BRIAN PAIGE RECEIVES Biochar continued BEACON from page AWARD
BRIAN PAIGE RECEIVES Biochar continued BEACON from page AWARD
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and soil microbial activity. Depending on soil conditions and goals, blend rates of 5 – 10 % of a high-quality biochar can deliver lasting improvements in soil health and plant performance.
Soil Physical Benefits Improved Soil Structure: Biochar improves aeration, drainage, and aggregation. Its porous structure creates space for air and water movement, supporting deeper and healthier root systems.
Reduced Soil Compaction: Incorporation of biochar can reduce bulk density and improve root penetration in compacted soils.
Water Retention: Biochar improves soil’ s ability to retain moisture, reducing irrigation demand and helping plants tolerate drought stress.
Soil Nutrient and Microbial Benefits Nutrient Retention: Biochar has a high capacity to retain nutrients, reducing leaching and improving nutrient availability over time.
Turf managers should at least check a biochar’ s organic carbon and total ash content, aiming for higher carbon levels and lower ash to get the best benefits for soil health and long-term carbon storage.
As a general guideline, high-quality biochar typically has a high organic carbon content— often above 50 – 60 % according to IBI and EBC standards— and relatively low ash content(< 5 %), with lower percentages considered preferable for soil and carbon sequestration applications.
Additional test parameters- such as pH, surface area, and stability- can provide valuable information, but carbon and ash content are the essential starting points before using biochar as a soil amendment.
Biochar Resources: What’ s Available to Turf Managers In the spring of 2024, Standard Biocarbon brought their modern biochar production facility online— the first commercial-scale plant of its kind in New England. Located next to a lumber mill in Enfield, Maine, the operation converts responsibly sourced woodchips into a stable form of organic carbon through the pyrolysis process.
Microbial Habitat: The pore structure of biochar provides habitat for beneficial soil microorganisms, increasing microbial diversity and enhancing nutrient cycling.
Heavy Metal Absorption: Biochar can absorb certain heavy metals, reducing their bioavailability. This is particularly beneficial in disturbed or urban soils.
Plant and Environmental Benefits Carbon Sequestration: Since biochar is extremely stable, it sequesters carbon for decades- or even centuries- helping reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Enhanced Plant Performance: Collectively, these benefits support improved plant vigor, resilience, and overall performance.
Odor Reduction: Biochar can help reduce undesirable soil odors, improving working conditions in landscape and urban environments.
Long-Term Stability: Unlike compost, which decomposes over time, high-quality biochar remains stable in the soil for decades, continuing to deliver benefits long after application.
Evaluating Biochar: What Turf Managers Should Know The only reliable way to evaluate biochar quality is by reviewing laboratory test results. Manufacturers should be able to provide basic analytical data for any product containing biochar.
German technology used by Standard Biocarbon to produce clean, consistent quality biochar.
With consistent, high-quality biochar now locally available, many view it as a major advancement in turfgrass and landscape soil management. Few, if any, soil amendments offer the same combination of physical, chemical, biological, and environmental benefits. Incorporating highquality, inoculated biochar into rootzone or planting bed soils can lead to long-lasting improvements in soil health and plant performance.
Testing results, case studies, recent projects, and area distributors can be found on Standard Biocarbon’ s website or by contacting the author of this article.
Tony Will is Director of New Product Development at Read Custom Soils. Connect with Tony: Tony @ readcustomsoils. com, or 617.835.3950.
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