Important Note: Unactivated biochar should not be used as a soil conditioner unless you will not use the soil for planting for a minimum of six months to a year. If biochar is not activated, it will absorb the soil’s existing nutrients and it can negatively impact plant growth.
We highly recommend that biochar be activated for two weeks to four months, depending on the activation method. See our page Activating Biochar for more information.
- Improves new and established lawns, seeding and gardens, landscaping, composting, agriculture, and livestock.
- Add two cups of biochar to your kitty litter to reduce the urine odor.
- Add biochar to your compost pile to speed up the composting process and reduce the odor.
- Adding biochar to livestock pens reduces manure odor.
- Anecdotal evidence suggests that adding 2-3% biochar in animal feed promotes livestock’s intestinal health and reduces their manure’s odor.
Gardens & Flower Beds
- Apply 10% activated biochar or a 50/50 mix of biochar and compost based on the soil’s square footage. You can estimate the amount of biochar or use the formula below to determine the cubic feet needed.
- Thoroughly mix in the activated biochar into the top 6” of the soil.
Landscapes
- Apply 10% activated biochar or a 50/50 mix of biochar and compost based on the soil’s square footage. You can estimate the amount of biochar or use the formula below to determine the cubic feet needed.
- Thoroughly mix in the activated biochar into the top 6” of the soil.
Lawns
New Lawns
- Apply 5% activated biochar or a 50/50 mix of biochar and compost based on the soil’s square footage. You can estimate the amount of biochar or use the formula below to determine the cubic feet needed (Change the 10% to 5% in the formula).
- Till or work the activated biochar into the top 6” of the soil.
- Seed the area and cover with straw or lay the sod. Water regularly.
Established Lawns
- For optimal results, core aerate the lawn before applying the biochar.
- Apply a 1” layer of activated biochar or a 50/50 mix of biochar and compost.
- Rake the lawn to deposit as much biochar as possible into the aeration holes. Water regularly.
Potted Plants & Starter Trays
- Mix in 10% activated biochar or a 50/50 mix of biochar and compost to the potting soil. The biochar will also increase the aeration and water available to the plants and seedlings.
Trees
- Apply 2-3” of activated biochar or a 50/50 mix of biochar and compost from the trunk of the tree out to the drip line.
- Work into the soil as best as possible.
- For new planting of saplings, make a hole twice the rootball size and set aside enough soil to fill in the area when the sapling is installed.
- Mix in 10% activated biochar or a 50/50 mix of biochar and compost to the fill soil.
Application Rate Formula
Example for a 4’ x8’ area:
- Convert a 4ft x 8ft at a 6in depth to inches: 48in W x 96in L x 6in D = 27,648 cubic inches.
- 27,648 cubic inches divided by 1728 (cubic inches to cubic ft conversion) = 16 cubic ft.
- 16 cubic feet divided by 10 (10% application rate) = 1.6 cubic feet (Amount to apply).