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| We talk about C/N ratios here all the time.
Tonight we charred a couple of pieces of meat on the BBQ grill, but before we cooked tonight the wrought iron grill was heavily scraped to lessen the buildup, carbon. Fell down into the catchtrap to be emptied. The question is, would it do any good to put this on the pile? We are talking almost PURE carbon here. Do our helpful mycorrhizae touch this stuff, even over many years? Or should the landfill get another load? Yeah, not a large load but still, more. Should it just be re-added to the soil via being placed in with the compost as an inert material? Just curious. Thoughts? hortster |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| .. Pure carbon won't break down. It might get into smaller bits but it won't break down into anything more elemental. If you're sure it doesn't have any stink to attract rodent friends, throw it on or in the ground and let the soil web build on it. to sense |
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| Mycorrhiza refers to a relationship some fungi form with plants, not to any specific fungi. Given the small amount you have adding it to your soil, or compost, will not do any harm or attract any unwanted critters and will be converted by other members of the Soil Food Web before being utilized by those fungi that form that symbiotic relationship with plants. |
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| The ticky hard residue of the bbq grill is like a burnt food substance and I think it is never pure and it can be composted but maybe in very long time, which is like charcoal in a way. Pure carbon is like a diamond or something. |
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- Posted by novascapes none (My Page) on Sun, Nov 11, 12 at 5:30
| "Mycorrhizal fungi are not present in composts unless the compost contained plant roots. If the compost has been heated from microbial activity, then the mycorrhizal fungi may have been killed." |
Here is a link that might be useful: Mycorrhizae questions
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| From aggie-horticulture, "The word "Mycorrhiza" is given to a mutualistic association between a fungus (Myco) and the roots (rhiza) of the plants. This ascociation is symbiotic because the relationship is advantageous for both organisms. The macrosymbiont (the plant) gains increased exploration of the soil (rhizo sphere) with the intrincate net of hyphae that increases the uptake of water and nutrients from the soil interphase. The microsymbiont (the fungus) uses the carbon provided by the plant for its physiological functions, growth and development." |
Here is a link that might be useful: Mycorrhiza
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| I have long understood the "association." And truly appreciate all thoughts. But, I guess, my original question should have been, "Why not?" I was interested in seeing if anyone had a way to use this other than grinding it to dust and throwing it to the wind! ;) My compost piles are full of "mykes", ye must admit. I guess there is no myke that chemically changes pure carbon (or almost pure) into an organically usable form. My vise and propane torch just can't get enough heat and pressure to turn it into friggin' diamonds. Heck. Thanks to all. hortster |
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- Posted by jimbobfeeny 5a IN (My Page) on Tue, Nov 13, 12 at 7:59
| I've always wondered something along these lines, so I'll tag onto this post. What about using charcoal (even pure coal) in the soil? Any benefits at all? Drawbacks? On our property, I found a little pile of coal - It must've been there for years, because the coal was extremely brittle and beginning to break apart. I wondered if it could be added to soil. |
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- Posted by toxcrusadr 5 (My Page) on Wed, Nov 14, 12 at 15:33
| Grill scrapings are not pure carbon at all - they contain quite a bit of partially pyrolized fats and proteins. Just because it's black does not make it carbon. That said, I doubt a small amount from cleaning the grill will have any effect one way or another on the compost. Interestingly, some of those grill byproducts are known carcinogens. Remember all the talk a few years back about nitrosoamines in cigarrette smoke, and how they are also found in grilled foods? Then you got your polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and maybe some partially oxidized cholesterols. I recommend not eating the stuff. :-p Unburned coal? Hmmm...probably not particularly harmful, but it's not the same as charcoal, activated carbon, etc. BTW, pure carbon has three forms: carbon black, graphite and diamond. Oh and I guess we could count buckminsterfullerenes. |
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