Just in time for the anniversary of our waste management institute, the company will present at tomorrow’s “Open House” is a novelty on its premises. “Terra Preta” is the name of the product. It is very fertile, which is derived from substances such as fermentation substrate, coal plants and horse manure and composition of the “wonders of the Earth Amazon Indians” meets. Normal forest soils are highly weathered and can only store enough nutrients, hardly a crop would thrive here, with good yield.
In contrast, Amazon Indians were over 2000 years ago in a position to operate highly successful agriculture: growing self-demanding crops such as mango and papaya on this so-called “terra preta” (translated: “Black Earth”) is still gorgeous and can repeatedly are harvested annually.
Scientists were the miracle on the trail: From a mixture of human, animal and plant waste in connection with vegetable carbon, for example, fire pits, has over the years of this powerful and extremely fertile black soil developed. Even more astonishing, that the deep black “Terra Preta” has for over 2000 years lost none of its outstanding fertility.
“Terra Preta” has a much higher water and nutrient holding capacity than typical tropical soils. The high soil fertility leads to self-preservation, because more plant biomass produced and the root exudates and plant residues to the soil humus and nutrients out. The oldest “Terra Preta” finds are several thousand years old, and the earth itself is still extremely fertile.
The key element is the charcoal that the Amazon Indians always stood while due to the constantly burning fire pits are available. This very stable carbon is able to bind nutrients and water, thus creating a habitat for soil microorganisms, which in turn causes the extraordinary fruitfulness. Also from a climate point of view has “Terra Preta” many advantages. You can bind a lot of carbon in the form of an extremely stable long term, thereby relieving the atmosphere of CO2
Scientists have very intensively with this miracle planet. In the meantime, we are able to “recreate” the earth: from materials such as fermentation substrate, coal plants and the particularly energetic horse manure has the MWI on the landfill site Sans hedges set up a special “Terra Preta rent”. Under the scientific direction of Professor Glaser you are currently working to make this miracle planet. After about twelve weeks for this process to “Open Day” tomorrow, Sunday is available.
Any interested visitor can learn about this earth and take a small sample to take home. This is then no indeed for a potato field, but for a “test-pot” it’s definitely enough. These flower pot can (as sunflower), vegetables and fruits are planted. The actual care as usual, only the fertilization is not necessary.