalfa tea that has been brewing for almost 36 hours. Should i pour it over my biochar from a watering can or should i put my boichar in a painters strainer bag and put that directly in the tea? thanx for any input. PEACE.

 

[Joedank]

Put it in bags

 

[FamMan]

Thanx bro

 

[FamMan]

Should I be aerating it? I mean while the biochar is in there?

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Should I be aerating it? I mean while the biochar is in there?

you are probably overthinking it a lil, it's alright man.
Two ways to do it, either an charge with microbes as your "charge" or nutrients, in your case you are going with nutrients, and alfalfa is a damn good choice.
What I did, was similar, I used a dandelion/comfrey FPE to charge it, many people have used simply human urine for yrs and yrs in fact. I digress though.
You soak it for a minimum of three hrs and up to 3 days.
The whole concept is merely to keep the biochar from taking in your nutrients from your soil, if you "fill" it first, it has nothing left to absorb, not to mention it acts like a tiny slow release of organic nutrients as it dries.
No need to aerate.
Just soak em, I didn't put mine in a bag, I literally just filled the bucket with biochar and let it chill for a day, then strain.
If I were to do it over again I would pick a less stinky "charge" the dandelion/comfrey FPE was a little ripe...especially when I strained it... whew...
If I were you i'd throw in a handful of kelp meal too... couldn't hurt

 

[FamMan]

I aerated a cup of alfalfa and ewc and put a half tablespoon of molasses. Its still aerating. Goin to do it for 24 hours. Then let it soak for another day.

 

[greasemonkeymann]

I aerated a cup of alfalfa and ewc and put a half tablespoon of molasses. Its still aerating. Goin to do it for 24 hours. Then let it soak for another day.

didn't you say you already brewed it for 36?
You are kinda doin two things there, and sometimes they may be counterproductive.
Sorta like a nutrient/aact hybrid..
the EWC and the molasses is good for an AACT, and the alfalfa is good for the charge...
Either way I think you are fine

 

[FamMan]

I tossed it and redid it this way. I figure I wasn't gonna hurt anything. U think it was a bad way to go Grease? I wanted to ask u about my final soil mix. Can I PM u Lil later with it?

 

[Pattahabi]

You can leave it in there for a long time. A grower I respect let his sit for a month or longer unaerated. You're not going to hurt anything. Imo you both want to fill up the cation exchange sites and add a little microlife to it. Wouldn't hurt after it's dried to toss it around with some ewc, or even run it through a worm bin.

However, it can be a simple as soaking for a day or two, strain, and call it done.

Peace!

P-

 

[FamMan]

Thanks dude! Can I run my soil mix by u Lil later? I'm at work now and don't have the exact amounts on me.

 

[greasemonkeymann]

I tossed it and redid it this way. I figure I wasn't gonna hurt anything. U think it was a bad way to go Grease? I wanted to ask u about my final soil mix. Can I PM u Lil later with it?

sure, anything you need.
You'll be fine, it's not that technical, you just are filling it with microbes or nutrients prior to using it.

 

[greasemonkeymann]

You can leave it in there for a long time. A grower I respect let his sit for a month or longer unaerated. You're not going to hurt anything. Imo you both want to fill up the cation exchange sites and add a little microlife to it. Wouldn't hurt after it's dried to toss it around with some ewc, or even run it through a worm bin.

However, it can be a simple as soaking for a day or two, strain, and call it done.

Peace!

P-

yeah, I read that you can charge it by adding it to your compost pile for a couple months also.