John Suavecito

Phil,
I have a lot of clay soil where I live. Would it be helpful to add some clay soil to the wood stock before I start the biochar burn?  The functionality sounds like a good way to improve soil fertility.
John S
PDX OR

Great information, Phil.  That makes sense to me. I don't quite understand the physics and chemistry at your level, so it's nice to have someone who really gets it and can explain what's going on.
John S
PDX OR

Here's another study showing it "ages" better at 350C than at 750 C. The electric flow seems to work better at the lower temperature:
John S
PDX OR

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42773-025-00546-z

I don't measure the temperature of my biochar when it's burning, so I guess I don't know which of these scenarios is more like what I make.
John S
PDX OR

This article is suggesting that biochar burned at a higher temperature, like 700 degrees, will last longer, about 1000 years.  Therefore it's great for carbon sequestration.  However, they said that biochar burned at a lower temperature, like 300-500 degrees, is more productive for soil fertility.

John S
PDX OR

https://biochartoday.com/news/high-temperature-biochar-offers-thousand-year-stability-while-low-temperature-varieties-maximize-soil-benefits/

Phosphorus is the nutrient that many scientists tell you not to add too much of, or else, your soil won't create it by itself.  It makes sense that biochar could enhance the ability of the mycelium to deliver it through the soil when biochar is added.  Not just because it drains better and holds more moisture, but also because it can facilitate the connection underground of the mycelium to do that.  There are more electric flows underground with biochar, and that pathway is similar to nutrient cycling with phosphorus.

JohN S
PDX OR

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