How to use biochar
Pick your use case. Every page below is a stand-alone application guide: charging, rate, method, coverage for each bag size, and the small details we have learned from professional landscape work.
The universal workflow is the same in every case: charge the biochar first, blend at 10–20 % by volume, water in. Start with the charging guide if you are new.
Biochar in Raised Beds
Pre-charge, blend through the top 20 cm, and rehydrate the bed — a single application that stays in place season after season.
Read guide → 10–15 % by volume of the potting mixBiochar in Containers & Potting Mix
Blend pre-charged biochar at 10–15 % by volume into fresh or refreshed potting mix. Improves aeration and extends wet-to-dry cycles.
Read guide → 15–20 % by volume, blended into the top 20 cmBiochar for Ontario Clay Soil
Clay drains poorly and compacts. A biochar amendment introduces stable pore space through the top 20 cm of the soil column.
Read guide → 15 % by volume, blended into the top 15–20 cmBiochar for Sandy Soil
Sandy soil drains quickly and loses moisture between waterings. Biochar's pore structure holds water and nutrients that would otherwise flush through.
Read guide → 0.25 kg/m², broadcast and raked in after aerationBiochar for Lawns & Turf
A fine-grade biochar top-dressing, raked in after core aeration, integrates pore space into compacted turf profiles.
Read guide → 1/3 biochar to 2/3 native soil in the planting holeBiochar for Tree Planting & Established Trees
Blend into backfill at planting, or mulch-layer and irrigate existing trees. Improves the structure of the root zone for the life of the tree.
Read guide → ~10 % by volume of the potting mixBiochar for Houseplants
Blend charged biochar at 10 % of the potting mix when repotting. Improves aeration and extends the interval between deep drenches.
Read guide → 5–10 % of pile volume, added in layersBiochar in Your Compost Bin
Add biochar directly to the compost pile. The compost finishes charged, the biochar inherits the compost's nutrient and microbial profile.
Read guide → 5–8 % by volume of the starter mixBiochar in Seed-Starting Mixes
A small percentage of fine, charged biochar in seed-starting mix helps with moisture regulation during the vulnerable first weeks.
Read guide → 10–15 % by volume, worked into the top 15 cmBiochar in Perennial & Ornamental Beds
Work a biochar amendment into perennial beds at the spring or fall cleanup — one application supports the bed for the life of the planting.
Read guide → 10–20 % by volume in beds; 5–10 % in containersBiochar for Tomatoes
Tomatoes punish inconsistent moisture. A pre-charged biochar amendment buffers the wet-to-dry swings that drive blossom-end rot and split fruit.
Read guide → 10–20 % by volume, blended into the top 20 cm of the bedBiochar for Peppers & Vegetable Gardens
Peppers, eggplant, and the warm-season vegetables want oxygen at the root zone. A biochar amendment opens lasting pore space without compacting back down.
Read guide → 1/3 biochar to 2/3 native soil in the planting hole; 10–15 % by volume in berry bedsBiochar for Fruit Trees & Berries
Apples, pears, plums, blueberries, raspberries — the long-lived woody crops. Biochar in the planting hole is a one-time decision that shapes the root zone for the life of the tree.
Read guide →