Is Biochar the Answer to All Your Gardening Problems?

John from www.growingyour... visits the home of Michael Wittman, CEO of Blue Sky Biochar in Southern California to get all your biochar questions answered.
In this episode, John will take you on a tour of Michael's backyard to show you how he is growing food, reusing natures resources, making his own biochar, cultivating the best compost, adding fertility to his soil, and much, much more.
You will learn about many ways how Michael is leaving a lighter footprint on the planet and making the world a better place by reusing instead of recycling.
You will discover if biochar is all that is cracked up to be, why it doesn't work, how you can best use biochar to create better compost, the specific mechanisms on how biochar actually works to improve soil tilth, what is wood vinegar which is a biochar by-product, and much, much more.
Jump to the following parts of the episode:
02:42 Backyard tour Starts
04:20 Benefits of a Wood Chipper & Rain Water Collection
07:23 Growing Food in a Satelite Dish
09:23 How to apply Biochar to Your Lawn
10:20 Simple Biochar Kiln
11:20 BioCharlie - Easy Way to Make Biochar with any Fire
12:24 Cook You Food and Make Biochar at the Same Time
13:30 Best Fuel for Making Biochar
14:32 Best Way to Add Biochar to Your Garden
17:06 How to Make Compost Fast
18:18 How to Make Your Compost Better with Biochar
21:16 Growing Fruit Trees in Containers
24:22 Interview with Michael Starts
24:51 How did you get interested in Biochar?
25:36 What is the main benefit of BioChar?
27:37 Can someone buy Charcoal briquettes for Biochar?
28:16 Does the feedstock used to make biochar important?
29:13 How is Biochar made in a Commercial Process?
32:40 What is the easiest and safest make biochar at home?
34:20 How Biochar Can help sandy or clay soil become better?
36:09 Why does biochar not work sometimes?
41:45 What is Wood Vinegar and Why should be people use it?
45:12 Can someone buy apple cider vinegar instead of wood vinegar?
46:32 What is your website?
47:50 How you can get 20% off and a free sample of wood vinegar?
48:48 Any final Comments or thoughts for my viewers?
After watching this episode, you will learn some of the benefits of biochar, some ways to use biochar you haven't learned about before, the benefits of wood vinegar and how to use it, how to get a 20% discount on biochar and wood vinegar and much, much more.
Subscribe to GrowingYourGreens for more videos like this:
www.youtube.com...
Follow John on Instagram at:
/ growingyourgreens
Watch all 1300+ Episodes from GrowingYourGreens at
/ growingyourgreens
Learn more about Blue Sky Biochar at
www.blueskybioc...
Be sure to use coupon code
GYG
for a 20% off discount and
Get a free wood vinegar sample if you spend over $100

[@growingyourgreens]

This is a valuable episode. Many valuable things I learn and share. Be sure to watch the whole episode, including the interview at the end. Learn more about Blue Sky Biochar at www.blueskybiochar.com/ Be sure to use coupon code GYG for a 20% off discount and Get a free wood vinegar sample if you spend over $100

[@BernardViolinTeacher]

Fantastic episode, John. I hope you'll return and do a more in-depth visit to this fascinating garden/business. And thanks for getting us a good discount from Michael! Peace

[@andiw7358]

Learn Organic Gardening at GrowingYourGreens Yes, it is! I was thinking, all these years and all those hundreds or thousands of videos, and you're still discovering new, interesting things!

[@georgemcoladonato6679]

Learn Organic Gardening at GrowingYourGreens

[@meechoochieng6720]

thank

[@edmsquad]

huge fans my bro!!

[@codyhunt3]

I use bio char in the bottom of my compost bucket. I've found it helps keep any smells down and absorbs the liquids that may drain from certain food scraps. I fill the bucket with ~1/2"+ of char then mix it with a small handful of rock dust, crabshell meal (to further promote fungal growth) and coco coir (because I have extra from another project and it's an absorbent material). If I add moist scraps (e.g. steaming fresh brewed coffee grounds), the char layer will have a nice thick layer of mycellium that's creeping well up into the food layer by the time it's full and ready to pitch in the compost bin outside. I used to just put the food scraps in the empty bucket and almost stopped due to the gnarly smell, flying insects (put a lid on it!) and having to wash that putrid liquid layer that would often form on the bottom (depending on what went in the bucket). I added char straight to the garden when I built it and this is my slow addition of more char, when I spread and turn in the finished compost.

[@growingyourgreens]

Thats and excellent idea. I use zeolite in my compost bucket along with compressed sawdust. will encorporate biochar pellets (so it's less messy)

[@galaxyfox8950]

Thanks for doing these vlogs to help all of us

[@woodymoto2326]

Hi John, hope you, your home and garden in Santa Rosa are safe from the fires. Praying for you, your family and neighbors.

[@growingyourgreens]

all safe at present time.

[@joaquinrobledo9136]

Charcoal can make for great water filters, along with sand, gravel and stones

[@johncoody9947]

Can wood chips be inoculated instead of using biochar? Like if rabbit urine or ammonium nitrate be used for it ?

[@Frickenadazzal]

I can tell you put much work into this, and it's awesome. Thank you for all the great info.

[@joeltrefethren8134]

I over bought bio char. I took the excess to my yard and hand sprinkled it across the back yard. My lawn is now extremely fertile.That was more than 15 years ago. my lawn feels like walking on a sponge now. not soggy, but very soft.

[@chriswhitley3283]

Well when they discovered biochar in garden beds that probably in excess of 2000 years. That was how it all started because luckily the explorer that made the discovery was an avid gardener.

[@johac7637]

My chipper isn't for chipping wood or the corn stalks, or the canes from sugar cane, it's in the compost pile, chipper is to run the burnt char thru, wet it thoughly, run it thru, perfect grit size and fast.

[@CinnamonDelight-xb8pl]

Thank you very much I learned so much. Question what type of can did you refer to to use in a fireplace to make biochar of my own.?

[@torrencekrepps757]

This truly was the best 👌 👍 😍 video that you've had I've enjoyed 😉 ❤ watching 👀 and listening to this guy that you had on your show 👍 👌

[@elnomareeves4401]

Hi, I live in Pahrump, NV. I wanted to say thanks for all the great desert gardening videos. This Biochar video reminded me of something I saw about 10 years ago. TERRA PRETA - it’s a magical black soil created by pre Colombian people of the Amazon. It is said it can boost crop yields up to 700%. It also can regenerate its self when dug up and added to plain soil. The rain forest has heavy clay soil with very little nutrients similar our desert soils. I believe the black soil was found to contain charcoal, pot shards, fish & animal bones etc... I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

[@aberdonianwanger]

I have the recipe.. you need.. 1 ton of rotted vegetable matter such as in the rain forest.. and water, Plus, millions of insects working it for about a thousand years.. Got that? now go do it in NV... This is nothing new..

[@timturk1899]

Late comment, but this video explained TERRA PRETA, along with everything else you mentioned about it. So your ending sentence, "I would love to hear your thoughts on this", tells us you didn't watch too far into this video, if at all. Shame on you, lol! I'm just kidding around. I often check the comments before watching a video, and I'm thinking you did that here, noticed no mention of Terra Preta, or it's history and great properties it has, so you made that great comment that describes much of what they're speaking about in the video..? Because I've done the same thing, lol. Great video, but you seem to know plenty about Bio-char already! I know it's been 4 years since making the comment, but that's enough time to make some beautiful, dark soil, that'll only getting better with time. Please, let me know about your success with Bio-char, and if you've been able to use it in outdoor soil, like clay, and turn it into a dark, living soil with plenty of Carbon and beneficial microbes? I've only used it in potting mixes, and have had positive results, but I haven't reused the soil in the pots, mostly because of lack of space where we grew inside. I need to find a way to reuse this, for better soil over time, and because the price of a good soil/soil-ess medium is getting quite a bit more expensive than 4 years ago, when you could get 2CU/ft of compressed Coconut Coir for under $15. At least $30 now, Same with Pro Mix HP/Sunshine Mix #4(I haven't been able to get to the hydro store lately, but medium is usually cheaper there), which were much less expensive when living near the Canadian border. Canada has an incredible amount of Peat. I'm in Texas now, a little further from Canada, lol, and the prices are 2X higher, easily. Definitely time to find a way to reuse our Soil in our small place..? May not be simple, but we'll figure out a routine. Have too..!👍💯✌️

[@timturk1899]

@@aberdonianwanger You forgot about the Bio-char and pieces of broken clay pottery pieces that acted as an aggregate. And Worms! They're not insects? Other than that you're pretty much Spot On!👍😂😂💯✌️

[@fishmanroly7450]

I love your videos you got me back into gardening keep em coming...

[@walkingturtlejones9239]

Thank you for all you do brother! Love ya. ~Lucas~

[@shihtzusrule9115]

activated charcoal is a treatment for an overdose if it is caught early enough. It ties up and binds the substance in the stomach and doesn't allow for the absorption. a french chemist discovered it in the 1800s and took arsenic and the charcoal at the same time.

[@tomnugent2148]

Amazing content.One of your finest videos.Lol what was the temp about 105° you looked like you were ready for a swimming pool.wood gasification to run a motor vehicle became common when gasoline was scarce.Is the liquid from the wood gasifier the same as the wood vinegar you refer to in this episode?

[@chriswhitley3283]

If you get Royal Oak charcoal. It is 100% charcoal. Although it isn’t broke down as well what he makes but will work as a poor mans biochar. You don’t have to do things like these people. I find that a lot of the people that tout their methods for this don’t seem to want to help the average Joe do things simple and easy. I know the guys smart and has the funds and expertise to do it his way. I, on the other hand am no dummy but I don’t have anyway to emulate him so I’m going to find away to do this my way.

[@Selfessmotivations]

Can you use liquid smoke in the garden isn’t it the same as wood vinegar a watered down version ?

[@Selfessmotivations]

You can use liquid smoke in place of wood vinegar if you can find a brand with clean ingredients, there is one on amazon

[@papasmurf4813]

I love this amazing information.

[@joaquinrobledo9136]

Especially important in wooded areas, dead debris to biochar tackles a serious fire hazard while bolstering soil (done properly).

[@pedromq7807]

best biochar info and video Ive seen

[@ogadlogadl490]

Just when you think you MAY know it all when it comes to gardening along comes wood vinegar! Now off to go down a new worm hole.

[@billhoegemann1839]

Great vid. I heard rain water from your roof contains run off chemicals from your roofing material. Is it still safe to use?

[@jettyeddie_m9130]

Bill Hoegemann if you have a tar paper shingle roof possibly, but if it’s a terra-cotta roof no problemo mate

[@neerajjaju6557]

1. How good or bad is rice husk char for compost? 2. We have massive quantities of Cowdung being turned into compost. Would adding rice char help?

[@crazysquirrel9425]

Even with the discount there is no way I can afford things there. Anyway, I am making biochar out of used coffee grounds. Ranges from a powder to granules. I plan to use apple cider vinegar to fix the pH issue and compost tea made from comfrey leaves (when I get an air pump). 5 pounds of coffee grounds only makes about 1/2 pound of biochar. I used to use twigs and break them into small pieces but that takes a LONG time to do for each small batch. Once I get it together, I will put it in the wife's fire ring garden we made last year. (just used a fire ring and made a little raised bed garden for her - was never a fire there) Then let it do it's thing all winter and 1/2 of spring. 4 1/2 months of sitting there should give it a good go I would think. I may water in some Mykos but it says it needs a living root to survive to have to wait on that. For my hugelgarden, I merely soaked the plain biochar in water (quenched it immediately after pulling it from the wood stove). Popped like rice crispies! I then watered the hugelgarden with 2 handfuls of plain sugar in 2 gal of water (repeatedly to do the top part) just to provide some initial food for the bacteria (which I think is dormant right now) due to the cold weather). Hugelgarden has a LOT of fall oak leaves mixed in (A LOT). We used a wheelbarrow, put in dome dirt, then leaves, then 6-double handfuls of used coffee grounds, and 1 gal of sugar water (one handful of sugar to 1 gal water). Used a hoe and mixed well. Rather sloppy too. Dumped THAT on top of the hugelgarden. Took nearly 15 - 5gal buckets full of the stuff to coat the very topmost part of it. We did not chop the leaves. I wanted them to slowly break down. I need them for water retention more than anything. Then covered the top of it all with used coffee grounds and watered in again with double strength sugar water. Snow/rain should work int down into the soil the rest of the way. I was wondering how effective biochar coffee grounds would be vs other kinds of biochar. And would sprinkling some of those biochar granules on top be of any benefit (thinking it might work itself down into the soil)? Worms should be so happy they might just chant my name every night! Sooo tired of watering constantly, even with a hugelgarden. Any problems with my setup or plan?

[@crockwave]

Good stuff. Michael, what is a good gauge of sheetmetal to use to create the large flat-side kon-tiki style kiln?

[@michaelwittman8251]

14 Gauge hot rolled steel...

[@CinnamonDelight-xb8pl]

Thank you .LOL it dosent rain in Southern California more specifically Ramona Ca.

[@bseant420]

Is it possible to use sawdust to make biochar?

[@kitrobbo1696]

You say when you add by HR at a rate of 20% is it my volume oil area and all my weight what is it regards Keith

[@georgetracosas8309]

Love that Thank you 😊

[@GrowingDownUnder]

Charcoal has been used since ancient types, even before that ever since fire has existed. It's black gold for the soil and has an ability to filter toxins out of water...but I agree with you that fungal dominant soil is much better if you can get leaf mould or composted wood chips/carbon sources that is also black gold

[@demetriousmanthous3981]

Why not use clinoptilolite, which has a very high CEC and affinity to ammonium ions also on your compost pile?

[@andiw7358]

Wow, need to learn to make those tree pots.

[@nathanaelkitchen813]

Every time he says biochar take a shot!

[@Huy0035]

I just came out of a 5 year alcohol indused coma from your comment.

[@debbieburke9840]

Can you teach us how to begin a Food forest?

[@ryanbuck4569]

Would the airing work for a gardn as well as a compost?

[@johnbladykas4454]

What was the brand of wood chipper he uses

[@chriswhitley3283]

A lot of people look at gardening with organic and they think that their vegetables will get a taste of one or two products and their vegetables will beat them to the table. It doesn’t work that way no matter what you use. You have to put in the work, the time and the grocery list of different products. The people that developed the original bio bar crops were the Incas who are no longer around. They got away with just adding bio char but they also used their massive native plants in a way to make the biochar work great 👍.

[@CinnamonDelight-xb8pl]

I bought a rain barell that is empty! New to CA 2020

[@jazzakahmapasa3620]

24:25 the interview starts, but also important information from min 1.

[@alchomica5207]

The term biochar seems to be used quite loosely in this video. Curious why charcoal is called biochar when it has not yet been inoculated with any 'bio'. My charcoal gets microbes and food for them before being set aside to grow for a week or two. When my charcoal turns into biochar it is covered with a white beard over everything. Am I missing something here?

[@audreybarnes6527]

Maybe worth researching Alfred Howard - Indore compost method.

[@crazysquirrel9425]

Biochar is not the magic bullet so to speak. Those microbes still need something to eat (aka organic matter). It can help using it but you still have to do other things.

[@chriswhitley3283]

In actuality, you can achieve greater numbers of nutrients with just straight grasses and assorted materials. The addition of manure just helps get rid of those products.

[@nyuuparadise1183]

Ty

[@NostalgiaChubby]

Charmander! I choose you!

[@Enrique_Calero]

Best video ever!!

[@NedDenver]

I'm gunna guess... YES!

[@LGNT]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@McCoysOakHillFarm]

I liked the video. The biocharlie looks interesting and would like to try it. I am having issues with his website giving the GYG discount. It says, "Customer information does not meet the requirements for the GYG discount code." I have no idea what I am doing wrong. I noticed utube is being ornery. I have had a hard time leaving a comment on your utube video.

[@McCoysOakHillFarm]

Wow.. the post finally worked. *grumbles*

[@OfftoShambala]

That stove thing could produce a lot of charcoal over a year if you use it like every other day. I like it👌

[@koltoncrane3099]

You can use a lawn to be useful. My parents have an acre of fruit trees with lawn. The we just put like four sheep on it and move their pen around. If you have fruit trees lawn ain’t bad and you can raise sheep or ducks or geese on grass.

[@MichelleM0704]

I've heard you say many times how you like eating your flowers. Have you done a video on edible flowers & their benefit? Eating flowers is a foriegn concept to many people.

[@growingyourgreens]

Many videos see kzbin.infosearch?query=edible+flowers

[@NorthernThaiGardenGuy]

John can he ship to Thailand?

[@rickobrien1583]

I imagine you can get natural wood charcoal there. It's the same thing.

[@NorthernThaiGardenGuy]

@@rickobrien1583 I do in fact just make my own. It's not a big deal.

[@hgw90026]

the blueskybiochar site says Biochar Note* This product is not sold and or shipped to California. What's the deal?

[@aberdonianwanger]

maybe because they have laws against frauds?

[@McCoysOakHillFarm]

I noticed that too since he is in california seems a little weird. I know Cali has laws about importing certain 'things' like plants from other states.

[@quantumchang4410]

Why is it your HD videos are not crystal clear like other uploaders?

[@TardyBarty]

I wonder if he is high doing these videos, especially in california

[@unsaltedtomato899]

I know you haven't gotten to 1000 likes yet here but I'd like to see you revisit this guy if you can

[@Atgul-z6o]

He also reps your buddies company 'boogie brew'.

[@koltoncrane3099]

It’s not just nutrients. If your town cuts back water so you only can irritate twice a month you need biochar or something to help retain water. Otherwise you’ll be using chlorine city water and you might as well not garden.

[@gillenzfluff8380]

Chip some char some.

[@Atgul-z6o]

Is this guy related to the 'aqua jet' guy? They look like brothers.

[@gavinmatthews5618]

Get better ring tone john! great video tho ;)!

[@MrKevMan]

Burning fuel for the sole purpose of a soil amendment is such a waste and a pollutant. If you are going to burn, at least use the heat for something. Same with the raising fish just to be used as fertilizer. How does a vegan justify that!

[@pauliewalnuts2007]

#100 Thumbs UP :-)

[@Jcloz]

This dude is like an organic gardening version of Alex Jones

[@kingspriests6954]

Bro I like some of your videos, but you think people have access to anything you are talking about. How are you helping people in the city that can't walk around their neighborhood and find dried dung. LOL You look over alot of your viewers.

[@patriciacole8773]

Remember the fourth commandment KJV

[@venicestu]

I want you guys to do what I want lol

[@blueovertone9491]

O wow I went to his house a while back with a friend. Stony

[@charlescoker7752]

If you have good soil to begin with . You probably will not see results, or benefit. It works great for taking bad soil like sand and turning it into great soil .

[@ruforufo2185]

mybe they call him "Char-man" because hes "Char-ming.." ;-)

[@jeremyschissler337]

I SMASHED BULLETS WITH ROCKS @ 6 YEARS OLD .....3006'S WERE MY M80S

[@mtnmanrab]

biochar is a waste of time. You said it John, let it rot.

[@iChaz]

The discount myth is bullshit when you videos are never publishe in a timely manner! -ChazinNJ

[@MichaelMartinussen]

What gardening problems? :)

[@SmoothChino]

I like your videos. But your titles are more are more click-bait type. It is making me not click on your videos as much anymore.

[@blueak3339]

He’s just trying to make a living by educating. Title isn’t click bait if there’s actually loads of valuable information.

[@8francesco]

this guy is so effing irritating it is not funny.

[@PickledPoacher]

The data in the video is deeply flawed.

[@l.g.a.8930]

You talk too much. Go to the point!! My god. You never stop. I thought that I liked you and subscribed and now I am going to "unsubscribe". You are just so unauthentic which you think you are.

[@aberdonianwanger]

i think this is hilarious he thinks he invented something.. Like "aerating"... Like when you turn a heap..? yea.. same thing.. some guys are just so conceited!

[@joecurry3235]

Loooong winded again, much love