I was driving near Ruakura, Hamilton this afternoon, when I saw a roadside stall selling Bio Char, 20kg for $10. I brought a bag but are not sure how to use it or its advantage to a home raised garden where I grow vegetables or to plants and shrubs around the house? The raised garden soil needs revitalization as I've not refertilised for 3 years A quick Google search suggests to add 10% to the top 150mm of soil to aid water retention, but that it is not a fertilizer. I'd be grateful for any advice on how to use it and any disadvantages? Its a black lightweight granular form.
mechnificent,
Jan 6, 8:15pm
Just sprinkle it around. It;s just charcoal. If you have a fire on the ground it has the same effect. Changes the Ph or something. The weeds grow better there afterwards.
mechnificent,
Jan 6, 8:17pm
Or you could throw it into water and water the ground. It doesn't need much, and there's no too much.
oh_hunnihunni,
Jan 7, 9:05am
Chuck it around by all means, it won't do any harm and will have some beneficial effects in sweetening the soil. But fhs start replenishing your soil with compost, minerals, and a bit of slow release. If you want your dirt to support your plants, like any other community, it needs feeding.
Soil is a living community.
tourer100,
Jan 9, 10:19am
It has to be activated before you put it on garden beds, or it will tie up the nutrients, put it all thru your compost first. It’s a great addition to soil, well done finding it so cheap too.
smallwoods,
Jan 9, 8:52pm
This, or mix it with animal effluent. Then bury it deeper.
oh_hunnihunni,
Jan 10, 10:04am
The only way to 'activate' charcoal or carbon is via high heat. When I clean my carbon filters I do it by boiling them in distilled water, and even that isn't hot enough to completely reactivate the material. Activated carbon is different on a molecular level to ordinary charcoal. Chucking charcoal in the compost is a great addition to the mix, but it will not activate it as a super booster.
Activated carbon and bio char are different. Activated bio char is a simple process. Many you tube tutorials on it
oh_hunnihunni,
Aug 26, 2:50am
Exactly.
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