FAQs Biochar

No, biochar is not a fertilizer. Biochar can be used alone or it can be mixed with nutrients (organic sources or chemical fertilizers), microbes, or other additives. Biochar will allow us to use less fertilizer as it will retain some of those nutrients typically lost with fertilizers applications.

Remember the plants don’t “eat” carbon, the soil provides nutrients (Macro and micronutrients) and those are held onto the biochar and soil. And the biochar makes the soil healthier for plants.

Biochar is a mixture of Organics (e.g. carbon) and inorganic (mineral ash) elements. The composition of biochar varies widely with the feedstock and operating conditions. Typically biochar contains 60-90% organic carbon, and small amounts of oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, and inorganic minerals among others.

ARTi uses sustainable biomass (many considered wastes) as raw material to produce biochar. We have processed wood chips, sawdust, pellets, rice and oat hulls, coconut shells and husk, wheat straw, corn discarded kernel, cobs and stover, among many others. The most commonly used biomasses are oat hulls and wood chips.

Biochar properties vary with the biomass used and how it has been processed. Therefore, the benefits depend on what kind of biochar is used and in what circumstance. If you choose the right biochar, for your specific situation, you should always see improvements in the soil quality, in the plant health and in the environment. We need to understand your needs to match with the biochar properties to get the right results.

Biochar properties vary with the biomass used and how it has been processed. Therefore, the benefits depend on what kind of biochar is used and in what circumstance. If you choose the right biochar, for your specific situation, you should always see improvements in the soil quality, in the plant health and in the environment. We need to understand your needs to match with the biochar properties to get the right results. 

Benefits in Soil Health

• Biological changes:
  • Promotes the growth of many different types of microbes.
  • Creates pores for the housing and protection of microorganisms
  • Promote the development of endo and ecto mycorrhizae

• Chemical changes:
  • Increases the amount of organic matter in soil. Biochar is “pyrogenic organic matter/carbon”
  • Increases the cation exchange capacity.
  • It can increase the anion exchange.
  • Nutrient holding capacity and releases slowly to plants.
  • Buffer the pH in soil:. 
    • Basic materials and reduce soil acidity by acting like a liming agent.
    • Acidic biochar can reduce the alkalinity of soils.
  • It can modify the electric conductivity in both ways.

• Physical changes:
  • Hold water longer than soil because it acts like a sponge.
  • Decrease compaction
  • Promote the formation of aggregates breaking and clustering compacted clay layers.
  • Increase the water infiltration.
  • Increase the aeration.
  • Increase oxygen levels

Benefits in the Plant

The plant growth depends on the soil quality, nutrient content, soil texture and structure, etc. Generally biochar helps to:

• Improve root structure and growth.
• Increase plant nutrient uptake
• Increases yield and resiliency to weather
• Increases available water by augmenting the range between wilting point and soil saturation levels
• Creates healthier plants for fighting pests and diseases

Benefits in the Environment

• Sequestrate Carbon Dioxide within the biochar itself (most of the biochar is carbon) and indirectly it can enhance other sources of organic carbon annual generation in the soil by increasing the plants residues and microbial growth and cycling.  
• Hold nutrients from leaching down the soil and volatilization to the air.
• Creates a better environment for the microbes and the plants to grow, having many other benefits to the soil and the ecosystem as a whole.

ARTi Biochar is charcoal-like material for soil quality enhancement. Biochar is one of our best tools in the fight against climate change as it sequesters 2.4 times its own weight in carbon dioxide. e.g. 1 lb of Biochar sequesters up to 2.4 lbs of CO2. The large amount of carbon in it helps improve your soil physically, biologically and chemically (by mixing it with compost, you will add nutrients and microbes to the soil). It is characterized by being a highly stable soil amendment product that does not break down and hold nutrients from the soil. ARTi Biochar is produced from sustainable biomass that can either be used purely or in blends with other soil products.

The application rate will be determined by the type of biochar, environment, soil, the plant you are using, what you want to improve in your soil and how fast you want to change it. Based on this information we offer further technical assistance for clients to direct them in their use. Contact us for a soil analysis, provide us some pictures and background information, and we can give you our suggestions for optimal use of the biochar. Contact our ARTi agronomists who can help you. 

For general applications, we recommend using 50% granular biochar with 50% of good compost with a bit of water, to keep it moist but not wet. The compost will provide nutrients and microbes that will inoculate with nutrients the biochar surface and will colonize pores with microbes and soak water in its sponge structure. 

Although you can apply immediately, we recommend the addition of compost and allowing it to mature for 2 weeks prior use. 

Excellent soils around the world have a high amount of carbon typically around ~5%. If you were to use that as a recommendation, you can add enough biochar to reach 5% of organic carbon in the soil (measured by weight). Contact us if you want us to review your math!

Much depends on your soil and environmental conditions. As well as your specific crop or plants’ requirements. If you would like to improve your soil’s general properties, increase your organic matter and water retention and you will see significant gains. But you will typically use a significant amount. If you wish to supply additional nutrients to the soil then biochar can be loaded with nutrients and you don’t need that much as the biochar is used as a carrier to hold the nutrients. If you are trying to improve the cation exchange capacity somewhat larger amounts are typically used. Contact us to help you and suggest how we would do itn. 

Keep in mind ARTi Biochar is the sponge that holds water and nutrients while the compost provides nutrients as it decomposes. Want to get the best results with our product? Find the answers of how to best apply ARTi’s Biochar, suited to your specific requirements.

For potted plants?

1. Mix up to 50% ARTi Biochar with compost.  
2. If possible, compost the mixture for 2 weeks and keep it moist, but not wet. 
3. From a pot’s volume add 20% of the mix then soil and leave 2 in for mix above.
4. Sow your plants and water as usual.
5. Make a healthier soil, retain more nutrients and water. See the benefits of growing with ARTi Biochar! 

For seeds?

1. Mix up to 20% ARTi Biochar with Compost (ABC). 
2. Compost the mix for 2 weeks and keep it moist, but not wet. 
3. Till your soil and add the ABC mix.
4. Add your seeds and water then cover with 1 in ABC.
5. Make a healthier soil, retain more nutrients and water. See the benefits of growing with ARTi Biochar!  

For lawns?

1. Mix up to 50% ARTi Biochar with compost (add a bucket per sq yard).
2. Spread over the lawn and then water it.
3. Make a healthier soil, retain more nutrients and water. See the benefits of growing with ARTi Biochar!   

For potted trees?

1. Mix up to 50% ARTi Biochar with compost.
2. Dig the hole and add 20% of the mixture in the hole at the tree.
3. Plant your tree, add 2in of ABC and 2in of mulch above, and water as usual.
4. Make a healthier soil, retain more nutrients and water. See the benefits of growing with ARTi Biochar!