SMALL BATCH CHARCOAL
Available in ........bags
Our small batch charcoal is made as a by-product of coppicing and produced on-site using kilns that heat timber waste to over 400 degrees C without oxygen. This enables wood to be slowly 'cooked,' which produces charocal, rather than burning away to ash.
Unlike many mass-produced charcoal products, our charcoal DOES NOT CONTAIN any chemical binders, accelerants or fillers like arsenic, nitrates or sawdust, (some of which may be harmful to health).
TOP TIP FOR COOKS: Hickory chips and mesquite are popular flavourings for barbecues - but have you tried sprinkling fresh rosemary or lavender onto hot charcoal during cooking to add flavour?
HORTICULTURAL BIOCHAR
Horticultural Biochar is available in.........bag sizes.
Available for discounted bulk purchase in non-branded recycled bags - please enquire for further details.
What is Horticultural Biochar?
Our Horticultural Biochar is a soil improver created as a by-product of coppicing, a traditional method of sustainable woodland management. It has many benefits for plants, soil and the environment.
Manufacture
Coppiced tree waste is heated in large kilns without oxygen - a process known as pyrolysis. The resulting charred material is then crushed to create a fine, granular product that can be used in many horticultural environments.
Benefits of using Horticultural Biochar
Horticultural Biochar has a highly porous structure that absorbs carbon, fixing it into the soil and keeping it there for hundreds of years. This has exceptional benefits for the environment - just a single kilogram of Horticultural Biochar can fix up to 3 kilograms of carbon.
The structure of Horticultural Biochar provides a perfect environment for storing water and nutrients that would otherwise be leeched away. Every granule houses microbes that form a friendly relationship with the tiny hairs on plant roots, improving nutrient uptake from the soil which increases growth and crop yield. In tests, it has been proven to increase growth by up to 300%.
Horticultural Biochar benefits all soil types. In clay areas its granular structure aerates and improves friability and aeration of heavier soils. In lighter soils, it improves structure, moisture and nutrient retention. In raised beds, it helps retain moisture and can reduce the need for watering.
When added to compost bins, it improves the breakdown of organic matter to create nutrient super-rich compost.
How to use
Horticultural Biochar works best when wet and added to growing mediums.
Important: Horticultural Biochar is so absorbent that it should not be used uncharged, as it will have a negative effect on the soil it is added to, sucking up any goodness before releasing it again in the longer term. Charging can be done simply by adding water. Additionally, all types of liquid fertiliser, worm tea or microrhizomial fungi can be added to super-boost its properties.
Compost bins: Add to compost at a ratio of up to 1 part Horticultural Biochar to 1 part compost. Once compost is ready it can used as usual.
Outdoor beds: Sprinkle onto flower, vegetable and raised beds and lightly dig in. Can also be added to planting trenches for shrubs and trees. The maximum recommended ratio is 1 part Horticultural Biochar to 4 parts soil.
Potted plants: Mix into potting composts. The maximum recommended ratio is 1 part Horticultural Biochar to 15 parts compost.
Indoor plants: Can be applied as a top-dressing for potted plants or terrariums.
For more information about Biochar and its benefits to plants, soil and the environment, we recommend these websites:
