Terra Preta
You know I really do have a great respect for the agricultural and horticultural knowledge of the ancient South American indian civilizations. I think that the jury is out as to whether the terra preta soils were deliberately produced or just resulted from humans throwing out their waste materials. I would like to think that they were making these soils consciously.
There seems to be some advantage to adding composted activated charcoal to the soil. Looking at the properties of activated charcoal, it seems to be able to adsorb large amounts of organic compounds and this characteristic seems to allow it to contribute to the fertility of the soil - for hundreds if not thousands of years. This interests me because apart from contributing to the fertility of my allotment it would also help to sequester carbon in the soil.
Now previously in these blogs I have berated people for lighting smoky fires and allowing the smoke to blow over my allotment. However, do I have to modify my opinion of fires now? I don’t think so. Charcoal burning may well be a good way of increasing and sustaining the fertility of the soil but not near my allotment.
I am told there are charcoal producers that prevent noxious fumes from venting to the atmosphere. I am dubious… However, in the spirit of scientific or at the least horticultural exploration I will indeed try composting some activated charcoal and see if it adds to the fertility of the allotment when I dig it in. Maybe I will also put some under the peas because it seems to help with the nitrogen fixing bacteria.
Snow has gone now and I am looking forward to digging on the allotment again. I will continue with my Montezuma method because I think that this will also help to sequester carbon in the soil.
Charcoal and compost I can cope with. I doubt very much if I will make my own especially if it involves burning fish and bones. How about mixing it with blood fish and bone? Worth thinking about Tone…
