grocery store charcoal

[Orchid Whisperer]

Lump hardwood charcoal is very cheap relative to horticultural charcoal. The coarse large chunks can be broken into smaller bits, if you need a smaller size. As Katrina said, no accelerants.

From time to time, I have made my own charcoal, too. easy to do if you have a backyard charcoal grill. Sometimes I use hardwood, sometimes bamboo.

[Vanda lover]

Originally Posted by weederwoman

I just want to double check that no one has had adverse effects from using the all-natural-wood-only type of charcoal sold bagged in the grocery. Got the hint here on the board to buy this and break it up to the size needed for potting. I have lots of very fine horticultural charcoal but it is too fine for my potting and just settles out to the bottom of the pot. I like the idea of custom chunking the charcoal to fit the mix. Yes, I'm prepared to get filthy.

Laurel

I use the lump type of barbecue charcoal. no problem.

[Polarizeme]

Okay, I did the math.
1 cf of hort grade charcoal is 1728 cubic inches for $17.90

the Cowboy brand is 700 cu in for $9.99

You would need to buy 2 and about 1/2 bags ($25.00) of the Cowboy brand to equal the same amount of charcoal from cal west's 1 CF 0r 1728 cu in ($17.90) I don't know how much shipping is however.

This type of charcoal IS NOT activated charcoal. It's just burnt wood. It will not absorb impurities like activated charcoal will, like for use in filtration, purification.

I don't know about the horticultural charcoal. I need to do some reading.

---------- Post added at 08:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:29 PM ----------

Here is a good read on the subject.

Myths of Horticultural Charcoal in Gardening | Gardening on Cloud 9

[jeremyinsf]

I realize it's "to each their own" - but for me, my investment in actual plants has been huge, and they are really important to me. Because of that, I always use what I consider to be the best supplies in the world - Orchiata, Besgrow Sphag, K-lite, good solid pots, etc - in order to take care of them and provide them with the best I can.

It's kind of like how I look at my bed - I spend about 1/3 of my life there, so I really want something of quality, including good sheets and all that. It's all a part of taking care of ME.

I personally wouldn't save a few bucks on supplies and in doing so take risks about what I'm getting.

[Orchid Whisperer]

FWIW, the horticultural charcoal is not activated.
Activated refers to charcoal or carbon that is processed to have a high porosity and therefore high surface area for chemical reactions, including adsorption. With any charcoal/carbon, the higher the porosity, the more reactive it will be.

Nothing wrong with the Calwest products at all, BTW. The lump charcoal is just a reasonable alternative.

[WaterWitchin]

LOL.... it sometimes strikes me really funny, how what appears to start out as a "simple" conversation about charcoal, or similarly a recent one about rainwater vs. aquarium water vs. worm tea can take on a life of its own here on the OB.

To clarify... I use lump hardwood charcoal as a "filler" in potting media that won't break down readily. Kind of like a Styrofoam peanut? Keeps media from packing, etc, etc, and provides air spaces when used in orchid potting.

Not sure what the benefit of activated charcoal resting around orchid roots would be, other than lack of degrading media, just like non-activated. When using the "real deal" activated charcoal for the purpose of removing tannins, etc, from water, pond water, or aquariums, its life span is far shorter than I'd want in order to face repotting an orchid. IF that were why I was using it.

And... if that activated charcoal absorbs both the "good" stuff and the "bad" stuff... wouldn't it then be true that the poor orchid's roots would end up resting amidst a cesspool of nasty toxins that wouldn't flush, due to its properties.

Not meaning to fan any fires...ahem, so to speak, since speaking of charcoal. Sometimes I just gets naughty like this.

[Polarizeme]

The article I posted the link to, clearly states that it is not activated charcoal that we buy for horticultural use. It's only real purpose is "filler" as stated in the above post. It will not sweeten the potting mix nor deter or kill pests or make your plants bloom super big flowers on full moons that fall on Tuesdays.
Just sayin....

[Orchid Whisperer]

WaterWitchin, you summed up the reason I use charcoal. It does not rot and keeps the medium open. I have made my own charcoal for a couple years (easy to do in a charcoal grill). That gives me charcoal that is virtually free, and I have control over what it's made from. I really like homemade bamboo charcoal (think charcoal cylinders with all that open space in the middle). Sometimes the cylinders break into chips but those are useful too.

[katrina]

Originally Posted by Polarizeme

.....or make your plants bloom super big flowers on full moons that fall on Tuesdays.

[WaterWitchin]

Okay, Orchid Whisperer... I have a stack of cut bamboo in my back yard about five feet high, twenty long, fifteen wide. It's provideded by the invasive and territorial bamboo windbreak I planted twentysome years ago.

I've built so many different things with the bounty of bamboo...screens, garden art, vegetable garden "stuff"... but my favorite thing is to burn it in a nice bonfire on a fall night. Just like free fireworks. Then of course I gathered up the charcoal later, spread ashes and charcoal around to plants and garden beds.

Polarizeme... I know. I was just discussing charcoal and the whys and why nots. You mentioned activated charcoal, and I just got on a roll... waxing eloquent about how a simple subject can go so complex here.

Jeremyinsf... Will you adopt me? I come with my own TempurPedic.

Now I'm off to sweeten my potting soil with sugar.