BioChar-The Latest Advance In Organic Gardening

First, what is it? BioChar is simply charcoal, usually in very small pieces rather than the large lumps used in a barbecue. Charcoal is formed when wood is burned in a low oxygen environment, a process called pyrolysis. Charcoal, by itself, has little or no nutritional value for plants other than to marginally increase the soils ability to retain water. The interest in Biochar results from the research of soil biologists who discovered that ancient civilizations used a combination of charcoal and human waste (not recommended today because of the parasites present in human feces) to greatly increase the fertility and production capacity of their soils, this was especially true in the clay soils of the Amazon. These charcoal enriched soils were called Amazon dark earth. Of interest, is the fact that the beneficial effects of adding charcoal to a soil, remain for thousands of years. So just what is the value of charcoal? Charcoal is the key to this novel form of organic gardening because charcoal is very porous containing millions of microscopically small crevices and fissures which can house, if you will, the beneficial microorganisms that make organic gardening possible. As you know, chemical fertilizers kill these valuable organisms and leave the soil sterile. Organic fertilizers, on the other hand, stimulate the reproduction and growth of essential microorganisms and, by so doing, greatly increase the soils ability to produce plant life and edible fruits and vegetables. Thus, the goal of Biochar gardeners is to further enhance the fertility of their gardens by adding charcoal and other organic material to the soil. The exact ratio of charcoal to the other organic additives added to the soil to achieve maximal plant growth has yet to be determined. However, the beneficial effects of charcoal cannot be achieved if additional organic materials are not added to activate the charcoal. So, what types of organic material typically are added to the charcoal to convert it to Biochar? Here are a few of the many possibilities. Any type of aged animal manure. Keep the manure moist, as soon as you find earthworms in the manure it is ready to add to your garden or Biochar mix. This process usually takes about three months. Aged compost- leaves, garden waste, grass clipping, etc. Spent coffee grounds. Coffee grounds are rich in slow release nitrogen and other valuable nutrients. Last but not least, earthworm castings. Earthworm castings and the tea made from the castings, arguably, are the most valuable organic materials one can add to an organic garden and the tea will stimulate the growth of the microorganisms that develop in Biochar. In summary, Biochar is a valuable addition to any organic garden. The benefits of the charcoal that is added to the soil will remain in the soil for hundreds, if not thousands of years. The preferred ratio of Biochar and the other essential organic materials added to a garden has not been determined and probably is not of critical importance. Within reason, the more Biochar and organic material you add to a garden the better.