Understanding Biochar
![forest](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0246/9533/files/Lush-Wallpaper_a6e54e5f-303b-4c79-a3f3-8f5ab048bb0a_medium.jpg?4013)
The broad definition of biochar is a carbon-rich product obtained when organic biomass, (such as manure, leaves, grasses, or in our Black Owl Biochar products, untreated forest debris—wood), is heated to the point of thermal decomposition under a limited or zero supply of oxygen. Physically biochar is charred, but it's different from coal, charcoal or ash, in that it possesses:
- High surface area
- Agricultural and environmental benefits
- High organic carbon
- The ability to offset GHGs
![Black Owl Biochar - In Good Hands](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0246/9533/files/Danas-Hands_e7523ed3-2130-45b2-94bd-aaadd29488e7_medium.jpg?4088)
- Improve tilth of soils; creating greater aeration in heavy, complexing sandier soils
- Retain nutrients & water, keeping them from leaching
- Increase cation exchange functions in soil, boosting nutrient availability
- Host microbes & fungi, increasing colonization in root zone, diversifying soil ecosystem
- Act as a catalyst for releasing sorbed water as conditions dictate
- Reduce off-gassing of CH4, NO2 & other GHGs, mitigating escape into atmosphere
- Increase pH & replace some liming requirements of acid soils
- Reduce need for watering, as well-made biochar has great water-holding capacity
- Accelerate the composting process, and help its aeration
- Reduce or eliminate compost odors
- Improve the quality and efficiacy of compost
- Become a "carbon sink"
![Garden with Biochar](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0246/9533/files/McMenamins_Garden_36ffcacd-f072-4349-a473-0c4cf13d7b32_medium.jpg?4014)
![Black Owl Biochar's Seed Germination](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0246/9533/files/Seed-Germination_medium.png?4016)
![OMRI Listed](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0246/9533/files/OMRI-listed_medium.jpg?4017)
![Biochar Light In Weight Equals Quality](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0246/9533/files/Light-in-Weight-Equals-Quality_medium.jpg?4204)
The International Biochar Initiative classifies biochars according to their organic carbon content as:
Biochar Supreme, LLC's Black Owl Biochars have no less than 70% oragnic carbon and our Environmental Ultra line is 80+% organic carbon. We have worked on the process to achieve this high standard at scale for 3 years. We offer state-of-the-art products. For application suggestions click here. For more information on our growing products, please click here. For more information on our environmental remediation products, please click here.