Biochar and Plant Growth

Takesumi Bamboo Biochar works in several ways to make your plants stronger and healthier:

Increasing Microbial Life

Biochar has extremely porous structure creating an environment in which microbial life thrives. Microorganisms are protected from predation and drying whilst being provided with the diverse carbon, energy, mineral and nutrient needed to stimulate growth and activity.

Neutralizing Soil Acidity and Raising pH

In many soils acid rain and over cultivation have contributed to depleted acidic soils. Places like the UK, where land has been cultivated intensively for hundreds of years, are particularly likely to suffer from depletion. Acidic soils have a low pH that can be increased to a neutral or alkaline. The carbon content of Biochar generates a negative charge, which buffers acidity. Biochar also adds to the organic matter in soil, which again helps to raise pH levels. Use of biochar in the arid soils of outback Australia has revolutionized agriculture, in some cases crop yields increasing several times over.

CEC stands for Cation Exchange Capacity, and is a very important factor for earth fertility. Strong ecosystems have a high CEC because it forms a basis that supports environmental structures. Cations are positively charged ions through which plants take in nutrients. Because the porous carbon surface of Biochar generates a negative charge the soil can retain the positively charged cations and increase the instances of nutrient exchange with plant roots. A low cation exchange capacity causes fewer nutrients to reach plants and they are often leached away with water.

Retaining Water, Minerals and Nutrients

Biochar also improves water quality and quantity by increasing soil retention of nutrients and agrochemicals for plant and crop utilization. More nutrients stay in the soil instead of leaching into groundwater and causing pollution.

Improves Soil Structure

Biochar turns soil a healthy rich brown. Because of its stability, it remains as a component of soils for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Its porous structure allows for oxygen to be held and thus aerate the soil.  Plant roots and other particles also find it easy to bind with its surfaces and hence hold soils together.

Reduces Fertilizer Requirement

If you are aiming for a naturally fertile garden without the use of chemical or quarried products Biochar works fantastically on it’s own. Alternatively, Biochar properties complement your existing gardening techniques so if you use chemical fertilizers Biochar will make them more effective so can reduce your dependence and expenditure on such products.

Long Lasting Effects

Biochar is an extremely stable material and so remains as a beneficial component of soil for many years. Many estimates suggest that biochar can keep working for hundreds even thousands of years. This is not just important because it provides incredible value for money over other soil improvers, it is also fundamental to long lived health of gardens. Stability is important for two reasons: first, stability determines how long benefits to soil and water quality can be provided; and secondly, stability determines how long carbon applied to soil as biochar will remain sequestered in soil and contribute to the mitigation of climate change.