Homemade Charcoal Soil

Organic Matter

• The decayed material from plants and animals builds up in the soil and makes it fertile. Organic compounds have a tremendous surface area, which makes them ideal for holding nutrients and absorbing water. The more organic matter in a soil, the darker it will be and the better plants will grow in it. Adding charcoal to your soil will increase the ability of your soil to hold nutrients and retain water.

Biochar

• Charcoal is made by burning wood at low temperatures with little oxygen. The product of this process can also be called biochar. Normally when wood burns, carbon is released into the atmosphere. Biochar is considered a good additive to the soil because it puts carbon into the soil and keeps it out of the atmosphere. There are lots of wood materials from scraps and sawdust that can be used to make biochar. You can also make biochar by burning wood in a pit dug into the ground. Let the wood burn until the smoke gets thinner. Next, stifle the flames by covering the wood with an inch of dirt. The wood should burn until it is charred.

Homemade Soil Carbon

• Making a homemade charcoal soil additive is easy. Purchase charcoal, crush it into small bits and mix it into the surface of the ground. Distribute charcoal pieces throughout the surface 12 inches of soil. Mix in about 30 percent of charcoal by weight to the soil. It takes time for the fertility benefits of charcoal to appear. You will need to fertilize and tend plants as you normally would. Over time, your soil will hold water more effectively and will require less fertilizer.

Precautions

• The benefits of adding charcoal to your soil depend on the characteristics of your soil. If you live in the western United States, putting charcoal in your soil may not be a good idea. Soils in Utah, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona and California or any other areas that often have high amounts of calcium or dissolved salts will be damaged by adding charcoal. Charcoal can significantly raise the pH of your soil. If a soil's pH is increased, it can become difficult for plants to absorb certain essential plant nutrients such as iron.