Biochar is what results from burning biomass in a low oxygenated environment and is made from collecting biomass – usually wood and stuff you already have at your home/property – and burning it to turn it into charcoal.
The making of biochar helps the environment by transforming kindling wood or any biomass into an extremely stable state of carbon. When the char is mixed into soil, the carbon is locked away for up to a millennium or longer. Biochar helps the soil by holding on to nutrients and fertilizers needed by plants inhibiting them from being washed away. It encourages microbial growth while absorbing water and keeping the soil more drought resistant…
In the case of the couple below they had an abundance of twigs, bones, scraps, kindling – things that air can circulate around – to create biochar to help start their garden using a BioCharlie. The biocharlie is an easy product that allows you to produce biochar while you warm your home (or anytime you have a fire). Every time they turned on their wooden stove, they would add another round of biomass to the biocharlie and let it go to work making the product. And in a matter of time, presto bango, biochar…
At a 1:10 ratio you can add the biochar to your soil. Usually you would want to charge the biochar by allowing it to sit in with compost for a few weeks so it can absorb the nutrients needed. When added directly to already gardened soil, it can take away the nutrients already absorbed by the plants due to its very porous consistency. In their case, because they were just starting the garden, they added it directly to the soil/compost mix…
After a few weeks of charging the biochar, you are then able to plant your seeds. Check out the following video for a more in depth look at how Jesse & Alyssa began their garden and you can find a BioCharlie on Amazon here…
If you like this idea, be sure to share it with your friends and inspire someone you know. Anything becomes possible with just a little inspiration…
