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Charcoal Is A Medicine Not A Food

Categories: Soils, Fertilizers and Irrigation

Recently a lumberyard burned, leaving quite a quantity of charcoal. I

have a lot 50 x 150 feet in rhubarb. Would the charcoal be of any

service on that lot as a fertilizer? I now have it well fertilized with

horse manure, but would like to use the charcoal if it would be of any

material assistance to the plants.



Charcoal is of no value as a fertilizer. It is practically

indestructible in the soil. In fact
they are digging up now charcoal in

the graves of ancient Egyptians, who departed this life five thousand

years ago. Charcoal has corrective influence in absorbing some

substances which might make the soil sour or otherwise inhospitable to

plants. It has been found desirable sometimes to mix a certain amount of

charcoal with soil used in potting plants for the purpose of preventing

such trouble. The only way to make your charcoal of any value as a

fertilizer would be to set it on fire again and maintain the burning

until it was reduced to ashes, which are a source of potash and,

therefore, desirable, but it will probably cost more than the product of

potash will be worth.



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