How does biochar help my plants?

Biochar is an organic soil amendment that allows you to grow bigger, healthier plants with less water and less feed.

In short, biochar can…

• Increase water and feed retention: Highly porous structure absorbs water and fertiliser preventing run-off. 
• Boost beneficial microbe population in soil: Attracts and holds onto healthy soil microbes while fighting off diseases and pathogens.
• Improve drainage and aeration: Replacing the need for vermiculite and perlite.

All of these benefits combine to increase above ground growth, promote root development and ultimately increase the health of your soils and harvest.

Deep-dive into the science of biochar

So, how exactly does biochar work to do all of these magical things?

Biochar has an extremely high surface area to volume ratio. In numbers, a few grams of biochar has a surface area of a football pitch. And under a microscope, this surface area is made up of macro and micropores. This is what makes biochar porous.

The pores are negatively charged. The nutrient and water molecules in soil are positively charged. So water and nutrients are attracted to and absorbed by the biochar, like a sponge. The nutrients and water are then released back into the soil slowly.

This absorption of nutrients and water reduces fertiliser run-off and prevents your soil drying out which otherwise would cause drought stress on the plants.

Biochar regulates the moisture in your soil by osmosis. If the soil is dry, water will move from the biochar into the soil. If the soil is wet, water will move from the soil to the biochar.

By creating an environment rich in nutrients and water, the microbial population in your soil will bloom. The microbes are also attracted to the pores as they offer protection from predators. Imagine a mini microbe hotel in your soil. As the microbes grow they produce essential nutrients for the plants to grow too!

Find out more about our biochar today!