Kosfeld Fenna Thesis - Flipbook - Page 111
Plant Growth comparison with Biochar as a battery
Biochar log (solid 昀椀r wood log ) was pyrolysed at a temperature between 400-500
degrees in a barrel, in barrel technique. After pyrolisis, I drilled a hole in the middle
and planted the Marguerite Daisy into the
log. Because the log/ biochar was uncharged, its pH was alkaline, which is not
in favour of the Marguerite Daisy 昀氀owers,
which prefer slightly acidic soil. I watered the log regularly with water, but the
biochar captured water so well, over one
week, it kept moist. Yet, within two days,
the plant was dead!! Because the char was
uncharged, it is theoretically negatively
charged and absorbs all nutrients in the
soil and from the plants.
When unpotting the dead plant, I could see
vigorous rhizomes growing into the char. I
believe the plant was desperately looking
for nutrients and better conditions, like
survival mechanisms.
This proved the power of uncharged biochar to take and absorb all nutrients and
water from its environment. Uncharged
biochar needs to be used very carefully in
the environment and for the correct applications. Contaminations and heavy metals
can be absorbed through uncharged char
and will be captured as well.
Biochar log (solid 昀椀r wood log ) was pyrolysed at a temperature between 400-500
degrees in a barrel, in barrel technique.
After pyrolisis, I drilled a hole into it. The
visible lacquer/varnish is biochar+colofonia to try to seal it as well as play with it as
a decorative element. The log was charged
in relatively fresh urine ( 2 weeks old ) for
about three days. The log absorbed the
urine into its pores and hence was charged.
I did not conduct a test on absorption (
weighing uncharged and charged Biochar
to check how much liquid it can absorb
), which would have been interesting to
estimate the amount of urine and nutrient
uptake.
Compared to the test with an uncharged
log and MArguerite plant, lavender 昀氀ourished after three days. Nevertheless, after
one week, the plant slowly started to die.
Biocharge soaked urine up like a sponge,
but when in touch with water, urine rest
washes out and sits at the bottom of the
vessel. Another proof of why Biochar is as
a battery is best to use in an environment
of interconnections and entangled capturing abilities rather than as a separate entity
to hold nutrients in. After three days, the
pH tested 8.5, which is due to the charge
of pure urine and the nature of Biochar
(which tends to be more alkaline than basic ). This is an environment that is too alkaline for the lavender, which results in its
nutrient loss and burning. Lavender’s ideal
pH is between 6.5 and 7.5). The urine is
too concentrated to be exposed straight to
the roots of the plant rather than to work
in symbiosis with other organisms and elements to balance the pH and nutrient 昀氀ow.
This is why urine needs to be diluted when
in touch with plants!
Sumi Plants
In Japanese horticulture,
charcoal is often used as a
soil amendment and nutrient storage. The difference
is the vegetation and area of
application. This company
specialises in making plant
pots out of pure charcoal logs,
in which tropical houseplants
are planted.
Throughout my research, I
realised that the idea of planting plants into pure biochar
is beautiful and aesthetically
pleasing, but our Central European vegetation is not made
for such an alkaline, chalky
soil or root environment.
( Kinois )
( Boon )
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