Comments on: Exceptional results from biochar experiment in Cameroon http://www.carboncommentary.com/2009/10/01/761 A critical appraisal of issues in the move to a low-carbon economy Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:39:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Mike - make biochar yourself http://www.carboncommentary.com/2009/10/01/761/comment-page-1#comment-2847 Mike - make biochar yourself Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:54:03 +0000 http://www.carboncommentary.com/?p=761#comment-2847 Ingo - I understand your frustration with large trees in the garden. On my vegetable plot we really struggle with both shading and nutrient leeching because of the mature trees on three sides. On the fourth side we have and invasive patch of something (I believe it is called soomack??) which would gain about 1m per year by sending up new shoots through the lawn and beds. We have running battles with the chain saw to keep things clean and make biochar regularly. My advice when actually doing a burn (I appreciate it may be a little late now, but other may be reading this) is to light the material from the TOP rather than the bottom. It tends to burn much more cleanly as the smoke rises through the hottest part of the fire. Lighting at the bottom sends smoke up and away from the heat. Smoke itself is a pollutant and, besides making you unpopular with the neighbours. I do my own burns in an oil drum - top lit with plenty of ventilation around the bottom and through the middle. Once the flames die down the wood is pretty much charred through and I extinguish it with water before crushing the char and spreading it on the veggie beds. All the best Mike Ingo – I understand your frustration with large trees in the garden. On my vegetable plot we really struggle with both shading and nutrient leeching because of the mature trees on three sides. On the fourth side we have and invasive patch of something (I believe it is called soomack??) which would gain about 1m per year by sending up new shoots through the lawn and beds. We have running battles with the chain saw to keep things clean and make biochar regularly.

My advice when actually doing a burn (I appreciate it may be a little late now, but other may be reading this) is to light the material from the TOP rather than the bottom. It tends to burn much more cleanly as the smoke rises through the hottest part of the fire. Lighting at the bottom sends smoke up and away from the heat.

Smoke itself is a pollutant and, besides making you unpopular with the neighbours.

I do my own burns in an oil drum – top lit with plenty of ventilation around the bottom and through the middle. Once the flames die down the wood is pretty much charred through and I extinguish it with water before crushing the char and spreading it on the veggie beds.

All the best

Mike

]]> By: Terra Preta in the news - Page 18 - Science Forums http://www.carboncommentary.com/2009/10/01/761/comment-page-1#comment-2575 Terra Preta in the news - Page 18 - Science Forums Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:50:03 +0000 http://www.carboncommentary.com/?p=761#comment-2575 [...] [...] [...] [...]

]]> By: ingo http://www.carboncommentary.com/2009/10/01/761/comment-page-1#comment-2573 ingo Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:27:47 +0000 http://www.carboncommentary.com/?p=761#comment-2573 Hi all I am just undertaking a biochar experiment in my garden in Rkcland St. mary Norfolk UK. My Oak tree has for years sucked the goodness out of my soil leaving half my garden infertile and without light. I have now turned the tree into a treehouse on a stump, with a massive pile of leaves left. I have dug a 80 cm deep pit and will fire it today. The fire will be started in the bottom, then a layer of old election posters to cover the embers. After that I will have to pile all the leaves fast and compound them into the pit covering with more posters and fianlly a layer of earth. Wish me luck, I do not want to waste any of the material of the tree. best top all. Ingo Hi all
I am just undertaking a biochar experiment in my garden in Rkcland St. mary Norfolk UK. My Oak tree has for years sucked the goodness out of my soil leaving half my garden infertile and without light.
I have now turned the tree into a treehouse on a stump, with a massive pile of leaves left. I have dug a 80 cm deep pit and will fire it today. The fire will be started in the bottom, then a layer of old election posters to cover the embers.
After that I will have to pile all the leaves fast and compound them into the pit covering with more posters and fianlly a layer of earth.
Wish me luck, I do not want to waste any of the material of the tree. best top all. Ingo

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