Biochar – The Gardener’s Secret Weapon

The key to a thriving garden lies not just in the plants themselves, but in the soil that nourishes them. And one of the most remarkable soil amendments I’ve come across over the years is Biochar.

“Biochar? Er…Isn’t that just fancy charcoal?”

Well, yes and no. Biochar is indeed a type of charcoal, but it’s been specially produced to enhance the fertility and health of garden soils.

Through a process called pyrolysis, organic matter like wood or agricultural waste is heated in the absence of oxygen. This “cooks” the material, driving off the volatile compounds and leaving behind a porous, carbon-rich material – Biochar.

What makes Biochar so valuable for gardeners is its ability to improve soil structure, water-holding capacity, and nutrient retention. The intricate maze of nooks and crannies in each Biochar particle acts as a sort of underground home for microorganisms, providing them shelter and a place to thrive. In turn, these busy little creatures help make nutrients more available to your plants.

I’ve found Biochar to be particularly useful in my own garden, where it helps the heavy clay soil drain the winter wet weather, and in my nursery plants where it helps to buffer nutrients and moisture levels.

It is particularly good added to your compost pile where it is ‘charged’ with nutrients and provide an extra boost to your flowerbeds when applied. Don’t apply uncharged to your plants as it will reduce the nutrients levels in the surrounding soil until it is charged, and then it will slowly release it back to the soil as required. Another way to charge your biochar is to soak it in say a nettle or comfrey tea. (Personally I just add it to the compost heap because I’m a busy guy!)

So if you’re looking to give your plants a boost, I’d highly recommend incorporating Biochar into your soil. A little goes a long way, and the benefits will continue to pay dividends season after season. It’s one of those quiet garden heroes that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, but believe me, your plants will thank you.

It’s also almost completely carbon, so every kilo buried underground is nearly 3 kg of carbon emissions removed from the atmosphere, and it stays in this solid carbon state for hundreds of years!