Sold in 1 Gallon Bags/ 4 quarts Larger volumes are available for pick-up only Biochar technology shows promise in mitigating climate change, improving soil quality, reducing waste, and producing energy as a byproduct. Biochar is a charcoal-like substance made of burnt organic material from agricultural and forestry wastes (also called biomass). It looks like ordinary charcoal, but biochar is produced using a specific process to reduce contamination and safely store carbon. Biochar is efficient at converting carbon into a stable form and is cleaner than other forms of charcoal. Biochar is black, highly porous, lightweight, fine-grained, and has a large surface area. Approximately 70 percent of it is carbon. The remaining percentage comprises of nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen, among other elements. SJGM biochar is manufactured and sourced in Utah. Soil degradation is a major concern in agriculture globally. To address this problem, researchers suggested applying biochar to degraded soils to enhance the quality. Some of the ways that biochar may help improve soil quality include: enhancing soil structure increasing water retention and aggregation decreasing acidity reducing nitrous oxide emissions improving porosity regulating nitrogen leaching improving electrical conductivity improving microbial properties Biochar is also found to be beneficial for composting since it reduces greenhouse gas emissions and prevents the loss of nutrients in the compost material. It also promotes microbial activity, which in turn accelerates the composting process. Plus, it helps reduce the compost’s ammonia losses, bulk density, and odor. BEST MIXING: Use compost tea, biologicals, and the biochar mix. Allow to sit for 1-3 days. Let it sit even longer; 1-3 months if you can. Be sure to stir it every couple of days, then once a week for longer aging processes. FAST WAY: Mix all of the above together. Mix it really well for 30 minutes. Let it sit an hour. Mix for 10 minutes, then apply. The biochar, water, and additions will have the consistency of a firm, wet sponge and should not be dripping too much. You will have water pooling at the bottom of the barrel. Be sure to mix it well before incorporating so you have that good moisture in the char going in your soil. Again, giving this mix as much time as possible is always best. PERCENTAGES: As a general rule, adding about 10% to 20% of the volume of biochar is ideal for most home garden and yard applications. However, this may vary based on application and your goals. 1 cubic foot of biochar applied over a 4′ x 8′ bed and mixed in at 4″-6″ depth provides 10% by volume. This comes out to be about a 1/2″ layer over the entire bed. When would you add more? In larger percentages, biochar is great for water retention in dry soils or aeration attributes in compacted soils. There tend not to be additional nutrient benefits over 20%, with the exception of the water-holding capacity and soil carbon capture. Many consumers will mix it in raw and experience great results. FUNGI: Let’s talk about mycorrhizal fungi. The biochar gives the ultra-deluxe living space to the microbes and beneficial bacteria. The fungi enhance communication in nutrient transition between those microbes and the plant roots. The plants provide the microbes with carbohydrates and carbon, and the microbes give nutrients. It's a perfect symphony.