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I have been talking with several people about Biochar lately. They seemed to be pretty high on the idea, however that had never actually used it in their gardens. I came across this video on making a kiln and using it to make Biochar. I thought it looked pretty simple to use, and it you don't use it in your garden you can always burn it in your charcoal grill.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqkWYM7rYpU

Since I have an outlet to get the barrels now I have been thinking about making one of the kilns. What do you all think about the Biochar idea, and how does it actually work?

I have been told by someone here in the group that you have to compose Biochar before you put it in the garden. That made sense to me to have it absorb water and nutrients before you used it in the garden. Here is a video that confirms that information.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p96K16wSZPI

Here is another opinion about Biochar.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX7vMAC2cSQ


This guy has some problems with the idea of Biochar and feels that regular compost it better. What do you guys think ?

This is an other video that shows a different type of bio-char kiln.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQxIXDo-egA

I have some issues with the lab guy that would have us use compost and peat moss. Peat moss is a finite material. The Irish peat bogs have been decimated over the years from commercial cutting. As regards to the ph being high, you can adjust that with what you innoculate it with.
They have been using biochar on farmland in Australia and New Zealand for a number of years now and the results speak for themselves.
I've been experimenting with some old cans lately and the one I am planning to go full size with is this one.

That was my question Graham, how does every one feel about it, how does it work, and have you used it in your garden yet. It seems that you, like many others I have talked with like the Biochar. Have you actually used it in your garden? Does putting it through a compost pile 1st fix the PH concerns? Do you think the claims of holding carbon in the ground actually works? Can a large amount of it used on our fields help with Global Warming? What is your take on this issue? Lots of questions I know.

Hopefully I will get to make some tomorrow. I will let you know how it goes down the road.

That is great news Devil. Have you gotten your Gasifier stove up and running?

Its snowing here, 4 to 6" is what they are calling for, we are down off the ridge a bit so I am sure we should be on the low end of that number. How far north are you Devil? How close to the Lake, or how close to Rt 80. My son lived in Meadville for awhile and I was amazed how much more snow they got up there than we got down here. The Lake effect does make a Huge difference in the amount of snow you get up there. [ For those of you from other parts of the country we are taking about the effect Lake Erie has on the amount of snow because cold Northern winds come out of Canada across the Lake and pick up moisture, when it hits land it dumps it, ] Close to the lake there is a warming effect from the lake waters and there is a huge fruit area very close to the lake, the father you get away from the lake the snow effect is profound. Rt 80 is normally the line where the Lake effect tends to drop off, above Rt 80 is a Huge snow belt. Below Rt 80 not normally so much. To day the Lake effect went to the Md line dumping a lot of snow here in the Mountains. I am just west of the Mountain so I won't see too much snow compared to some other places.