Amending soil with biochar adds nutrients, health and fertility
By George Atchley
Biochar increases soil pH, moisture content and nutrient retention, as well as increasing crop yield. It has been used as a soil amendment for centuries..
Originally created by the indigenous peoples of the Amazon basin and referred to as Terra Preta (dark earth), this method of soil rejuvenation involved “slashing and burning” vegetation and kept the region sustainable for millennia. The ancient Amazonian practice of mixing this burned product into the soil proved to convert non-fertile land into rich, dark soil capable of sustaining the inhabitants of the Amazon River Basin.
How modern biochar is made and used
Biochar (black carbon) is the modern name given to this organic soil amendment that feeds the earth and offers a sustainable biome for the helpful bacteria and fungi that bring soil to life. It is created through pyrolysis (superheating of organic materials in a low-oxygen atmosphere). There is no specific recipe for biochar. Each will be unique to the biomass transformed through pyrolysis. Those organic raw materials vary from plant life to manure, wood chips to agricultural waste. Pyrolysis transforms carbon-based materials into a more stable form, useful for plant life (carbon sequestration). The resulting material increases crop yields, and continues to feed the soil.
Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. It is one method of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with the goal of reducing global climate change.
Wood-based or higher nutrient-based (poultry and dairy manure) biochar have a higher likelihood of producing a positive yield improvement than other biochar source materials, according to the Journal of Environmental Quality.
In the soil, biochar acts like a sponge, retaining water and nutrients for plant uptake that benefit crop growth. Biochar decomposition in the soil occurs very slowly, which means that chemical and physical properties of this material can last for long periods of time. In addition, biochar binds pollutants or industrial wastes in the soil, reducing their risk of reaching groundwater and mitigating their potential negative impact on the environment.
How biochar improves your lawn
In soil amendment blends, biochar acts as a habitat for the living organisms that improve your soil’s nutrients and their availability to root networks of your lawn and plants — which is why as much as 40% of each ClimateYard™ granule is composed of it. This vital ingredient has a cumulative effect, with each application building and enhancing your soil. The biochar in ClimateYard uses softwood pine raw materials.
A healthier soil, a healthier lawn
Over time, re-evaluation of your soil health will show a healthier, more sustainable ecosystem is being created.
Make an appointment today for your free ClimateYard consultation, and feed your yard what it needs for long-term health, with no worries about negative environmental impact.
Sources:
Spokas, K.A., Cantrell, K.B., Novak, J.M., Archer, D.W., Ippolito, J.A., Collins, H.P., Boateng, A.A., Lima, I.M., Lamb, M.C., McAloon, A.J., Lentz, O.D., Nichols, K.A. 2012. Biochar: A synthesis of its agronomic impact beyond carbon sequestration. Journal of Environmental Quality. 41(4):973-989.