Biochar is a product that some have heard of, others have not. However, the buzz over biochar is growing daily. The reason for all the chatter is not that it is a new product; but it is a material that actually works quite well. Now begins a little biochar education.

For someone who doesn't know, biochar is a byproduct of mainly agricultural waste. It doesn't matter if it be corn husks, wood stock, or even chicken manure. Biochar can be produced from these items when done properly. The process used to create biochar is called pyrolysis, and it is the technique that is used to create this type of char.

The idea of using charcoal as a soil supplement originated over two thousand years ago in the Amazon basin. Soil in that part of the world is very acidic and difficult to work with. Farmers in that area learned that using charcoal they could fertilize the land they were already using as opposed to clearing more land. The farmers also learned by refining the way they made their char, they could get substantial benefits from adding it to the soil. A slow, hot burn was needed to make the product we know today as biochar.

What makes this so interesting is the farmers continued the practice of using char to get the desired results from their crops. This turned the soil into terra preta, which is a very fertile soil. There is no need to add any kind of fertilizer to terra preta, thus a remarkable product has appeared that was thousands of years in the making. The biochar enriched the soil so well that there is no need to use chemicals or fertilizers to enhance plant growth!

The use of this char has some very significant results. Crop yield increases thirty percent or more. Biochar holds nutrients and moisture. But another amazing fact is that the char does not decompose quickly. Biochar benefits are very substantial!

For those who are skeptical, there is an abundance of biochar information on the internet. It is well worth reading.

Is this significant if you are growing a garden? It most certainly is! When biochar is soaked or mixed with a fertilizing agent, you have a very powerful product that will produce quality plants. If you can get thirty percent or higher yield out of your garden, you are getting the ultimate amount of growth that is possible. For the serious gardener who is canning or freezing his goods, this is a great way to get a plentiful crop. It never hurts to get more yield than you plan on!

To sum it up, we have always looked to past history as a way to learn from what has been done. South American farmers have taught us a great lesson. If we take their practice of making (or obtaining) char to use for our gardens or crops, we will reap the same amazing biochar benefits that they experienced.