How to Use Biochar in Houseplants
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Calling all proud plant parents and hobby enthusiasts! Houseplants are a fantastic way to bring the outdoors, indoors, enhance your decor, and express your personal style. Not only will having houseplants improve your interior ambience but they are also scientifically proven to improve your mood. And, who knows, this may even be the gateway into a more serious gardening hobby! In today's blog, we’ll be diving into how our biochar can help your houseplants thrive. House-planting doesn't have to be a high maintenance hobby with the help of our biochar products.
What is Biochar?
Biochar is a low density, light and porous substance that resembles charcoal. Produced from sustainable resources, it serves as an ideal amendment to soils for improved plant growth, increased water retention, increased microbial growth and better nutrient uptake. Want to learn more about biochar and its benefits? Click here.
How Does Biochar Help Make House-planting Easier?
Reduces the frequency of watering needed
The porous nature and high surface area of biochar allows it to absorb water like a sponge and retain moisture for long periods of time, ideal for houseplants. This cuts down the frequency of watering needed, and ensures plants are well replenished. Plants like Peace Lilies, Boston Ferns and Calathea which require diligent care and thrive in moist and well drained soils, would flourish if planted in one of our biochar mixes. Biochar is also great if you’re away a lot or if you’re someone prone to forgetting to water your plants (we’re sure that even the very best plant parents will be able to relate to this!).
Prevents Nutrient Leaching
Biochar also has a high nutrient absorption capacity. When used as a soil amendment, nutrients like potassium, magnesium and phosphorous from the surrounding soil are retained by the biochar and control-released back into the soil. This prevents any nutrients from leaching away and ensures they are available to the plants over time.
Increased Microbial Activity
Biochar is known for its ability to enhance microbial activity, as its high surface area makes it an ideal habitat for healthy microbiomes to develop. When applied to soils, this increase in microbes lead to better decomposition rates in the soil, in-turn better nutrient cycling, and increased nutrient availability.
Good for Plant Root Growth
As the soil microbiome begins to expand following the application of biochar, the availability of root associated microbes increase. These specific microbes help make more nutrients available to the root zone of the plant and influences increased root nodule growth and overall improved plant health.
Application guidance
1) Select a plant pot with drainage holes (this prevents any water-logging).
2) Sprinkle a layer of grit at the bottom of the plant pot for better drainage.
3) Fill with our Multi Purpose Compost Mix.
4) Plant your chosen houseplants and water thoroughly to settle the biochar-compost mix around the roots. Take care to avoid overwatering to ensure moisture levels are balanced.
Biochar, an Environmental Alternative to Peat
Peat as a soil amendment is extremely harmful to the environment as its extraction leads to long term damage to the wildlife and our climate.
But good news! Our biochar is a more efficient and sustainable alternative to peat, offering the same nutritional benefits to the soil and more! Much like peat, the application of biochar also:
- Increases soil aeration, effectively helping alleviate compacted soils.
- Improves moisture retention.
- Helps neutralise soils.
- Is pathogen free.
- Is sponge-like and helps root development.
- Doesn't contain weed seeds that can invade your garden.
While also:
- Helping plants build resistance to disease.
- Acting as a natural pesticide.
- Acting as a carbon sink.
- Adsorbing nutrients and releasing back into the soil.
- Trapping pollutants within the soil and improving soil conditions.
Top Tips
How to repot houseplants in biochar compost
For your thriving plants that are outgrowing their pots, our Multi-Purpose Biochar Compost mix provides the perfect environment for healthy repotting and continued growth indoors. Here’s how you can use it:
1) Choose a new pot: This must be at least 1-2 inches larger than the plant’s original pot (please ensure this has drainage holes).
2) Prepare the base layer: Add a thin layer of grit in the bottom of the pot for enhanced drainage.
3) Fill the pot: Fill 3/4th of the pot with our Multi-Purpose Biochar Compost mix to create a well aerated, nutrient rich environment for the plant.
4) Remove the plant: Gently uproot the plant from its original pot, taking extra care not to damage the roots.
5) Inspect the roots: Trim away dead roots and shake off excess soil.
6) Place the plant in the new pot: Position the plant so that the root crown (where the root meets the stem) is just below the rim of the pot.
7) Fill the rest of the pot: Cover the root ball with more Multi-Purpose Biochar Compost mix, pressing lightly to remove any air pockets but ensuring excessive compaction does not take place.
8) Water the plant: Water thoroughly until water drains from the bottom.
9) Place back indoors: You’re ready to return the plant back to its usual spot!
How to Duplicate Houseplants
An easy way to grow your indoor plant collection is by propagating the ones you already have. This process is cost effective, easy and rewarding. Here’s how you can do it:
1) Select a healthy plant: Ensure you use a healthy plant with stems, pups or offsets for propagation.
2) Select a pot: Since we are propagating a plant, choose a small pot with drainage holes.
3) Prepare the base layer: Add a thin layer of grit in the bottom of the pot to enhance drainage.
4) Fill the pot: Fill the pot with our Biochar Compost Mix for Seeds. This offers a gentle mix to ensure efficient sapling growth while preventing root burn.
5) Take a cutting or segment from the original plant:
6) Plant the cutting/segment: Insert the cutting or segment into the soil, making sure that its buried slightly and securely into the potting mix.
7) Water gently: Lightly water the potting mix.
8) Place back indoors: Ensure that the newly propagated plant is placed in an area with bright, indirect sunlight and preferably a humid environment.
9) Caring for the plant: Keep the potting mix moist but not soggy.
Propagating from your own plant portfolio or asking friends and family for their plant pups or cuttings can be an eco (and free!) way of growing your indoor plant collection. If this isn’t a possibility though, try visiting your local garden centre or purchasing online from places like Patch Plants.
House-planting is a fantastic hobby to start this new year, offering a boost to your mental wellbeing while enhancing the look of your indoor spaces. While this might feel like a high maintenance activity at first, our biochar makes it easy! Biochar as a soil amendment reduces the need for frequent watering, minimises the reliance of chemical fertilisers and provides a long-term solution for healthier plants. Our biochar mixes are the ultimate hassle-free solution for anyone looking to start a low maintenance house-planting hobby.
Are you a proud plant parent? Share photos of your thriving flora with us via our socials and you could have the chance to be featured in our next blog.
