Spring has not sprung here, so I am stuck inside watching videos and dreaming of spring. One show I enjoy watching online is Begin Japanology. Yesterday, I watched one featuring charcoal, which lead to wood vinegar (a bi-product of making charcoal). This sparked some interest and I started doing some research on the web and found: http://www.agrowingculture.org/2011...in-reducing-the-dependence-on-agro-chemicals/ Some of the benefits include: "It has a bactericidal effect as well as the ability to propagate microbes. It has radicational qualities, which provides a growth inducing effect. But depending on the concentration of the mixture it can also be used to retard the growth of the plant." "when it is correctly applied, it enhances the intake of fertilizers and reduces the damages by various diseases. Wood vinegar enhances rooting, helps in the regulating of the nutrients condition of the soil, and the balance of the microbiological population. The changes in the microbiological population not only greatly reduce the tendency of soil bound diseases, it also increases the vitality of the roots and hence enable better uptake of nutrients." "the most remarkable effects of foliar application are the increase in resistance of the leaves against pests and diseases and the increase in the effectiveness of agro-chemicals. Through foliar application of wood vinegar, the leaves become shiny and darker in color. This is due to the increase in chlorophyll through the effect of ester in the wood vinegar which promotes photosynthesis. This ester also helps in the formation of sugar and amino acids. This also results in a better taste of the produce. The healthier leaves naturally have a stronger resistance against pests and diseases." Has anyone tried this in maple cultivation or in their own landscape? It seems the key to success is proper dilution of the wood vinegar before application, for the specific use to obtain the desired results. I love when I can find something that is effective and has multiple uses in the landscape, but as we know, what works for some plants does not always work well with Japanese Maples. What are your thoughts and experiences? For those who are interested in making your own charcoal and wood vinegar, I found this helpful blog: http://joshkearns.blogspot.com/2006/12/charcoal-and-wood-vinegar.html
