I'm hoping to do some experimenting with Biochar's bio-oil concentrations (especially the glucose increase) in conjunction with the amazing surface area from charcoals aspects. I'm thinking that maybe one could use water soluble nutrients in a char soak specifically aimed at mushrooms. Such as compost tea, soybean meal, flax oil/meal & coffee grinds in the soak. Perhaps if there is a low glucose level, one could even incorporate some dark molasses, kelp meal and possibly hydrolyzed fish liquid (apparently fish emulsion is not suitable for mycology use). I hope to try this in the next few days with some Phoenix Oysters (Pleurotus pulmonarius) & some Reishi (Gandoderma Lucidum). It might be worth trying this soak with woodchips mixed with biochar for outdoor specific species like Wine Cap/Garden King Mushrooms (Stropharia rugoso-annulata) or Blewits (Lepista Nuda). I'll do some experimenting with my Wine Caps and if I get some Blewits going, I will try those as well.
Although having a nutrient soak such as soybean meal or flax meal I don't think that would penetrate the wood like glucose/molasses or cereal seed oils...perhaps someone here can help me out in that aspect. I'm not terrible science minded...been a while since I was in school
I think any soak in that regard is isolated to biochar/charcoal. I hope to get experiments with both ends, wood char and bio char.
Does anyone know the nutritional value that remains after converting Biochar? I suppose ideally you'd like to keep your sweet spot at 500C when your doing your conversion as to not lose excessive amounts of your work. I'd like to make some char out of horsemanure since its consistency and nutritional value is incredible mycology wise...is substantial amounts lost?
I wonder if anyone within this board has the necessary equipment to run tests on converted biochar to know for sure. That'd certainly be interesting beyond "If I put in pine needle char, I get x weight from mushroom A but I only get x weight from mushroom B but if I use manure char I get x weight from Mushroom C while A & B don't grow at all". Time for experimenting.
