What Is Biochar..And What Can It Do For Your Garden?

How Biochar Can Make Your Garden Better While Helping The Climate

Do you want to grow healthier plants that are more productive, disease-resistant and nutrient-dense? A stupid question…I know! Of course, you do!

But how?? Well …there is one substance that might help you get very close to this goal. It looks a bit like charcoal and is simply carbonized organic matter. Soo...what is Biochar? Let's explore...

Nowadays we call this charred magic Biochar but this stuff has already been used thousands of years ago in the Amazon region to turn infertile soil into what we now call Terra Preta. To this day these soils are fertile and full of carbon whereas fields created through the 'slash and burn' method are unusable after one or two seasons in the tropical climate.

The capabilities of Biochar are truly fascinating! It can remarkably improve your garden soil and it might be a dream come true for many organic gardeners.

Here is an example for you: one of the problems we have here in the SW of Ireland are high rainfalls which leach a lot of nutrients out of the soil particularly during the winter. By incorporating Biochar into our soils it can hold on to nutrients that otherwise would be washed away. And this is only one of the problems biochar can solve for your garden!

Benefits Of Biochar For Your Organic Garden

holds onto nutrients until the plants need them. Biochar increases what is called the ‘Cation Exchange Capacity’ (CEC) and ‘Anion Exchange Capacity’ (AEC) of your soil. Plant nutrients carry either a positive or a negative charge. The surface of the biochar has areas with either a positive or a negative charge. So for example positively charged plant nutrients (ions) like Calcium or Magnesium are attracted to the negatively charged sites of the biochar where they stay in a loose connection until the plant roots need them. The same happens with negatively charged nutrients e.g. Nitrates or Phosphates with are attracted to the positive sites on the biochar.
holds onto water and increases the water-holding capacity of the soil significantly. It acts like a sponge absorbing water into its porous structure. This is very important nowadays with climate change causing hotter summers and droughts more frequently. Biochar will help to make your garden more resilient to water shortages.
provides shelter for beneficial soil microbes which help to grow healthy plants. The cell structure offers a habitat for beneficial soil bacteria, microbes, and fungi. All these critters pee and poo…and are thus providing fertilizer for our plants. They also function like our gut microbiome and help to protect plants from pests and diseases.
prevents leaching of nutrients during heavy rain and therefore less fertilizer is needed
holds on to toxic heavy metals and reduces their effect
helps to improve the soil structure of heavy soils, sandy soils, and sticky clay.

So...What is Biochar And What Makes It Magic?

How To Turbocharge Your Garden Soil With Biochar

Biochar is any organic matter that has been pyrolyzed. During pyrolisis the organic matter is roasted without oxygen at a temperature around 350°C. You can use all sorts of organic waste materials like e.g. garden trimmings, wood shavings, straw, twigs…any plant material that comes free and is non-toxic!

During the roasting process, the organic matter doesn’t burn down to ashes because there is no oxygen available. This preserves the cell structure of the organic matter you chose for your biochar. These cell structures are like little chambers which offer a cozy home to microorganisms and nutrients once it is incorporated in your garden soil.

Don’t mix up biochar with charcoal! Although it might look similar it is not the same thing. Charcoal is produced at much higher temperatures with oxygen in the process. With biochar, the aim is to preserve the cell structures and pores of the organic matter so it can do its magic in the soil.

What Is Biochar And Is It A Fertiliser?

In short…no! In itself, biochar has no nutrients of any significance. It is simply a form of very stable carbon. So you might be wondering why and how this stuff can make such a difference to your garden. It mainly works in two ways.

1. Biochar can hold onto nutrients until the plants need them and prevent them from being washed away by rain or irrigation water.

2. Biochar gives soil microbes a cozy home and shelter from predators. It supports beneficial soil life which will help to improve plant health.

Why Biochar Is Good For The Climate

How To Offset Your Carbon Footprint With Biochar

Biochar is a very stable form of carbon. It can stay in the soil without breaking down and being released as CO₂ for a very long time. It is estimated that it stable for several hundred if not thousands of years! So by using biochar in your garden you are not only improving the productivity of your soil... but you are also taking the climate gas CO₂ from the atmosphere. A true win-win! There is no better way to reduce your carbon footprint while growing more and better quality food.

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