Looking for a discussion of mesquite as source
wood for making
biochar. Anyone use it before? Things to be aware? I have just put a contract on some
land that had been very overgrazed two years ago and some length of time before that. The pasture is now full of young mesquite. The soil is damaged, but not eroded, thankfully. I can bring it back to life with some love.
Traditional wisdom holds that one does not want to cut mesquite out of a pasture because of the vigorous regrowth. I am thinking (in
permaculture the problem is
the answer, right?) the regrowth is exactly what I want. Cut what is standing and burn it for char. Spread this over the pasture. When the regrowth appears continue to cut and char. When I am ready to be rid of the mesquite, I will have depleted much of the
energy stores in the
roots, and will be able to come back in with a tall legume, like Sunn Hemp, and shade out the weakened mesquite. By then I will have had lots of mass in char and legumes to recover the soil; and no chemicals to kill the plant.
My question is around mesquite as a char source. Thoughts, experiences?
