Biochar is a carbon-rich soil amendment produced from organic waste through a process called pyrolysis. In its raw form, biochar is a powerful tool for improving soil health, but it requires activation (or inoculation) to unlock its full potential.
Why Choose Biochar?
Biochar enhances nutrient retention in the soil, making them more available to plants. This leads to healthier, more vigorous growth and higher crop yields.
It helps to improve soil texture, allowing for better water retention and aeration. This makes your soil more resilient to drought and less prone to erosion.
Biochar also acts as a long-term carbon sink, sequestering carbon in the soil for hundreds to thousands of years. This makes it an eco-friendly choice for gardeners and farmers alike.
How to inoculate your Biochar
Raw biochar has an incredible capacity to absorb nutrients and water, but it can also temporarily bind up nutrients if used directly in the soil. Inoculating the biochar before use fills its porous structure with beneficial microorganisms and nutrients, ensuring that it benefits your plants immediately without drawing nutrients away. Inoculating biochar is a simple process that involves "charging" it with nutrients and beneficial microbes. Here are some easy methods to prepare your biochar for gardening:
1. Composting Mix:
Combine your biochar with finished compost and let it sit for a few weeks. The biochar will absorb the nutrients and beneficial organisms from the compost, making it ready to enrich your soil.
2. Manure Tea:
Soak the biochar in a solution of water and composted manure (manure tea) for at least a week. This will infuse it with essential nutrients and beneficial bacteria.
3. Worm Castings:
Mix biochar with worm castings and let it sit for several weeks. The castings will introduce a range of beneficial microbes into the biochar.
4. Organic Fertiliser
You can also soak the biochar in an organic liquid fertilizer for a few days. This method is quicker and infuses the biochar with nutrients that are immediately available to your plants.
Our biochar is produced locally in Kent, using sustainably sourced materials. By choosing our biochar, you're supporting local woodland managment and contributing to a more sustainable future.
