Why don't I see this anywhere? or am I missing something?

If ever there was the need to introduce a topic on point with our particular bent on agriculture, the use of bio-char is the one. With the discovery of Terra Preta in the amazon, we have since started to pay closer attention to the agricultural practices of other cultures. The One common denominator in the most successful agricultural societies is the use of bio-char. The benefits of incorporating Bio-char in soils is so multifaceted that there are separate fields of study surrounding it
One of the more global aspects of bio-char is carbon sequestering. This alone could help reduce the impact of global warming by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases.
Bio-char increases the effectiveness of fertilizers, and can lead to sustainable soils. It provides an incredible environment for the mycorrhizae and beneficial bacteria in the soil. It aids in moisture retention, and can increase your yield by up to a factor of two!!!This stuff is purely amazing!! Terra Preta was discovered in the amazon, and is a man made soil that dates back possibly 7000 years. This soil is still so fertile, it is being dug up and sold as a nutrient. Imagine not buying fertilizer every grow!!!I encourage all you die hard organic growers out there to research this stuff. I have volumes of information, both studies I have read, and studies I have performed with results from my own crops if anyone is interested.
You don't have to make your own bio-char. You can buy it anywhere they sell “gourmet” charcoal. It's called hard wood lump charcoal, or something to that effect. Milling it isn't any fun, but the results are well worth the effort.
I hope that some of you out there see the impact this can make in your gardens.


Happy gardening!


JH

I have been pretty interested in this topic since you mentioned it maybe a month ago in another post.

Can you please clarify this for me? From my understanding of the 1st diagram, bio char sequesters 1/2 of its "waste" into making new bio char? Is that correct, it's pretty much self renewing? And what is this "energy" that its leaving behind?

What is the NPK of bio char? If using bio char, would one want to change up their soil mix? Or would you just add the bio char to whatever mix you're using?

It's not that it leaves a part of itself behind. The decomposition process itself creates some green house gases in the form of methane and CO2. Combustion creates those gases as well. That is one of the reasons "slash and burn" cropping in the amazon is frowned upon. The process by which biochar is made differs from combustion. In combustion, the biomass (whatever you use to make biochar) is burned in the presence of oxygen. Biochar is produced by heat changing the biomass in the absence or near absence of oxygen in a process called pyrolysis. This also releases a lot of combustible gases but these gases can be harnessed. On a large scale, (and even in my little biochar oven) these gases can be collected and burned to create energy.
Biochar in soil is the "locking" of that carbon into the soil so that it doesn't return to the atmosphere. Check out this link I forgot to put in my post:

www.biochar-international.org

So how would you say is best to use in a soil mix?

Grind it up or crush it (about a bit bigger than pea size) and mix it in your soil when you mix your soil. You use it as an amendment.

Thanks, Jack. I'll have to keep an eye for some over the winter, before next season. It might be interesting to do a side by side comparison with my original soil mix.

You got a recommended amount to use, say per every 2.5 gal of soil?

I mix it in at 2 parts per 5 of soil. I go a bit heavy with it tho...Then I add my 30% of EWC and other nutes to that. You can let it cook or about a week if you add mycos.

Cool thanks!

I just added Eco Char brand Bio Char that I bought on the internet to my organic super soil. Looking forward to seeing any difference. I reuse this soil so I think the Bio Char will really keep it nice.

I'm gonna have to check this out, I'm always open to learning something new.