Are you using biochar in your garden?

At Generation Soil, we are continually seeking ways to enhance soil health, improve composting processes, and regenerate the land. One of the most powerful tools we utilise is biochar—a carbon-rich material that transforms the way compost supports soil life. By incorporating biochar into our living compost, we create a thriving habitat for microorganisms, enhance soil structure, and lock away carbon for centuries.

But biochar isn’t new. Indigenous communities have been using it for thousands of years to improve soil fertility and sustain ecosystems. In this blog, we’ll explore the origins of biochar, its benefits for soil health, and why we integrate it into our composting process.

What Is Biochar?

Biochar is a form of charcoal created by burning organic matter, such as wood or crop waste, in a low-oxygen environment—a process known as pyrolysis. Unlike ash, which is fully burnt and loses its structure, biochar retains its porous, carbon-rich form, making it an excellent soil amendment.

Because of its high porosity, biochar acts like a sponge, holding onto water, nutrients, and beneficial microbes. When added to compost and soil, it boosts fertility, enhances microbial activity, and helps sequester carbon, making it a game-changer for transforming food systems.

The Indigenous Origins of Biochar

Biochar has been used for centuries, particularly in the Amazon, where Indigenous communities developed Terra Preta—“dark earth” soils that remain fertile to this day. By adding burnt plant material, food waste, and organic matter to the soil, they created a self-sustaining, nutrient-rich ecosystem that could support crops for generations.

Unlike the surrounding nutrient-poor Amazonian soils, Terra Preta remains productive for hundreds, even thousands, of years. Scientists now study these ancient practices to understand how biochar can be used globally to regenerate degraded land, store carbon, and create resilient food systems.

By reintroducing biochar into our composting process, we’re honouring these ancestral soil stewardship techniques and applying them to the challenges of today’s climate and food crises.

How Biochar Enhances Living Compost

At Generation Soil, our living compost is rich in beneficial microorganisms, fungi, and bacteria. Biochar plays a crucial role in supporting this microbial life and creating a resilient, balanced compost system.

1. Boosts Microbial Activity

Biochar’s porous structure provides micro-habitats for bacteria, fungi, and other microbes, increasing biodiversity in compost and soil. Healthy microbial communities break down organic matter more efficiently, releasing nutrients that plants can absorb.

2. Improves Soil Structure and Water Retention

Adding biochar to compost prevents soil compaction, improves aeration, and enhances water retention. This means healthier plant roots, better drainage, and reduced water runoff—essential for sustainable agriculture and resilient urban growing spaces.

3. Locks Carbon into the Soil

Unlike organic matter that decomposes and releases carbon dioxide, biochar remains stable in the soil for hundreds to thousands of years, actively removing carbon from the atmosphere. This makes it a powerful tool for climate mitigation, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

4. Reduces Compost Odours and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Composting can sometimes produce methane and ammonia gases, especially in anaerobic conditions. Biochar absorbs these gases, reducing odours and emissions while also stabilising nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus in the compost.

5. Enhances Nutrient Cycling

Biochar acts like a natural fertiliser sponge, holding onto essential nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. Instead of being washed away by rain, these nutrients are slowly released, making them available to plants for longer.

Why We Use Biochar at Generation Soil

At Generation Soil, we integrate biochar into our circular composting process to create the healthiest, most sustainable compost possible. By combining food waste, wood shavings, and biochar, we:

✅ Regenerate depleted soils by enriching them with organic matter and microbial life.

✅ Divert waste from landfill and transform it into nutrient-rich compost.

✅ Support biodiversity by creating a thriving underground ecosystem.

✅ Reduce carbon emissions and contribute to a circular, climate-positive food system.

Our goal is to create living compost that actively regenerates the Earth, rather than just breaking down organic matter. Biochar is an essential part of that process, helping us build a more sustainable, resilient food system in Bristol and beyond.

Generation Soils first batch of living compost.

How You Can Get Involved

If you’re passionate about soil health, composting, and sustainability, there are several ways to get involved:

🌱 Use compost enriched with biochar in your growing space to improve soil structure and fertility.

♻️ Join our composting community and help us divert food waste from landfill.

🌍 Support regenerative agriculture by spreading awareness about biochar’s benefits.

At Generation Soil, we believe in working with nature, not against it. By reviving ancient soil practices and applying them to modern challenges, we can create healthier soils, stronger communities, and a more resilient planet.

Let’s regenerate the Earth, one compost pile at a time.

Join our Bristol Compost Project.

Explore our living compost.