John Suavecito

It isn't that it only holds more water and lets it drain better in heavy clay soil.  MOre water infiltrates, flows differently, and encourages more phosphorus development as well.

John S
PDX OR

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42773-025-00543-2

My understanding of it was that they took pieces of biochar, inoculated them,  and then measured how for into the biochar it went.  It didn't go far.  I don't know about the micro details of the experiment.

John S
PDX OR

Burning wood chips doesn't really work.  With biochar, we are trying to limit the amount of oxygen to the burn, but we need some.  Imagine trying to burn a pile of flour or sugar.  Not enough oxygen in it.  It has to be burned in a specific way first.  Then it can be crushed.

JohN S
PDX OR

I think that's exactly what's going on. It looked like the flattened pieces from the first time got set at new angles, so they could get crushed much better this time.  

John S
PDX OR

Steve, How would you feel about mentioning your location? It helps others to visualize the limits on your bike riding, and the weather implications.

JohN S
PDX OR

This is a great topic, Gray. I am not a farmer, but if we're going to make this society more sustainable, we've got to get farmers involved.

John S
PDX OR

I just checked it and it's much smaller than before.  It looks about perfect now.  1/4" gravel sized.  I'll have to remember to do this next time.
John S
PDX OR

That's a great question.  Maybe our biochar is hoping to eventually become terra preta-like. I have noticed that after a few years, it is harder to find the bigger chunks of biochar and I'm more likely to find black soil and smaller pieces where there were chunks of biochar.  I would think that microbes and other beings in the soil have something to do with breaking it down into smaller and smaller units.   I have no scientifically measured way of accurately describing how fast the process happens, but it's a great question.  

I know that there are some biochar enthusiasts who don't crush their biochar at all.  In some methods, it would be logistically difficult to do much crushing.  The trench method comes to mind.  Some people consider themselves to be healing the Earth as much as improving their soil for their own benefit.  It's a noble effort.  Personally, I'd prefer to both heal the Earth and improve my soil for my benefit.  Others use a more minimalist effort to crush the biochar.  It's not my place to tell other people what to do. My land, ability to make fires, access to wood, and other factors are different than other people's situations.   I just like to share ideas, because most of what I've learned and developed about biochar has been sharing and learning on this forum.

John S
PDX OR

Many people on this list crush their biochar to make it smaller before inoculating it.  There have been findings that the inoculation doesn't go very deep into the biochar, so if it's a big chunk, it's mostly not inoculated. It might take much longer to really behave as a microbe hotel in a homeostasis with the soil.  

I have been crushing it in burlap bags in the driveway, then driving over it.  One thing I noticed again today is that during the first time you drive over it, you get a very satisfying ASMR type sound. (ASMR are those videos that make sounds that make you relaxed and comfortable to sleep). However, you usually never hear that again.  On the second time, it's nearly silent.  It feels like it isn't crunching any more.  

Today, after crunching it, I stopped the car and went back out to fluff it back up.  Then I drove over it again.  It was not silent this time. You could definitely hear that crunching sound again.  I feel like I"m crushing it to a higher degree.  Previously, it was crushed pretty well, but I would have wanted it crushed a little bit more.  I'll check this time and see if it's better, or if I still want to crush it some more.

John S
PDX OR

That sounds very efficient in an unusual sort of way!

John S
PDX OR