Charcoal?

justBonsai

Omono
Messages
1,442
Reaction score
2,595
Location
Arcadia, CA
I know some people like to add charcoal to their soil mixes--is there any significant benefit and what type of charcoal do you use? Last year I had some lump charcoal (solid chunks of wood) and broke it up and put it in some of my soil mixes but I can't tell if it made a difference or not. Is there any difference in using horticultural charcoal vs lump charcoal you get from a grocery or hardware store?

Thanks,
Julian
 

markyscott

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,112
Reaction score
21,382
Location
Delaplane VA
USDA Zone
6B
I know some people like to add charcoal to their soil mixes--is there any significant benefit and what type of charcoal do you use? Last year I had some lump charcoal (solid chunks of wood) and broke it up and put it in some of my soil mixes but I can't tell if it made a difference or not. Is there any difference in using horticultural charcoal vs lump charcoal you get from a grocery or hardware store?

Thanks,
Julian

I use Hoffmann's :

http://www.amazon.com/Hoffman-17502...r=8-3&keywords=hoffman+horticultural+charcoal

Because it's a good size for my soil. I've always used it. Can't say it's helped. Doesn't seem to have hurt. There is a lot written about the benefits or not of horticultural charcoal, but I let people who enjoy arguing discuss which soil to use. Not my hobby.

Scott
 

Cypress187

Masterpiece
Messages
2,726
Reaction score
1,771
Location
Netherland
USDA Zone
8b
I know some people like to add charcoal to their soil mixes--is there any significant benefit and what type of charcoal do you use? Last year I had some lump charcoal (solid chunks of wood) and broke it up and put it in some of my soil mixes but I can't tell if it made a difference or not. Is there any difference in using horticultural charcoal vs lump charcoal you get from a grocery or hardware store? Thanks, Julian
A burned block of wood is not the same as charcoal. Charcoal (or better activated charcoal) aborbs/filters chemicals and other substances (they also use it in gasmasks). So i can see the benefit of it ni your soil (also nice filler).
 

fredman

Masterpiece
Messages
2,706
Reaction score
3,687
Location
Wellington New Zealand
USDA Zone
8
I also have been contemplating using it. Very important what Oso asks above. What can it do for the tree. Chemicals isn't so much a problem for me, but as a filler it can work. Will have to look into the pricing and availability here. What is it sized roughly? Does it hold moisture well? Any other advantages in using it?
 

Mike Corazzi

Masterpiece
Messages
2,678
Reaction score
3,225
Location
Lincoln, CA
USDA Zone
9b
Charcoal sold for aquarium use is about the right particle size.
???
 

Mellow Mullet

Masterpiece
Messages
3,967
Reaction score
11,229
Location
Mobile, Alabama-The Heart of Dixie
USDA Zone
8-9
I am like Scott, I really don't want to be in a soil war, start one, or to be considered a troll. But, I am also curious like Oso - what purpose would it have and what could one expect it to do? I can see where it would not hurt, just acting as part of the "dirt" the tree grows in. Other than that, I don't see what purpose it would serve.

I see a lot mentioned of it being a filter or that it absorbs certain chemicals. How much charcoal are you adding to your soil to use it as a filter? I would think that it would have to be a significant amount (at least 60% of your soil mass, or more) to have any effect, seeing how it would have to come in direct contact with what you are wanting to filter or absorb. What does it absorb/filter , and, to what extent? Does it absorb good chemicals as well as bad ones, thus taking away from the tree? If it absorbs the chemicals, does it bind them up making them unusable by the tree, or do you have little concentrated nuggets of noxious stuff all throughout your soil, leeching back into it? I expect that if it absorbed anything at all, the effect would be short term, not more that a week or two. There is a finite amount that it can absorb. The cartridges used in respirators (gas-masks) are short lived, and the higher the concentration the shorter the saturation time, until it becomes ineffective.

I assume that the absorption/ filtering characteristics are wished to be applied to impurities in the water. I would be better, more economical, and more efficient (from a purification standpoint) to run your water supply through a charcoal filter before it hits the pot than throwing a handful of charcoal into your soil mixture.

Just Curious,

John
 

Forsoothe!

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,878
Reaction score
9,248
Location
Michigan
USDA Zone
6b
Everything you wanted to know about horticultural charcoal, and more. As you begin to read, keep in mind that you are now 500 years behind some South American Indians...
 

Attachments

  • Terra Preta BBC TV El Dorado.pdf
    113.4 KB · Views: 11
  • Terra preta Cornel Flyer landuse.pdf
    261.9 KB · Views: 2
  • Terra Preta Magic Soil by Allan Balliet.pdf
    579.6 KB · Views: 2
  • Terra Preta Phillip Copens Aricle.pdf
    520.7 KB · Views: 1
  • Terra Preta Science news.pdf
    276.5 KB · Views: 0
  • Amazonia Preta Story.pdf
    254.4 KB · Views: 0
  • Non-Traditional Bonsai Potting Soil 12_16_18.pdf
    369.2 KB · Views: 9

Mellow Mullet

Masterpiece
Messages
3,967
Reaction score
11,229
Location
Mobile, Alabama-The Heart of Dixie
USDA Zone
8-9
Interesting reading, but it doesn't apply to growing bonsai, unless you want to try to grow them in compost. After reading the pdf's, I don't think there is anything magical there. The carbon or charcoal is just a byproduct of the Amerindians, as the call them, using fire to reduce the large mass of materials they had cleared from the land, it is the compost that did the magic, not the charcoal. It is not a secret that if you compost and add that to your flowerbed it helps plants to grow better, I use it in mine and maintain a compost pile.

None of this has anything to do with bonsai soil or growing trees in pots.

It doesn't matter to me, add charcoal or activated carbon if you want if you think it helps, I still don't see the point.
 

amcoffeegirl

Masterpiece
Messages
2,770
Reaction score
4,794
Location
IOWA
USDA Zone
5b
I know it is used often in terrariums.
There is sometimes water standing in terrariums so it helps keep the soil fresh and eliminates smells too.
I don’t know if it would help with organic fert smells but maybe.
It helps to reduce mold and fungus and removes toxins in a closed container.
 

Victorim

Omono
Messages
1,108
Reaction score
2,153
Location
Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK
USDA Zone
9b
From his blog, Adamaskwhy, uses charcoal in his mixes in place of bark for organic exchanges in an inorganic mix. Noting the myocorrzia growth with it added.

As far as filtering toxins, in aquarium use it's changed quite regularly as when it's absorbed all it can it will leach, or even dump them back out.
 

sparklemotion

Shohin
Messages
490
Reaction score
800
Location
Minnesota
USDA Zone
4b
I feel like the bonsai world would be able to have more intelligent conversations about this if we could be consistent about whether we are discussing charcoal in the form of horticultural charcoal/lump charcoal/etc. vs. Activated carbon (used in aquariums, filtration systems, etc).

I won't claim to have all the answers, but I know that activated charcoal is an extremely good filter. It adsorbs acts as a "sink" for various impurities. This is not a feature that would be helpful for bonsai soil mixes.

Horticultural charcoal on the other hand, holds a decent amount of water, is lightweight, doesn't break down, and supposedly has a high CEC (but doesn't trap the nutrients where the plants can't get them).

I don't know that sprinkling in horticultural charcoal at the low concentrations that I've seen recommended (something on the order of 1 cup per 5 gallons of boons mix) would do a lick of good (or bad). But that doesn't mean that it would be a bad idea to try it in larger concentrations (if it were cheaper)
 

amcoffeegirl

Masterpiece
Messages
2,770
Reaction score
4,794
Location
IOWA
USDA Zone
5b
I feel like the bonsai world would be able to have more intelligent conversations about this if we could be consistent about whether we are discussing charcoal in the form of horticultural charcoal/lump charcoal/etc. vs. Activated carbon (used in aquariums, filtration systems, etc).

I won't claim to have all the answers, but I know that activated charcoal is an extremely good filter. It adsorbs acts as a "sink" for various impurities. This is not a feature that would be helpful for bonsai soil mixes.

Horticultural charcoal on the other hand, holds a decent amount of water, is lightweight, doesn't break down, and supposedly has a high CEC (but doesn't trap the nutrients where the plants can't get them).

I don't know that sprinkling in horticultural charcoal at the low concentrations that I've seen recommended (something on the order of 1 cup per 5 gallons of boons mix) would do a lick of good (or bad). But that doesn't mean that it would be a bad idea to try it in larger concentrations (if it were cheaper)
That’s a good point I believe in terrariums it’s
Activated charcoal but the other seems like it would be better for a bonsai mix.
 
Top Bottom