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.