Kitchen Garden Forum

Terra preta is the black earth found in some parts of the Amazon, created by adding charred plant material to the soil. It is incredibly fertile, because while charcoal is inert in itself it holds water and nutrients in the soil.

Various studies are being conducted into it, various forums are discussing it, and I am planning to experiment with creating bio-char from the waste materials from my plot. Whether it only works with the Amazons particular climate and micro organisms is the issue.

Has anyone had experience of this?

I intend to make one bed with char mixed in, one with char and bfb meal and one with no additives. All three will have potatoes on them this year.

If it works it has the additional benefit of removing carbon from the carbon cycle for millenia.

Mmmmmmm. Have you got a web reference for us Di?
JB.

Good point JB,
http://hypography.com/forums/terra-pret ... post101974

That link is to a thread on another forum, if you scroll to the bottom of the page it has a whole list of links to documents, websites and groups.

It was featured on Round the World in 80 gardens on the show about south America.

Sounds like someone trying to turn slash and burn agriculture into a new "organic".

Nah, the material is turned to charcoal rather than ashes, if that is dug in, the nutrient benefits last far longer than those from ashes which wash away quickly.

In the context of the third world it might make it possible for cleared land to last, and not need to be replaced by further clearance. In the west the idea (if it works) would be to use waste from agriculture and gardening as an alternative to composting or tipping.

The potential advantages being that it reduces the need for added nutrients and can remove carbon from the cycle.
Course it might not work, I'm just trying to find out the niceties of the technique and then give it a trial.

This was featured in Monty Don's around the world in 80 gardens feature when he was in south America - if you taped it, have a look. This lady was making very small, slow fires well banked down to produce the charcoal an crushing it before feeding it to her beans.

Thanks Guilia, I hadn't spotted that. It does suggest lower temperature doesn't it. I'll be down the allotment charring stuff this weekend then.