Charred Biocarbon for Soil
Biochar is a “catalyst” that improves microbial (digestive) efficiencies in whatever context & process it’s inserted in. It provides the same adsorption services to facilitate ion transfers, and the same favored habitat for microbe colonies to stabilize & organize. Carbon is a very helpful atom, and biocarbon is even better. Charred carbon is made by heating biomass with no or little oxygen.
”Pyrolysis” is a technique to cook biomass (woody, weedy, manure) at low temperature (500-900 C) in a retort. This also produces heat, syngas, bio-oil, and wood vinegar. Energy released to make biochar can heat a building, generate electric power. or even power a truck!
Biochar is lightweight because it’s empty inside. Under a microscope, biochar is filled with tiny microscopic pores (microphoto at right). Like a sponge, biochar’s micropores absorb and retain water and nutrients and provide space for microbes to live. Biochar keeps water and nutrients in the root zone, available to plants, reducing their leaching and loss.
Biochar micropores are ideal to add to sandy, or drought-prone soils. More than most carbon, biochar retains up to six times its weight in water. Biochar micropores also aerate, so they loosen heavy clay. Biochar’s huge internal surface area boosts soil Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) to retain positive ions like Calcium, Sodium, Magnesium, Potassium, etc. But biochar has Anion Exchange Capacity (AEC) to capture negative ions, beginning with Nitrogen and Phosphorus ( N-P of N-P-K ). Biochar improves water quality by increasing retention of nutrients for plant and crop use — more nutrients stay in soil rather than leach into groundwater or outgas.
Biochar micropores are also refuge for beneficial microbes, and encourages their growth to make nutrients more readily available. Biochar boosts microbial activity and diversity. Microbes don’t eat biochar; they live in it. Biochar anchors a strong, stable Soil Food Web that manages nutrients, maintains fertility and delivers energy, minerals and metabolites to plant roots.
Biochar isn’t a fertilizer, although it retains some ash that’s plant nutrients. Biochar is used with fertilizer and amendments, not as substitute, but as high-efficiency delivery system. Biochar adsorps nutrients in fertilizers to make them easily available to plant roots. This improves fertilizer efficiency and allows growers to reduce the use of fertilizer.
Biochar can remain in soil over a thousand years, so it doesn’t have to be re-applied year after year. Eventually, after a few annual applications to reach an ideal concentration of at least 5% in soil, only occasional, small additions are required .
Biochar can sequester carbon (capture and store) to mitigate global warming, slow greenhouse gas accumulation, and reduce the burning of fossil fuels. A mere 2% increase in the planet’s soil carbon content can offset 100% of all greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Soil is one of the planet’s largest carbon sinks.
TerraChar’ge Your Soil Battery
for optimum growth, health & nutrient density
Amending Substrates
with Biochar
Dr. James Atland
Greenhouse Product News
Beneficial Fungi
soil digestive web
Regenerative Organic Agriculture
and Climate Change
Down-to-Earth Solution to Global Warming
How Biochar Works
Micropores: Nature’s Nanotechnology
David Yarrow of TERRA
writes & teaches about biochar &
Carbon-Smart Agriculture,
how it works in soil & on plants,
its benefits & best practices:
TerraChar’ge Your Soil Battery
Biochar Effects in Soil: Ion Adsorbtion
His articles are on our Insight page
Biochar Standards for soil:
Not All Biochars are Equal
Climate-Smart Climate Strategy
Turn Greenhouse Gases into Soil Nutrients
Terra Char 