Biochar in Rols

Discussion in 'Growing Organic Marijuana' started by stavi23, Jun 7, 2015.

  1. Anybody ever incorporate biochar into their soil for an organic grow? What were the results?
     
  2. Many folks do...
     
    j
     
  3. do you personally?
     
  4. I've done it. I had great results, but I've gotten great results without it too. Without growing the same strains side by side with and without in controlled settings, there is no way for me to tell you how much it helps. 
     
  5. Did you mix the biochar with compost and let it sit before adding it into the soil?
     
  6. I've done both. I've added bio char to compost and had it age that way, and I've also added it straight to the soil.  
     
  7. #7 sourgrapeskunk, Jun 10, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 11, 2015
    I beat hardwood lump charcoal into powder and perlite size  bits, I mixed it with compost and let it age, the tomatoes I grew in those buckets were tastier and flowered/fruited longer into the fall last year. I intend to try actual biochar this year indoors
     
  8. That's great to hear I just bought 25 lbs of it and I'm going to mix with compost then added to my organic soil recipe. I'm curious to see the results
     
  9.  
    Sure I do. I make it at home. 
     
    While led I know it contributes to the overall well being, health and aeration of my soil don't ask me to pinpoint exactly what it does because I couldn't answer you - exactly. I will continue to use it. I like having it in the mix, but it is only one part of the total equation.
     
    j
     
  10. That's pretty much as I understand it as well. As long as there aren't negative side affects of using it I'm all for it. Ive been building different soils for about 1.5 years now and im still looking for perfection.
     
  11. We heat our home with wood via an outdoor wood boiler - it is a charcoal making machine.
     
    When I clean it out it is full of usually around 8" to 10" deep of a mixture of ashes and dime to quarter sized charcoal. I clean the hell out of it, rinsing and rinsing until all ashes are 110% gone and then I'll soak the char in a soup of whatever I've got around that's high in N plus whatever else I've got around - ya know, chicken manure, alfalfa, neem, kelp etc. Last time I let it sit 3-4 weeks then I strained it and mixed it into my compost heap for another couple months. I'm glad it's in there. It sure isn't hurting anything I guess.
     
    j
     
  12. [quote name="jerry111165" post="21742259" timestamp="1433982188"]We heat our home with wood via an outdoor wood boiler - it is a charcoal making machine.

    When I clean it out it is full of usually around 8" to 10" deep of a mixture of ashes and dime to quarter sized charcoal. I clean the hell out of it, rinsing and rinsing until all ashes are 110% gone and then I'll soak the char in a soup of whatever I've got around that's high in N plus whatever else I've got around - ya know, chicken manure, alfalfa, neem, kelp etc. Last time I let it sit 3-4 weeks then I strained it and mixed it into my compost heap for another couple months. I'm glad it's in there. It sure isn't hurting anything I guess.

    j[/quote

    That's great that you are able re use what others may see as waste. This run I am using biochar, plus planting chickweed and mini clovers on the tops of my pots as a living mulch. Also I have comfrey growing to use in teas.
     
  13.  
    A great way to utilize smaller amounts of comfrey is to chop up leaves and mix 50/50 with a good vermicompost to use as a top dressing/mulch.
     
    j
     
  14. Basically, this is what I do. Or rather, mostly just save the 'shake' from when I'm smoking meat. I'll add it to the mix when I have some.

    Don't do anything special to it, just add to the mix. Asked myself if the indians hundreds/thousands of years ago did anything special to "activate" the biochar, or simply just add it to the soil? I figured just added it to the soil and done, so that's all I do.

    Wet
     
    • Like Like x 1
  15. I buy one bag to cook with, one bag to beat into soil conditioner. I figure I should at least try to sequester an equal amount of carbon as I release from cooking.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  16. If your putting it into potting soil, or soil that has not been ammended heavily, you should let it sit a minute, with some N heavy compostables. the carbon is greedy.
     
  17. So its good to mix and sit with green plant materials
     
  18. IMO yes, especially for indoor use.
     
  19. While i dont use biochar, this has peaked my interest....so, i dug a little.

    Not trying discredit the use, simply adding to the convo here.

    Biochar was made popular in the tropic societies, to improve their horrible soil conditions. The addition of which helps keep organic matter around for long, long periods of time.

    From the study linked below, it seems that straight organic compost out preformed compost + biochar, slightly. CEC was also not affected (as much as the addition of just compost), though base saturation (saturation of base soil molecules) of cations did increase. What's more striking, is that the biochar + organic fert/biochar + mineral fert was less beneficial than straight compost, or compost + biochar.

    Of course, this study was done on a sub par medium, not the peat base most of us use.

    The study - http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hardy_Schulz/publication/259451692_Effects_of_biochar_compared_to_organic_and_inorganic_fertilizers_on_soil_quality_and_plant_growth_in_a_greenhouse_experiment/links/004635373280742279000000.pdf

    Just some food for thought.

    Lu
     
  20. That's a very interesting read...maybe ratios of each is what makes the difference. What I'm most interested in is quality of taste and yield of fruits produced using biochar. I hear it makes for a great taste and heavy fruiting.
     

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