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Potting soil involving biochar

 
James Bradford
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I'm super interested in coming up with a potting soil recipe where I can produce plants popping out of their pots ...like the ones hopped up on nitrogen in your local nursery.   Sooo ... anybody with tips on that, hit me up, please!

I'm currently adding biochar (produced via trench method, and covering with soil plus water to extinguish) to my finished compost.   Then, for smaller plants and seedlings, I munch the mix with my lawnmower to reduce size of biochar chunks and not quite finished wood chips.  

Sooo, you guys got me thinking about this inoculation thing.   I will give it a try with compost tea, and take pictures of results as things grow out this spring.

So far, the plants seem pretty happy in straight fresh bio char chopped in with freshly finished compost.

One thing I'm loving about the trench method ... there's so much clay in my top soil that the heat is forming a crude Terracotta (see the orange in my pic).   I've already tested that orange stuff;  it is stable in water and holds its shape as a loose gravel which helps the porosity in my dense clay topsoil.   I had been hauling in play sand to amend my potting soil.  No need for that anymore, YAY!
DSC02446.JPG
trench method rocks!
trench method rocks!
DSC02453.JPG
terra preta folks, check it out
terra preta folks, check it out

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John Suavecito
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I have added biochar to some of my larger pots-oak half barrels.  The plants seemed to do better.  Plants in pots can get dried out so easily.  Since biochar can take in 6 times its volume in water, it is very useful in these situations.  Biochar also greatly improves the drainage of clay soil.   Compost tea is a highly recommended inoculant for biochar.

If you add biochar before inoculating it and then add compost, research has shown a delay in plant growth.  The biochar sucks in the nutrition from everything around it for a couple of years until it achieves a homeostasis.   Compost is a great way to inoculate biochar, but it takes time.  If you want to inoculate quickly, I recommend liquid inoculation. I would add biochar after inoculation.

My two cents,
John S
PDX OR

Check out Redhawk's soil series: https://permies.com/wiki/redhawk-soil

 
Steve Zoma
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James Bradford wrote:I'm super interested in coming up with a potting soil recipe where I can produce plants popping out of their pots ...like the ones hopped up on nitrogen in your local nursery.   Sooo ... anybody with tips on that, hit me up, please!!



For new growth that is the opposite of what you want. For good root development and growth you want a higher concentration of phosphorous or the P in the NPK triad. Now I say "higher" and not "high" because too much of it will actually stunt your plants growth. The Nitrogen is really good with plant photosynthesis but since the seed is not to that point yet, it is counterproductive to give your seedling lots of nitrogen.

This is where things get interesting. Commercial potting mixtures cannot just load up on phosphorous and bill themselves as being better than the competition, because they would actually be worse. So they load up with nitrogen instead. This makes the plant really grow, and looks impressive because it is the part of the plant that you see, but the root development is stunted. This of course means during the growing season more fertilizer needs to be added to get what the stunted roots cannot get, so you must buy more of their fertilizer.

To get plants established you typically want low nitrogen and higher numbers of phosphorous and potassium. But it depends on what you are growing. For establishing hay fields I would often use 5/52/10, or the same thing for potatoes, but you would not use that for potted plants. That would be more like 10/20/30. Either way, "hopping your potting soil up with nitrogen" is not a very good plan.
 
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John Suavecito wrote:
If you add biochar before inoculating it and then add compost, research has shown a delay in plant growth.  The biochar sucks in the nutrition from everything around it for a couple of years until it achieves a homeostasis.   Compost is a great way to inoculate biochar, but it takes time.  If you want to inoculate quickly, I recommend liquid inoculation. I would add biochar after inoculation.

My two cents,
John S
PDX OR



It's worth remembering that those studies only added raw biochar and nothing else. This past spring I made a mix for tree seedlings out of worm castings, raw char, a bit of fertilizer with mycorrhizae and quality potting soil and my trees took off like rocketships, way bigger and better than just potting soil and same fertilizer the year before.
 
Mike Farmer
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It's an interesting thought. We all know "raw" biochar will take up nutrients, which can be bad in the short term...but IF additional nutrients are added at the same time, and biochar takes up the nutrients fairly quickly, perhaps a pre-inoculation isn't that necessary. This is likely especially true if you're growing something that take longer to grow. Trees, good, lettuce bad?
 
Nirmal Vidura
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Hi James, I think mixing biochar with compost is a great start. It can surely help you with soil structure and makes it easier for plants to grow strong. I’ve used compost tea too, and it really helps the plants grow big and green.

Passionate researcher and hands-on gardener
Visit my blog: for Sustainable Gardening Tips

 
James Bradford
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I ran another batch the other day:

This time, instead of using clean water to do the final extinguish, I used my mosquito trap water which should have decomposing larvae in it.  Not quite compost tea, but it should have lots of bacteria to soak in right from the get go.
DSC02559.JPG
leveled burning coals, covering with thin layer of soil and drenched
leveled burning coals, covering with thin layer of soil and drenched
DSC02565.JPG
next morning, carefully removing the dirt
next morning, carefully removing the dirt
DSC02567.JPG
scooping out the biochar and dunking in water
scooping out the biochar and dunking in water
DSC02569.JPG
this batch made 45ish gal. plus 1 bin of sterile dirt, baked earth, and ash
this batch made 45ish gal. plus 1 bin of sterile dirt, baked earth, and ash
DSC02570.JPG
finished biochar soaked with smelly water
finished biochar soaked with smelly water

row row row your boat, gently down the stream
merrily merrily merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.

 
Ben Zumeta
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When I first heard an experienced permie suggest drenching the biochar with compost tea as part of the cooling process, it seemed a bit crazy to me. An incalculable number of microbes would be cooked. Now, upon further consideration it makes some sense to me. I would use extract for its diversity and ease of production. and apply only on the latter end of the quenching, but I think it has some merits. The inoculation is immediate and establishes a positive pioneer effect in the ecosystem with diverse, mostly beneficial or innocuous microbes. The char pile would have different edges between too hot and barely tolerable for the toughest, and just warm—making for diverse niches for survival. Even some of the cooked and partially cooked microbes would leave some portion of biomass as an ideal food for something.  It would also likely mimic the post fire ecosystem in the first quenching rain, so in areas like CA, local microbes would be in homemade compost. Just a few thoughts on this great thread!

This is all just my opinion based on a flawed memory

 
James Bradford
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I got a bunch of strawberry plants from my mom, so these are the 1st experiment with my new potting soil recipe.   This soil is:  3 buckets of compost (lemon rinds and grass composted with leaves and wood chips), 1/2 bucket of scrapings from the bottom and edge of my trench (terra pretta, ash, nails, local topsoil), and one bucket of the finished bio-char.

My lawnmower is on the fritz (probably carburetor) so i'm running everything through a course screen to take out the really chunky stuff.
DSC02672.JPG
[Thumbnail for DSC02672.JPG]

row row row your boat, gently down the stream
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E Sager
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Mike Farmer wrote:It's an interesting thought. We all know "raw" biochar will take up nutrients, which can be bad in the short term...but IF additional nutrients are added at the same time, and biochar takes up the nutrients fairly quickly, perhaps a pre-inoculation isn't that necessary. This is likely especially true if you're growing something that take longer to grow. Trees, good, lettuce bad?



I can confirm this is true. You can add nutrients and biology via soil drench. We are a biochar producer and use it all over our farm in many different systems. For our market garden, we don't innoculate it in our market garden before adding it to our veggie beds since we have a microbial rich weekly fertigation program that handles that.

For potted plants, I recommend adding worm castings that have been recently harvested (<2 months). Fresher the better. Biochar + worm castings = beaucoup potted plant growth.

https://againfarmstead.com/ | @againandagainfarmstead

 
John Suavecito
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We use worm castings, among other inoculants, with our plants, either in the ground or in a pot or container.
Works well for us.

John S
PDX OR

Check out Redhawk's soil series: https://permies.com/wiki/redhawk-soil

 
James Bradford
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E Sager wrote:

Mike Farmer wrote:
For potted plants, I recommend adding worm castings that have been recently harvested (<2 months). Fresher the better. Biochar + worm castings = beaucoup potted plant growth.



Thanks!   My mom has been watering with a compost tea she makes from poultry manure and I'm super jealous of her results with that.   Chickens are really hard to keep alive tho on these startup sites I'm doing ...lot's of predators.   I guess setting up some worm casting bins is my next "todo".

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Jon Bailey
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In growing use, you almost always want to inoculate the char, thus making biochar.  This is more about microbes and such than the plants take up use.  Think of it like bunkers for microbes when your soil progresses through its stages.  If you are growing in pots for short durations, biochar is not as effective an ingredient compared to a more extended in-ground plant.

I like plain char for use in areas that are toxic or need aggressive treatment.  It is also good for lining around farms' runoff areas to catch excessive nitrogen.

I am moving that site from Germany to the USA, and the information needs to be updated.  I will be working on the biochar and vermi compost writings soon to update it but is still very full of information.
https://www.culturalhealingandlife.com/forum/12-soil-compost-vermicompost-biochar/

A quick link to the compost tea write: https://www.culturalhealingandlife.com/topic/43-composting-compost-extract-compost-tea/#comment-45

I highly recommend the natural farming section, this section I have updated:  I do have some more sections to add in and will find good links for you if you like on those topics from pest management to updated methods for microbes than the IMO methods I have listed.
https://www.culturalhealingandlife.com/forum/8-natural-farming-inputs/

If you really want to jump down a rabbit hole:  Plant Physiology and nutritional transportation.
https://www.culturalhealingandlife.com/forum/13-plant-physiology-nutritional-transportation/

I hope that helps.  Have a great day!

 
May Lotito
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Do you have strawberry planted in soil mix without char for comparison?

Zone 6, 45 inches precipitation, hard clay soil

 
James Bradford
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May Lotito wrote:Do you have strawberry planted in soil mix without char for comparison?



Honestly I'm terrible at keeping track of experiments like this.  I've had a wide range of plants in various concentrations of the biochar plus my compost and I'm super happy with the results so far.  The char is going in everything now.   Mostly I like it because its lightweight.

Also, it's promising for rooting.  Here is flame acanthus rooting in biochar plus play sand.   What I like here is that it all sluffed off these delicate roots easily just setting into bucket of water.   I'll let the others root longer, but reporting will be easy work
20250204_124601.jpg
Flame acanthus rooting
Flame acanthus rooting

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James Bradford
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...repotting.  I gotta turn off auto-correct ...lol, this phone don't speak my language

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James Bradford
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...just a little update

Clearly, the cilantro in ground is growing faster.  Digging and potting stunts them, but the potted plats are healthy and ready for bigger pots.

Niether were bothered by last nights freeze ...1/2 inch ice was pulled from nearby bucket of water

I covered my other greens ...only the peas needed it.
20250213_104505.jpg
Cilantro dugand potted in biochar plus compost
Cilantro dugand potted in biochar plus compost
20250213_104541.jpg
Cilantro left in ground
Cilantro left in ground
20250213_104653.jpg
Kale and arugula from hugel bed is tasty!
Kale and arugula from hugel bed is tasty!

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James Bradford
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There's biochar and ash under a layer of fresh compost on the hugel

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John Suavecito
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Great combo of techniques for your plants!
John S
PDX OR

Check out Redhawk's soil series: https://permies.com/wiki/redhawk-soil

 
James Bradford
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Ive been cranking up the biochar/compost ratio up as high as 50/50, but now im going back down.  Im starting to see some yelow leaves now that plants are actively growing.

Im watering with a solution of grass tea i made last fall ...2 cups to 5 gallons

For last batch of potting soil ... 1/2 bucket biochar, 1/2 bucket native soil, ash, terra pretta, and all mixed with 3 buckets of fresh compost.

Interesting to note, my phMeter shows way acidic 4 to 5ish in the hi-biochar mix.  I dont believe it, i think it is a misread due to increased conductivity from the graphite.

Im gonna plant some blueberries in it just to see how they do.   We cant normally grow blueberries in central tx due to soil ph 7.5 to 8
20250308_132313.jpg
Healthy strawberry
Healthy strawberry
20250308_130330.jpg
Yellow new leaves are worrisome
Yellow new leaves are worrisome

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James Bradford
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The healthier strawberries do have biochar ..just not as much as some of the batches.  I wanna zero in on just the right ratios ...the biochar i can make faster than compost andits lightweight forfilling pots to sell.  It will help me to maximize the biochar content, but there do appear to be limits for some plants.

Rose rootings seem to really not like the high biochar mix.  They were happiest in plain compost

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John Suavecito
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James Bradford wrote:Ive been cranking up the biochar/compost ratio up as high as 50/50, but now im going back down.  Im starting to see some yelow leaves now that plants are actively growing.


Interesting to note, my phMeter shows way acidic 4 to 5ish in the hi-biochar mix.  I dont believe it, i think it is a misread due to increased conductivity from the graphite.

Im gonna plant some blueberries in it just to see how they do.   We cant normally grow blueberries in central tx due to soil ph 7.5 to 8



James-are you planting the Southern low bush rabbit eye blueberries or the traditional New England waist high types?  I think they take different conditions.  I'm also interested to  see if that was a real reading. Seems strange.

JohN S
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Check out Redhawk's soil series: https://permies.com/wiki/redhawk-soil

 
Phil Stevens
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My anecdotal observations so far: Definitely diminishing returns beyond 25% biochar in potting mix and over 50% seems to actively inhibit most plants compared to more conventional blends. I have successfully rooted lots of hardwood cuttings in straight biochar, and I would rate it as equal to or a little better than clean sand in this application.
 
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I recall a few studies echoing Phil's experience here. I think they came to the same conclusion. Somewhere between more than 15% and 25% will have gradually decreasing returns such that it makes more sense to use it somewhere else.
John S
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Check out Redhawk's soil series: https://permies.com/wiki/redhawk-soil

 
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Sometimes compost can be quite acidic and adding biochar neutralizes it. Too much biochar can raise the pH and make metal micronutrients less available as seen in the yellow new leaves. If you have red cabbage you can press the juice for DIY pH indicator.

Zone 6, 45 inches precipitation, hard clay soil

 
James Bradford
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Thanks for all the input y'all.  I will keep the pictures coming as i tweak my soil recipe

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James Bradford
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These guys seem happy ...my mom's planters.  I left some big chunks in this mix.  Im loving that she coplanted some beans in with this one
20250316_123418.jpg
Spinach and gren beans
Spinach and gren beans

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James Bradford
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After steadily uping the biochar in my potting mix, i discovered some things:

Some plants dont mind, and others do.

The strawberries did better with lower amounts.

Snowpeas, wildflowers, and succulents did fine with greater amounts.

Rootings do great in biochar chunks with just enough sand to fill the gaps ...and slighty better still in biochar plus peat and vermiculite
20250415_151853.jpg
Biochar plus sand works great for rooting figs
Biochar plus sand works great for rooting figs
20250414_090829.jpg
Red berries sell strawberry plants
Red berries sell strawberry plants
20250414_090702.jpg
...hoping these bugemvilla continue to thrive
...hoping these bugemvilla continue to thrive

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...just potted up 9 rosemary plants ...that was my 1st successful rooting of rosemary.   I left leaves on the sticks, and they rooted in biochar plus play sand only.

plain ol' ivy doesn't mind 50% biochar mix.

row row row your boat, gently down the stream
merrily merrily merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.

 
I'm not sure if I approve of this interruption. But this tiny ad checks out:
A rocket mass heater is the most sustainable way to heat a conventional home
http://woodheat.net
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