"Grochar"

[Alan_b]

"Grochar" is the name of a range of products which "all contain biochar, seaweed, wormcasts and mycorrhizl fungi" and are marketed by a company called Carbon Gold Limited.  'Biochar' is a form of charcoal used as as soil improver.  Monty Don was using something like this on Gardeners World last week (without mentioning the trade name) and it has been credited with doing miraculous things like preventing ash trees succumbing to the dieback disease.  Has anybody tried it? 

[johnralphcarpenter]

I use the general purpose compost and the seed compost to good effect. I first saw it at Great Dixter, where they recommend it, and they know a thing or two there!

[diamondhill2012]

Hi Alan_b I have used Carbon Gold's biochar soil improver. I met Craig Sams at Great Dixter the founder of Carbon Gold, and we had a really good chat. It is a great product and I've had some fantastic results with  mine and my clients gardens. With one client I used it on their herbaceous border one year after it was planted. The second year the growth and vitality of the plants was outstanding. As well as being fabulous for the plants, it remains in the ground and helps with the carbon cycle to reduce C02 in the atmosphere. Do make sure you're using Peat free soil!! Good luck!

[Regelian]

An interesting topic.  What is the principle behind carbon in the soil.  I use it a great deal for my aquariums and it is later added to my garden, along with zeolite, another aquarium by-product.

Ash is clearly a source of potassium for the plants, but carbon is a binder and pulls various organics into its matrix.  Bacteria can then use them, but I've not thought plants would make much use of it. 

j.

[rob krejzl]

Google on Terra Preta.

[Regelian]

Thanks, Rob.  I had already and found some basic infos in German, but no real research as to what parts of the biospere are being supported and why.  Interesting recipes for making it yourself, simply not much researched infos.  I'm sure they are out there, just not top-line for Google.  I'll report back, as this is what interests me.  The why, not just the product.

cheers,
J.