Stovers,
There is more than one way to build soil, sequester carbon, and
produce biomass. Several methods or combinations of methods can all be
correct.
The question then becomes what is the BEST method for a particular scenario.
To solve this equation one needs to start with the basic parameters.
1) What is the soil type and fertility? Compaction?
2) What is the climate?
3) What crops are being considered?
4) Is there a market for char and at what price?
5) What is the time frame? Is the land owned or rented?
6) Does one plan on adding any chemical fertilizers to the soil?
If one is starting with a very poor soil or especially a toxic soil,
creating and adding biochar may be the best quickest solution. Char alone
may, but probably does not add the elements of fertility to the soil. If the
char is mixed with ashes there is more nutrient available to pre- charge
the soil. Char is a great means of holding nutrient, oxygen and water, but
does not contain all of the above.
Compost, on the other hand contains not only all of the minerals in
ash, but also contains nitrogen, and many macro and microorganisms necessary
for a balanced organic rich soil. It would benefit to dump ones ashes into
the compost pile charcoal and all. Manure saturated with urine is great to
pre charge compost with excess nitrogen. green plant parts also contain
large amounts of nitrogen.
The very act of growing plants builds soil because the roots are left
behind. Grasses and such have vigorous root systems which break up and
enrich shallow layers of soil quickly. Trees and larger plants do the same
thing but much deeper and leave large root passages for a long time to open up
and enrich the deep layers of soil. This also helps with drainage and deep
water permeability over the long haul.
The act of natural succession tells us how nature can start with an
sterile soil and build it up over time. In the grass land stage of
succession, wildfires are a normal part of the plan. Why don't we just look at
how
nature does things and then speed it up?
I have had great success using an ash and charcoal mix with a
limestone based sand in container stock media. The only other ingredient I use
is
composted peat lite type potting soil leftover from annual growing
operations. I believe that compost could substitute for this. That is the next
experiment.
Good luck.
Dan Dimiduk
_______________________________________________
Stoves mailing list
[email protected]
http://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_listserv.repp.org
http://stoves.bioenergylists.org
http://info.bioenergylists.org
UNSUBSCRIBE HERE;
http://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_listserv.repp.org
