Inoculated Charcoal is, in my opinion, hype meant to seperate you from your money for no really good reason. The cost of producing charcoal (direct, loss of valuable nutrients, and the pollution produced) alone is prohibitive and more often then not if the soil you have has adequate levels of organic matter in it that soil will have all the bacteria necessary to grow strong and healthy plants. Where the amazing results the sellers of these products come from is soil so bad that little, even "weeds" would grow without something added.

I would not buy any more of it unless/until it made some noticeable improvement in my garden. I'd apply to an area of lawn because lawn has lots and lots of plants in it. Lots of plants means you have a reasonable statistical sample. Putting it around one rose bush mean nothing. If the lawn area improves over the rest of the lawn, then it might have some merit.

I think its a great thing that you got it for free. It has no value whatsoever so I wouldnt spend money on it. Charcoal in small amounts is a very fine thing to use in potted plants. Thats it. Innoculated charcoal would be a very good way to throw money away. no value, all hype, worthless, possibly harmful. steve

This is information on biochar that I copied from a message at the Biochar group at a site that sounds like wa-hoo groups. There are several different groups there with different interests in the subject of biochar. This is not an attempt at spam, but this system seems to believe that anything using that word is suspect. Hope this is of some use and that it doesn't get me banned from this site.

Terran

This is the abstract for a talk that Dr. Christoph Steiner will give on May 7 in Vienna. Twenty three other talks; this is the only one on Biochar. See the full program at
http://meetingorgan izer.copernicus. org/EGU2010/ poster_programme /2711

Geophysical Research Abstracts
Vol. 12, EGU2010-2338, 2010
EGU General Assembly 2010
Author(s) 2010
Biochar Carbon Sequestration  A Manipulation of the Carbon Cycle
Christoph Steiner

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is removed from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and stored in organic matter. When plants grow they utilize sunlight, carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) to synthesize organic matter and release oxygen (O2). This accumulated organic matter is returned to the
atmosphere by decomposition of dead plant tissue or disturbances, such as fire, in which large amounts of organic matter are oxidized and rapidly transferred into CO2.

Reduced decomposition is an advantage of carbonized organic matter (charcoal, biochar). Thus, biochar formation has important implications for the global carbon cycle. In natural and agroecosystems residual charcoal is produced by incomplete burning. As the soil carbon pool declines due to cultivation, the more resistant biochar fraction increases as a portion of the total carbon pool and may constitute up to 35% of
the total soil organic carbon (SOC). The half-life of biochar was estimated to be 1400 years, and thus a
permanent form of carbon sequestration. Biochar can be produced by thermo-chemical conversion of biomass. Burning biomass in the absence of oxygen produces biochar and products of incomplete combustion (PIC). The PIC include burnable gases such as H2 and CH4. These gases can be used to fuel the conversion of biomass into biochar and/or renewable energy generation. Larger molecules can be condensed into bio-oil and also used as a renewable fuel. The resulting biochar consists of mainly carbon and is characterized by a very high recalcitrance against decomposition. Thus biochar decelerates
(manipulates) the second part of the carbon cycle (decay, mineralization) and its non-fuel use would establish a carbon sink. Lenton and Vaughan (2009) rated biochar as the best geo-engineering option to reduce CO2 levels. It is predicted that 109 hectares of natural ecosystems would be converted to agriculture by 2050. This would cause a further massive loss of ecosystem function and species extinction. Reducing these impacts and at the same time doubling and sustaining food production, and mitigating climate change and adapting to a changing climate probably represents the greatest challenge facing humankind.

There is hope that biochar carbon sequestration could sequester significant amounts of carbon while simultaneously increasing the resilience of agricultural systems to environmental influences. Throughout the world intensive agricultural land use often has resulted in soil physical and chemical degradation, and higher losses than input rates of nutrients and organic materials. In contrast, the intentional and
unintentional deposition of nutrient-rich materials within human habitation sites and field areas has in many cases produced conditions of heightened fertility status. An anthropogenically- enriched dark soil found throughout the lowland portion of the Amazon Basin and termed Terra Preta de Ãndio is one such example. Its fertility is the secondary result of the transport of natural and produced foods, building materials, and fuel to prehistoric dwelling places. These materials and their byproducts were then transformed and differentially distributed within the zone of habitation and associated garden areas. This is in contrast to todayÂs urban wastes which are deposited as contaminated toxic material far away from settlements or agricultural fields.

Sustainable agricultural practices will need to reverse soil degradation without an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, despite the challenge to double food production until 2050. This will require a material flow management involving both nutrients and carbon. This presentation will summarize the present knowledge, historical use and global prospects of biochar carbon sequestration.

Gosh, who couldn't see the biochar plug coming? And OT, I would like to make one small correction, this charcoal may not have value in the garden, but it has value to the pitchmen who sell it, so it is not utterly and completely worthless...

Dan

This item has a little info on your use of fireplace ash in compost - "large to small bits of charcoal included".

Terran

Colombian Maize/Biochar Study

Terran

Making "Bio Char" consumes large quantities of unnecessary energy and produces large quantities of unwanted pollution. Even if the stuff really did what is thought, some research does indicate the results of the studies that seem to show good results are doctored, the energy consumed to make it and the pollution from that making makes it very questionable if it is worthwhile.

The CO2 thing is irrelevant, now that the 'global warming hoax', has been exposed. Research on "Terra Preta", would be more relevant to gardening.

Please, spare us the 'hoax' hooey. This forum is to exchange knowledge, not energy industry talking points.

And I appreciate kimmsr pointing out the problem with the supposed miracle ginsu knife of biochar. The EROEI is way negative and replicating biochar techniques takes centuries. Come now.

Dan

Kathy,
Did the bag have a brand name on it? I've never heard of inoculated charcoal on the market. Years ago I discussed the idea of soaking charcoal or zeolite kitty litter with compost tea with some friends but that's as far as we got.

I don't believe the Amazonians were sequestering CO2.

The idea of a huge surface area for nutrient adsorbtion, and microbial habitation, could be exchangeable information.

Hows about this?

Ba - ba - ba - baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

The idea of a huge surface area for nutrient adsorbtion, and microbial habitation, could be exchangeable information.

Sure. For the rural folks with the ability to have & permit burn piles, charcoal could help in many instances. For urban-suburban lots, burn piles are not an an option thus the EROEI on shipped, bagged and purchased charcoal is a large negative and is a non-starter for sustainability.

Compost piles are an option for urban-suburban lots and compost is a much easier substitute for charcoal, which is why you see urban allotments/pea patches/urban gardens with compost piles and not biochar ops.

Dan

Danger! Do Not use Poultry for this experience. It really fries my asterisk when people do that. Let's just say; "Throw some shrimp on the bar-be". Even people in cities do that.

Ba - ba - ba - baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Hows about this?
Ba - ba - ba - baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

This is idiocy.
Ba-ba-ba...

No, there was no name on the bag - he made it himself. Bought the charcoal and added the bacteria. I didn't mean to kick an anthill here, I was just wondering if this would help, hinder or do nothing. Sounds like it will do nothing.

Thanks to all for the info!!

Kathy

Kathy, your question kicked off quite a storm which I have followed with interest and have an inkling of what the presenter of your gift charcoal was trialing. There was a purpose here; some concept to be tested. Could you help us to understand your friend's original purpose and the type (name) of the bacteria solution with which the charcoal was treated by asking the donor of your gift? Too many unknowns here. Judgement is being made without all the facts.

un less im totally missing the question /besides im not sure what it was inoculated with / around here anyways ppl will burn there grass / it comes back greener and thicker / how ever throwing some ash from a fireplace or firepit will do them same thing / but that depends on your soil to begin with

OK answers - sort of. It was a gift from a friend's hubby who is totally in to gardening. He called a company that sells bacterial inoculants, and because these are not approved for sale in CA, he was sent some samples. He bought the charcoal from a company is San Francisco. He's not sure which bacteria he gave me, possibly a mixture. It wasn't a trial, he just found it worked well in his gardens. He thought he was doing something nice.

I have used fireplace ash in small amounts in my compost, and maybe that's why he thought of this as a gift. I haven't used the bag of stuff he gave me, and now I probably won't!

I really didn't mean to ignite a discussion - just was wondering!! It has been a definite learning experience, and that is why I love this forum!

Thank you all again,
Kathy

Kathy, I finally figured it out. Please use your bacteria inoculated charcoal and report results to us at end of growing season. Take some time to search these two sites and you should be able to generally understand the basis of what appears to be one of the new frontiers in the horticultural world. Something must be going on as you will note that there is haste in patenting concepts based on using charcoal/peat as base for bacterial inoculants.

Search the following.....

1. bacterial inoculants + horticulture

2. bacterial inoculants + charcoal

Thanks, nandina

I think there is a lot to it. How exactly the process works, I don't know. I don't know how anything works in nature. Neither do honest scientists. I add a lot of charcoal to my soil in the last few years and it certainly isn't hurting. Maybe just coincidence, but insect pest problems are way down.

That said, buying the stuff makes no sense. I agree, if you don't have a wood-burner that is used for heat so that the charcoal is a by-product, then any bio-mass is better used for compost. However, apparently there are some solar kilns in use that make bio-char.

At first thought I would think that an aerobic tea brewer can effectively make finished compost/worm cast maximum bacteria and fungi biological liquid brews for maybe ten cents a gallon. The reccommeded use of which calls for one gallon per acre for normal garden and farm plant use.

Natural wood charcoal with no additives may or may not be needed. The moderate use of the same would cause no negative reaction and may be helpful.

Putting the two together sounds like pure action leading to teasing and truth extended sales talk.

I can and do make a gallon by volume charcoal from waste tree trimmings each time I burn my small ring recreational fire. I carefully spread the ashes all over my property while keeping the charcoal to use flavoring and cooking the next charcoal dinner.

Has anyone made their own potting or prorogation mixes using charcoal ?

I'd separate out the two issues, biochar/bacterial innoculant. If you have a wood fireplace, all that ash and charred wood is great mixed with compost for your garden (less so directly), but why buy it? If you need innoculants, there has to be a reason - commonly that you are doing a small or large container planting with sterile soil and you want to improve fertility or if your suburban topsoil was bulldozed away and you are using the purchased soil microbes as starter colonies.

I'd almost always recommend building your soils via decomposing organic matter and additional organic nutrients (as informed by a soil test) and leaving the purchased soil innoculants to planters or extreme circumstances. Don't forget, you can always use a bucket of a friend's good topsoil as an innoculant too). But you do need to have a good soil food web to have good root nutrition.

After reading this from the beginning I will say inoculated charcoal is new to me. I use wood ash in compost and perhaps every 2 years I sprinkle it very sparingly throughout garden. However, I recall when I dumped ashes in one spot in the garden 11 years ago and planted a tree peony close to that area. Next year peony died. Talk about overload. I've done better since.

Kathy , If you don't want the charcoal give it to someone who will use it , i've used it for two years now and my onions this year were 6" in diameter i inoculated mine with compost tea .
jim

The manufacture of charcoal, innoculated or not, requires more energy then we can get from that charcoal so it is not something sustainable, an improper use of our limited energy sources.

Bio char is a scam, there is nothing it does, I used a crap load and a little in different areas, it made ZERO difference, and its expensive and people ship it making it more expensive. the best thing for your soil is not to lose it thru erosion and not to lose it from off gassing / transpiration (i.e. grow cover crops). Compost is free, and water is free when it rains

"the best thing for your soil is not to lose it thru erosion and not to
lose it from off gassing / transpiration (i.e. grow cover crops)"

Soil is not lost through transpiration.