The Easiest Way To Make Biochar And Why It's Good For The Garden

After many years of making biochar at home for my garden this is the easiest way I found to do it. The best part is that it's completely free!

[@dg-vg9di]

Biochar is not charcoal. Charcoal is pre biochar. Biochar is pure carbon. Charcoal still has impurities. Burning charcoal or wood in a low oxygen container will remove the moisture and impurities and all that’s left is a lattice of carbon. The carbon will stay in the soil for centuries and makes homes for the microbes the plants use to extract the nutrients the plants use.

[@bodyzoasispersonaltraining9186]

Charcoal. Happens from forest fire and lightning. Works well in nature. What's the difference. 200 degrees?? And making charcoal Maybe you make both due to heat ? Help w more info

[@dg-vg9di]

@@bodyzoasispersonaltraining9186 charcoal is not biochar, because biochar is pure carbon. No moisture, no impurities. Charcoal has impurities still in it. Biochar is made by cooking charcoal so long as the impurities gas off and nothing is left in the structure but the carbon structure. It should ting like a bell when complete. To make biochar, you need a very low oxygen environment. Like a metal box with a little hole so the gases can escape. You fill the box wood or charcoal, seal it up except for the little hole and throw it in a fire and let it cook.

[@Heckerfamilyhomestead]

​@@dg-vg9di this is exactly why I came to the comments.

[@mistsister]

I am researching and practicing zero-dollar gardening and have been really frustrated with the information about making biochar. This information is vital to us all, thank you so much for sharing.

[@carolelylewhite]

Hello from the Appalachian Mountains, northeast Tennessee! Love your videos, your voice, thoughtfulness, insights, teachings ~ your kindness is felt & I really appreciate your content, thank you 🙏

[@plantabundance]

Thank you much Carole : )

[@justmyopinion5234]

Try a cement mixer and a few larger rocks to grind it

[@she31992]

Hello from the southern part of the Philippines! Thanks for the tips! I love your garden! I've been trying to make my own. Not very successful so far but I'm making progress. Keep on gardening and keep giving us more tips. 😆😇 Thanks a lot!

[@TheOn3_]

How is your garden?

[@connecticutwormsgardens]

Hi Dan. Thank you so much for sharing this video. I'm a very experienced gardener and am very familiar with different types of organic nutrients. I compost both hot and cold and have multiple worm bins, but the one thing that has always intimidated me was biochar. I watched so many videos and saw so many complex setups to create it and with their being so many different ways to make it, I didn't know which would work and which wouldn't. You've taken the guesswork out of that and made it straightforward and downright easy. I have a couple of questions that I hope you don't mind answering 1) I do have an outdoor fire pit and have fires frequently during the summer. I do use a hose to extinguish the fire if I go in before it's out. However, even from the beginning of the fire burning, Ash begins to form. I understood your explanation of getting the fire basically fully engulfed and then hosing it off but won't there already be ash involved as well? Is that wet ash part of the biochar? Or should that be discarded? 2) You said to add nutrients to the char over about a month's time. Can you be more specific? If I add a bunch of nutrients on one day, perhaps fish meal or kelp meal or idk any of the organic liquid nutrients I use, why would I need to repeat that throughout a month and since it is necessary to continue to add, how often should I add and what happens as the liquid level builds up and the char can no longer absorb anymore? In regards to worm castings, do I have to make worm tea to add it to the char or can solids also be added? Meaning can I just mix my castings and with the char and will the char absorb the casting nutrients? I'm thrilled that I found a video that takes the confusion and fair factor out of making biochar. I just want to make sure I do it correctly and look forward to your answers. Love your channel and your videos. Please keep them coming 😊👍

[@LZH13067]

While I appreciate people like this to genuinely seem to want to help others...it's annoying when they don't bother to read and answer comments/questions.

[@ruth.greening]

I also have a YT channel, and it's tricky to catch all the comments on the posts. Maybe post this question on a note recent video? Just a thought!

[@LZH13067]

@@ruth.greening what's the difference? Do you all not receive the same type of notification regardless of when it was posted?

[@ruth.greening]

@@LZH13067 For me, I only see the last notification. It doesn't tell me all the ones that are posted. I have to go back and look. I have a much smaller channel. So it's do-able! Can see why older comments would get missed.

[@LZH13067]

@@ruth.greening thanks for the info...I'll try and remember that for future posts/questions.

[@tashar3210]

I have read that to make biochar you need to burn it without oxygen so it retains its carbon aspect. So an open fire or fireplace wouldnt work unless you place it in a tin or something. So my question is not using oxygen important in the process? That for me adds to the complexity of it. If i were to make biochar with oxygen then charge/seed it with biological matter would it still be a super soil?

[@mppc2001]

Awsome video, I have a small Hobostove wood burner which I use for boiling a kettle. Each time I use it I end up with a shovel full of charcoal which I save for use in the garden. Its a great resource!

[@badmoonrising8275]

When biochar is turned to powder it only lasts 3 to 5 years. It's best in chunks less then 1 inch in diameter. It can last hundreds of years that way

[@chriscrookson8524]

My motto is "Keep it simple, stupid!" There are too many unnecessary complications in life and it's refreshing to see that making biochar doesn't need to be a complicated process! Thank you!

[@judystrattan8983]

Hello from South Florida (Zone 10)! I am so glad I found your channel a couple weeks ago. Your videos are so informative, and they always motivate me to get out and work in the garden. I started sheet mulching some paths with cardboard, and I got myself a hori hori, which is awesome. Every day I learn something new from you. What a blessing!

[@plantabundance]

Thank you Judy. I appreciate the feedback. Wishing you an abundant harvest. Cheers!

[@clynthia0510]

What is hori hori? New gardener in Baton Rouge Louisiana USA

[@judystrattan8983]

A hori hori is a Japanese garden knife that is great for digging, pulling weeds, cutting, and measuring depth for planting. I believe Dan did a video showing the features of this tool here on Plant Abundance.

[@ruthannbeckelhimer915]

Hello. Thanks for your informative videos. Shows me how to do good things for my gardens

[@ewonodi2974]

Hello from France, rainy here this morning, but nice time to view your video. Thanks for everything you are sharing. Have a wonderful time. Elisabeth

[@Greenplantguide]

Great video, thanks so much and good luck in gardening💚💚💚💚💯💯💯💯💯

[@B30pt87]

Thank You! You just cleared up all my questions about biochar. I have quite a bit of burned logs and charcoal from clearing out the suckers and dead branches from my front yard, and now I know to inoculate it with nutrients before I put it in the ground. Also, to break it up. Thanks again.

[@shelly936]

Hello brother! I appreciate you and your channel. Have a Blessed day

[@juneramirez8580]

The wealth of knowledge I obtained from you is just amazing! thank you as always!

[@plantabundance]

Thank you for the kind words. Much appreciated : )

[@TheGoodHeart1000]

Hello! Most excellent presentations-thank you for everything you share. Many blessings

[@mayshomesteadchronicles]

Using the tamper tool is genios! Don’t know why I didn’t think of that sooner!

[@AlpherSohaib]

Hello from Adelaide, South Australia Been following your channel for years now Dan and love your helpful content. Cheers from Aaron.

[@stevena9512]

I just made charcoal yesterday using my Weber kettle grill. I just removed the top grate and built a fire and continued to smoke the fire until I had coal to the rim and then put the top on and closed the vents. And used the garden hose to cool the outside and hit the hot spots inside the grill. I ended up with about 3 gallons of charcoal. Now to break it down today and inoculate the charcoal and wait. Thanks for the tips, Happy Gardening and Healthy Harvests

[@kengrow3992]

I really appreciate when People expand my knowledge ,thinking of a piece of bio char like it dry sponge, really helped me picture it. If you try and clean a pan with a dry sponge, you will only get a headache. But when you add some soap and water to that sponge, it makes everything work better gets the job done. Adding the nutrients in the living systems in the biochar, does a large portion of the work for you

[@WinsomeWinslet]

Hello! Definitely here and enjoying watching your garden grow (and you spiritually).

[@stevesamoffgridsmallholdin5378]

Excellent video straight to the point, have learned something very useful many thanks.

[@thomaspayne6866]

Straight to the point. Much appreciated.

[@petermac6221]

The easiest biochar is collecting it when camping ,out of the fire when it has gone out.At home I make biochar by placing wood chips in a metal frypan with a lid and placing it in the wood heater for a while.Small quantities for minimal effort which increases to larger amounts over time.Keep growing

[@LoverAnime0001]

Can I just say that I have found your channel in Starting my own garden for my family got say thanks and also if anyone hasn't ever said you sound a bit like Pedro Pascal the actor which is pretty cool love the content and thank you for the many tips and advice given has really helped start my garden

[@glennknudsen9157]

Hello from Virginia! Thanks for all the great info!

[@darecofreedomfarm3]

Hello Dan. I use a steel drum to burn brush in, Once the drum is full I just keep piling on top and around the drum tu clean up the piles. I put it out when I burn all that I wanted to clean up.

[@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14]

I've been buying lump charcoal by the 50# bag at Sam's, but it's a huge, backbreaking chore to smash it all down and sift it. Yesterday, I got the bright idea to run it through my electric wood chipper. The result was pieces about 1/4" to 3/8" in size, which is perfect for my tastes. I learned three things: 1) Don't do this if you are sweating. 2) Do this BEFORE you shower. 3) Use clothes you plan on throwing away, or do it naked. I'm also going to have to hose the chipper down, but this only took me 45 minutes, as opposed to 5-8 hours. so it's worth it.

[@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14]

@@AlvinMcManus Good advice! Luckily, it was mostly blowing out the sides and bottom, and I tend to step back when using it. As black as my clothes got though, I may very well have inhaled a bit. I'll definitely grab a mask next time, thanks!

[@assertivekarma1909]

Or run it over with a vehicle

[@kelvinhayes9038]

Soak it before you put it thru the chipper.

[@NotBob-zw3zw]

Can you take lump natural charcoal (not briquettes) , grind them up and call that biochar ?

[@RedBellows]

As always brilliant! Greetings from Arizona.

[@kpag3030]

I just add it to my compost pile. Seems to work quite well.

[@deecooper1567]

Thanks for such details on making this👍. 👵🏻👩‍🌾❣️

[@davidhogan621]

I thought the wood had to be heated in an air free sealed environment to make biochar?

[@chrisking-g2w]

It does. This video is misleading a lot of people.

[@runninggag]

As far as i know its only about the way charcoal absorbs Nutrients and releases them slowly. Any type of charcoal does that so for that it doesn't matter. The product will be harder and a lot denser if you dont give it oxygen and maybe it releases the nutrients slower. I think though every type is good to go

[@runninggag]

Also the way Charcoal forms is that wood doesn't completely burn to ash. Wether you achieve that in a pit or a sealed environment doesn't matter although the yield is higher if you prevent it from burning to ash. If you dont let it burn down but water it out it should be similar. Its about unburnt wood

[@codyharrison5275]

Correct but I think I have another simpler way in mind. Not going into that here just gonna go test it lol.

[@rianajansevanrensburg2444]

Thank you for the video. I found it just in time. I made a lot of biochar just as you said with a fire. I did not know you need to load it first. Thank goodness I did not use it as yet. I will start loading it tomorrow

[@StevenCavanaugh]

I just make my biochar in the fireplace while heating my home all winter. One heavy pot at a time. I set a couple bricks on top of the lid and let it burp itself. Once it's done spitting fire, I use the fire tools to pull it out and set it onto the brick hearth.

[@jimlaplant5777]

Yes! I use this method as well. I also run small engines on charcoal created like this.

[@chrisking-g2w]

Love this! We also use a fireplace in the winter and was thinking of doing this. I’m pretty new to the process yet so wasn’t sure about the safety aspect of it. Just makes sense to do it somewhere where you already have a fire going. I was thinking of just drilling some small holes in the pot to let the gases escape.

[@alfredopampanga9356]

Yes, but you destroy the pots after a few fires

[@swanron]

Hello, thanks for the great advice again, keep up the good work

[@annierodenberg2327]

Fantastic. I hadn’t amended charcoal before. I need this in my garden. Thanks Dan. 🙏🏻🇺🇸❤️

[@justrynnagitthere1430]

Its important to remember what separates Bio Char from coal: The Bio Char is 'Bio'logically 'Char'ged with microbiological life that provides* 99.999% of the effectiveness found in Bio Char.

[@celestejohnson9227]

Hello, I have chickens and wondered if loading the char when I clean out the coop would work?

[@plantabundance]

Mix it together and add some non chlorinated water so it can soak up the nutrients. Great way to go about loading the biochar.

[@nikkid6395]

Hello! Great video, I have been reading about and using biochar for a couple of months now. Appreciate this information.

[@bfengineer]

Hello from Cape Town , South Africa. We live in a beautiful, semi-arid coastal region. The soils are very sandy and in some places just sand , period. I’m going to try make some bio charcoal like you showed, and mix it in with the soil in the garden. Regards!

[@priyankasensational]

Hello! 👋 Appreciate the tips. Please keep up the good work

[@feltingme]

Thank you for the video. I am wondering though, if I add lots of nutritious liquid with some liquid from sauerkraut or kombucha and some flour or molasses to feed the good bacteria to start things fast, do I really need to wait the whole month? After one-two days my biochar bucket is bubbling already and it will stop once bacteria eates up all the food. Of course, I can add more. I just don't understand why would it take so long for charcoal to soak through and bacteria to move in?

[@vaughan7835]

Hey Dan. Love your channel. Isn't it better to leave it in chunks, small & larger? The larger pieces have more cavities / space & many plants roots can search for them easier. I wouldn't be using it in powder form. Cheers from Australia 👍

[@Real_Molly]

Cation exchange capacity (CEC) is boosted greatly by all the internal surface area of the charcoal. Carbon also having 4 valence electrons wants to make a lot of different kinds of bonds and allows microbes to efficiently trade with the roots.

[@courtneypannell563]

I can see this being helpful even for mushroom growers.

[@muziklvr1729]

Hello. Thank you for all the wonderful content.

[@slowpoke2122]

Ta Friggin Da! Thank you very much for the great video!🎉

[@sansomspressurecleaningpoo9519]

You Rock. God bless y’all.

[@53peace]

Genius idea! So glad I found your channel. Thank you again!

[@FloridaGirl-]

Great vid! I’m going to make some! Awesome! That’s one thing I’ve never added to my garden, dispite burning many wood piles! 🤦‍♀️

[@lmclrain]

This might help me a lot, I found a video about making charcoal, now I can combine it with this technique and nurture my whole garden. I was also planning to make a big rustic rock mill, which is basically 2 huge rocks hand carved, I already knew I would be able to make good organic material turned to a dust like consistency with some wood chips. Other machines to make the same stuff are really expensive. I will add some biochar. thanks

[@elisemenne8758]

THANK YOU!! CANT WAIT TO START!

[@jeanwelch2397]

Great video. Thanks for the info.

[@justrynnagitthere1430]

As a KNF farmer, Ive got the idea of using IMO and my compost processing to charge the Bio Char with as much microbiological diversity as possible. Not sure if it could be worth using 1%Bio Char in my IMO collections but it's something I think about alot.

[@vickibyrd6514]

Hey...VICKI🐦in NORTH CAROLINA, here...I've got a QUESTION, for YA...in YOUR COMMENT, YOU said..."as a KNF farmer"...I think that's "KOREAN Natural Farming"...I'm gonna GOOGLE, that!?! But...then YOU said..."I've got the idea of using IMO and my compost...........", so MY QUESTION is, what does "IMO", stand for??? does it simply stand for "In MY Opinion", or is it something you're adding, to your COMPOST??? SORRY, if that's a DUMB QUESTION...but NEWBIE GARDENER, here!!!🙋‍♀️ I sure do HOPE, YOU ANSWER MY QUESTION!!!🤞😁🤞

[@justrynnagitthere1430]

@@vickibyrd6514 IMO is Indigenous Micro-Organisms and are the main element in a KNF system. Some KNF farmers swear up and down that their IMO is the only thing they need; they typically make compost teas, inoculate compost batches, and topdress their growing spaces with it.

[@weName1111]

Hello from London Ontario Canada

[@mikemclendon4962]

Hello and Thanx from Panama City Beach FL

[@SergiyChumakov]

Thanks for great tips, very useful!

[@suffolkshepherd]

Hello. Is there any need for BIO Char if I have a lot of wood ask from the wood stove? Thanks and I enjoy the videos.

[@michaelcarter101]

What mixture did you add for this video? Was it a concentrate? I'm newer into gardening with these methods I usually just stick a seed in the ground and poof, growth. But this has me hooked. If we all teach our neighbors this stuff just imagine how well we could do

[@k.p.1139]

Dan, I'm seeing so many ways to make this. But, the timing on how long you load is all over the place. Some say 6 months, all the way down to 1 to 3 days before using. Has anyone come to a better time line on how long must you wait? This is very confusing.

[@polavink2184]

Hello, gardener extraordinaire. Like your ways to garden- always something smart and fresh. I, actually, made biochar from whatever in designated metal container. I even put there bones from bullion. Getting rid of branches made my garden look much better. I mix it with all my amendments, especially when I make mix for new trees so it will be used for years to come. My only concern , living in Az, that soil's Ph might become too high. Here we have alkaline soils and Ph balance is tricky to achieve. Also, worms might get affected. Would you consider to make video on this topic, please. Love your pond. I even tried to talk fish shop to sell me their used water from aquariums. It is a nature where I found highest wisdom, partially because you showed us her ways.

[@plantabundance]

You can top dress with the char if it's a concern. The nutrients will break down and feed the roots. A annual soil test using an inexpensive kit will keep you on track. Adding a little acidifier fert like hydrangea feed might be good if you have high ph.

[@UniCarCycles]

I am totally gonna do that 👍😊 Thank you Dan!

[@moreblankets]

Thanks for the awesome info. Could a nutrient source be spent mushroom substrate containing wood, soy, and mycelium? Or would I be better off burning that?

[@donaldroyer2961]

Thanks for the video. Three questions: 1) Does it matter what types of wood I burn, ie. Oak, pine, walnut, cedar, sweet gum? 2) If I use something like Miracle-Gro to preload should I mix at the normal mix rate or should it be more concentrated due to the time release action the char gives? 3) Last one. Lol I add rabbit manure to my garden every year, should I cut back on the amount or does the Char provide different stuff?

[@justrynnagitthere1430]

Im probably not the best person to answer but ill try to help: 1) Yes, something such as pine wood creates a much lower pH final product BUT ALLEGEDLY charging the Bio Char introduces microbiology that regulates the leechating acidity for a more widely applicable product. 2) I would never use Miracle Gro for anything that I plan on labelling and selling as organic. KNF (Korean Natural Farming) and JADAM (I think it means Japanese/Asian Dominant Anaerobic Microbes) provide some of the simplest AND most complex nutrient solutions for organic agriculture. Aside from that, simply mixing a small amount of good compost into your Bio Char and letting it inoculate before applying will do a great job of charging your product. 3) You will more than likely be able to amend 1 application of Bio Char and then use much less rabbit pellet than you normally do (if you are using a good compost in your gardening), and I would suggest using the excess manure in your composting, even if it requires creating a longer term processing system to fully break down and release all of whats available in the manure. I hope I was able to give you some direction even if I couldnt give you the best answers. Stay Lit and Stay Blessed

[@vickibyrd6514]

@@justrynnagitthere1430 WOW!!! YOU are soooooo KNOWLEDGEABLE...I am DEFINETLY gonna TAKE ADVANTAGE, of YOUR WONDERFULLY KIND KNOWLEDGE!!! THANKS sooooo MUCH!!! GOD BLESS!!!🙏 VICKI🐦from NORTH CAROLINA (hardiness zone 7b)😁 P.S. Maybe YOU oughta start YOUR OWN KZbin GARDENING CHANNEL...just a thought!!!🤷‍♀️ P.P.S. Wishing YOU a GLORIOUS CHRISTmas SEASON!!🙌

[@jamesdevlin6373]

Yeah, Miricle-Gro and Bio Char shouldn't be in the same sentence. Like running your horse drawn cart on gasoline.

[@victoriahattemar1019]

Hi Dan,, How do I use the black liquid left over after soaking the char?

[@justrynnagitthere1430]

Pour it into your compost.

[@TheGoatShowMan]

The liquid fertilizer you added to it was completely free?

[@chrisgoldbach4450]

What was that liquid your poured in? Awesome set up and selection by the way.

[@miamimusicman]

I’m trying to figure that out too! He just said “of choice” but that doesn’t help me at all if I’ve never done this!

[@ftelarico]

I believe it's urine, but he never did identify it

[@dr.froghopper6711]

Hello from central New Mexico! We have such alkaline soil and water that I haven’t found a way to change that. Ash is bad juju! Now, if I had a way to eliminate all the ash and only use the char, it would be different. In the meantime, I use the stuff that I’d charge the char with. I’m making liquid bio but eliminating the char. If I can find a way to make it without all the high pH, I’m game!

[@muziklvr1729]

Have you tried organic soil acidifier?

[@jessessears4515]

Activate the char by drenching it while hot the steam should remove all ash. Then you have activated charcoal

[@BIZKITJODE]

Hello...thanks for the vids....

[@tessie652001]

Hello hun I get this from my wood stove will that do the same?

[@LoanNguyen-js6zd]

We have one pineapple guava tree too. But it has not given us any fruits yet. This year we moved it to a sunnier location and it currently has many blooms. We are hopeful that we get to try its fruits this year

[@jbpost52]

I have a question. I live in a condo complex on the ground floor. I dont have acess whereby I can burn wood on the community property. My question is can I use hardwood lump charcoal sold in stores. It is not the briquetes but chared wood. Some call it old fashion charcoal but it resembles the product you have after burning wood with no oxogen. It sells for about 16 dollars a 20 lb bag.

[@AnneluvsKatz]

Can I put chicken droppings directly in there or do they need to be composted first? I’m guessing the latter?

[@jc-rq8or]

Preloading it with nutrients answers my question. I knew mixing wood chips in soil would suck up nutrients and was wondering if it would do the same. Cool.

[@JK-jf7xq]

Thank you. Now I know just what to do. 🙂

[@donaldparkhurst3006]

Hello! Love your videos!

[@susierosido790]

Add the nutrient of your choice?? What did you use??

[@susierosido790]

Honoring you for all you do. Susie from Bluegrass Land

[@Chambalero]

HI Dan! can I just add that maybe you don't need to go through the inoculation process. Just burry it directly with the compost to the ground. It does suck up nutrients, but plant roots can go through it through the charcoal pores. then went the plant dies, the roots in the pores, and nutrients, stay there, and compound over time. Then, you skipped an entire inoculation process. They can inoculate themselves.

[@CarlosRen1776]

So a for instance here, if I was to add worm tea however, the bio char would take in the nutrients?

[@inabelltaylor4236]

Good day thanks for this information

[@dn744]

Very good 👍

[@Storiesofthebible77]

Thank you very informative

[@kathyashe5247]

I love your website. Thank you for all your hard work. 😄I do have a problem...often you say you have added links, but I never get the links😓.

[@yohanfritsche7523]

Is that bush with light green/white leaves an Acca sellowiana?

[@richardwilliams3839]

Yes yes nice very nice

[@jmo2104]

Thank you for another good video.

[@suziehartwright]

Thanks Dan! 😊

[@jessessears4515]

Seems The drenching of the char while hot activates it. Have you heard of this? love what you're doing you're a inspiration thanks

[@jimlaplant5777]

I have seen several vidios claming putting it in the garden without loading it with nutrients will tie up your soil's nutrients. I have to ask. If it does this you are saying that the nutrients we inoculate it with is tied up as well so what is the purpose? I feel that the plants roots are able to feed off from it regardless of whete the nutrients came from so it is not tied up at all just stored. I do agree that adding more nutrients via the biochar is a great thing but if you are saying that it ties up the nutrients then why would you add it. You are not the only one i have seen say this but i belive the plants can still benefit from it even if not inoculated you are just not adding to the fertility but taking nothing away either.

[@blake9358]

It has to be mixed with compost and horse or chicken manure and arid semi desert soils

[@mrcrimpster]

Dan I'm in Middletown California in a.multilayerd Biochared paridise breaking virgin soil high in Fe; Iron and silica ,it's kinda red volcanic....what further amendments would you suggest..... And hey We like your videos... Biology explained is your super power

[@KeithOlson]

The first thing that popped into my head for loading liquids was actually the runoff from vermiculture.

[@conniedavidson1807]

Hello from Texas

[@lynntran7464]

May i ask : could i add activated biochar in sweet potato soil. Or vegetable soil. and i could get rid of chlorine with charcoal thankyou in advance.

[@borisnapt3493]

Thank you - so interesting

[@jerry.williams9163]

Great stuff !!

[@thomaskrafft9890]

How do you keep out the ashes? Washing comes to mind.