Some things just don't biodegrade well here, and part of it is that we're still perfecting our composting workflow and making sure our heaps don't overdry and die in our arid environment. We're getting better all the time, and it's a learning process. But in the meantime, I've been doing a lot of research on biochar. Most of the USDA fact sheets only talk about using biochar from wood or agricultural "wastes" like cornstalks, straw, etc. However, I know for a fact that in much of South America it's common to burn animal bones, manure, and more.
So, talk to me about biochar! Do you use it? What do you burn? What have your results been? Do you combine it with other soil remediation tactics (compost, compost teas, etc.)?
@siin Don't have much direct experience with #biochar, but my friend Michael Whitman of BlueSkyBiochar does.
Biochar needs to be inoculated before you add it to the soil or it will suck nutrients out of the soil and into the char instead of the other way around.
So he says a really effective way to use your char is to add a layer on top of your compost pile whenever it's added to. This has the added benefit of capturing the methane and other gases produced by the composting process. And while the pile is cooking, nutrients are getting established inside the char.
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