Description

What is Biochar

Biochar is a form of charcoal-carbon made from wood by pyrolysis, ie combustion without oxygen. Good biochar improves soil structure, tilth, aeration, water-holding capacity and nutrient retention. These properties lead to improved soil health and plant growth.

Why use biochar

Biochar made from dry wood supports enhanced microbe and fungal growth. These microbes live in the biochar pores and access the stored nutrients. The microbes form symbiotic relationships with plant root hairs – moving nutrients to the roots in exchange for sugars (food) from the roots. There is growing evidence this root zone activity stretches beyond nutrient transfer. The exact mechanisms are not fully known, but it appears a community of mutual defences against pathogens and diseases is created which results in enhanced plant vitality and disease resistance.

Biochar features

• Improved plant and vegetable growth (We are confident biochar will deliver +30% plant growth)
• Improved water retention
• Improved nutrient supply to roots
• Decreased nutrient run of
• Support for microbes and AMF (mycorrhizal fungi)
• Supports the formation and stability of colloidal humus
• Improves soil tilth

Environmental benefits include:

• Carbon capture by locking carbon in the soil for hundreds of years
• Offset your carbon footprint – 1Kg biochar equals approx 2.0 Kg of carbon dioxide
• Reduced NO_x and methane soil emissions

Where to use biochar

• Planters
• Raised beds
• Allotments
• Lawns
• General gardens
• Add to compost

How to apply biochar

The most powerful biochar benefits involve interactions with the root zone. It follows the best place for biochar is in the root zone. Our recommendation is to dig it when planting (eg seed drills, tree holes or when cultivating the soil. This is not always possible (nor desirable if following a no-till regime!) and biochar benefits have been shown when used as a top dressing or when lightly hoed into the top few centimetres of soil.

How much biochar should I apply to the soil?

Apply 0.5 – 1Kg/m2 (one kilo per square metre) depense how rich/poor is your soil.

Quality

Our biochar is 100% made of wildcrafted dry wood to make sure that the wood is free of chemicals. Pyrolysis production (heating without oxygen) is undertaken in our special kilns. Biochar is activated with natural fertilizers using wildcrafted plants. wildcradted guano, organic pig urine, wildcrafted microbes and wildcrafted wild rabbit droppings.