Find out what biochar is and how to use it to improve your garden soil. Storebought or homemade biochar in soil enhances water retention, nutrient availability, and structure. It can neutralize acidic ...

After many afternoons digging in The Chronicle's garden, I've grown accustomed to the strong winds that blow through the intersection of Fifth and Mission. Yet I couldn't help but notice the dusty, ...

For more than 100 years, biochar, a carbon-rich, charcoal-like substance made from oxygen-deprived plant or other organic matter, has both delighted and puzzled scientists. As a soil additive, biochar ...

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... You might not think of burying charcoal briquettes in your garden, and you definitely should not do that. But you might consider adding biochar, the ...

This is a weekly blog with a fun vibe that often veers off gardening, so stop by and join the conversation. We are here every Saturday at 9AM Eastern with new content and chit chat continuing ...

Most gardeners use a wide variety of soil amendments to improve their soils; manures and compost are the most common. But have you ever heard of Biochar? Biochar is a form of fine-grained charcoal ...

Ken G. of Windsor asks: What’s biochar? I overheard someone talking about trying it in their garden. I couldn’t get any details. Basically, biochar is organic matter that is burned slowly, with a ...

Winter-blooming camellias liven up the winter garden with attractive, sometimes fragrant flowers backed by glossy dark green foliage. These broad-leaved evergreen shrubs generally range from 4- to ...

Research scientist Robert Young with the mass spectrometer at Florida State University’s MagLab. This instrument helped the CSU scientists identify elemental signatures in a biochar carbon coating.

New research has demonstrated how composting of biochar creates a very thin organic coating that significantly improves the biochar's fertilizing capabilities. For more than 100 years, biochar, a ...

For more than 100 years, biochar, a carbon-rich, charcoal-like substance made from oxygen-deprived plant or other organic matter, has both delighted and puzzled scientists. As a soil additive, biochar ...