Biochar

Want a more productive garden? Use biochar in your compost, soil or potting mix to improve soil health.

What is biochar?

Biochar is a natural soil improver made from crushed charcoal pieces. The small charcoal has thousands of holes called micropores. The micropores are perfect for holding water, soil nutrients and giving a home to beneficial soil microbes. When the fine charcoal is infused with microbes or nutrients it becomes biochar. This is done by adding it directly to compost or worm castings or old animal manure, soaking with compost tea, worm juice or seaweed concentrate.

How does biochar work?

Biochar is used to boost soil health and fertility by encouraging microbial activity and enhancing the availability of nutrients. It also increases the soils water holding capacity and improves drainage and aeration. Biochar puts carbon back into the soil and this heightens physical and chemical properties for supporting plant growth. It can also adsorb and neutralise problem substances in soils.

Biochar works the best when added to compost. It can be added as a layer (about 10% per volume of compost) and it will improve the microbial activity which will speed up the composting process and reduce any odours.

How is olive wood biochar made?

Our olive wood charcoal is made from the pruned timber in our olive groves. It’s pure wood and chemical free. This charcoal is put through a pin crusher to produce a very fine charcoal.

How do I use olive wood biochar?

Our biochar is sold in a bucket with a sachet of eco-seaweed. You add this seaweed and water to the bucket and let it sit for at least 24 hours to use straight away. Or you can wet the biochar and add it to your compost or soak in your own worm castings, worm juice, old animal manure or compost tea.

Never put dry charcoal directly as it will dry out your soil and plant roots.