Biochar fertilizer is a unique environmental approach to fertilizing. Main biochar benefits are its potential to combat climate change by removing harmful carbon from the atmosphere. Formation of biochar also produces gas and oil byproducts that provide clean, renewable fuel. So what is biochar? Read on to learn more.

What is Biochar?

Biochar is a type of fine-grained charcoal produced by burning of wood and agricultural byproducts slowly, at low temperatures, with a reduced oxygen supply. Although biochar is a new term, the use of the substance in gardens is not a new concept. In fact, researchers believe that early residents of the Amazon rainforest increased soil productivity by using biochar, which they produced by burning agricultural waste slowly in trenches or pits.

A long time ago it was commonplace for farmers of the Amazon jungle to successfully grow tree fruits, corn and cassava melons in soil enriched by a combination of mulch, compost, and agriculture biochar. Today, biochar is very valuable in areas with inadequate water supplies and severely depleted soil.

Biochar Use in Gardens

Biochar as a soil amendment enhances plant growth and reduces the need for water and fertilizer. This is because more moisture and nutrients remain in the soil and don’t leach into the groundwater. Scientists believe that soil boosted by biochar is more efficient, retaining critical nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and nitrogen. Additionally, nutrients present in the soil are more convenient for plants, making good soil even better.

You can make biochar in your own garden by burning brush, wood shavings, dry weeds, and other garden debris in a trench. Light a hot fire so the oxygen supply is quickly minimized, and then let the fire burn down. Firstly, the smoke from the fire should be white as water vapor is released, gradually turning yellow as resins and other materials are burned. When the smoke is thin and the color is grayish-blue, cover the burning material with about an inch of excavated garden soil. Allow the material to smolder until it forms chunks of charcoal, then extinguish the remaining fire with water. To use biochar fertilizer, dig the chunks into your soil or mix them into your compost pile. Although charcoal briquettes from a barbecue may seem like a good source of biochar products, the charcoal usually includes solvents and paraffin that may be harmful in the garden.