The Biochar Company goes to Hawaii

The Biochar Company, makers of Soil Reef™ soil amendment, are joining forces with one of the most successful biochar production companies in the US, Hawaii Biochar Products, LLC. 

Hawaii Biochar Products, owned and operated by Josiah Hunt, has produced over 100 tons of biochar, an average of one ton per week, since the company’s inception in 2009.  

Listening to Hunt explain biochar at TEDx Hilo makes me want to both save the world and move to Hawaii!

According to Lopa Brunjes, co-director at The Biochar Company, “Josiah is one of the leaders in the biochar industry. He is a wise, old young man whose whole heart is vested in developing biochar. We are so lucky to have him, and Hawaii Biochar Products, as part of our greater mission.”

Josiah Hunt with char 

Hunt wants the same thing. “If I am really going to make a difference, I need to make a heck of lot more biochar,” he says. “I have the motivation, the experience and the relationships. I have some great partners, as well—but I needed a partner with the capacity and shared vision that The Biochar Company team has, to really help make biochar happen.”

Touted for greater fertilizer efficiency, greater water efficiency, greater microbial activity, and greater yield, biochar, or, biological charcoal, is used for soil building and to enhance overall soil health. 

“Soil is like a pot of chili. It’s not just the beans. It’s not just the meat. It’s not just the veggies or the spices. It’s the whole thing, and the flavors are complimentary,” says Hunt. 

Josiah Hunt's "coral reef for the soil"

“Charcoal is a naturally occurring element of soil and is not something new. The practice of using charcoal in agriculture is actually very old and most cases forgotten,” Hunt explains. “In the realm of science involving waste management, energy production, climate change mitigation and agriculture, the paradigm was so exciting it had to be given a name—biochar.”

“The future of biochar lies not just in farmyards, but in backyards,” says Hunt. “Every gardener can make a difference.”

Read more about the partnership here.  And buy Soil Reef at select Whole Foods stores in the mid-Atlantic or at www.soilreef.com 

-Katie @KatieGMG
Garden Media

People are talking about... Green Roofs

Ben Flanner at Brooklyn Grange

They're popping up all over the place, from New York to Los Angeles, and no, Im not talking about cupcakes.  It's Green Roofs!

The green roof movement is of course, not new.  Germany is the leader, where about 10% of roofs are green.  They have been growing "up" for the past 50 years and some parts of Germany require green roofs on all new buildings.

But it seems like the movement has legs in the States, and it's running!

Green roofs, according to The New York Times writer Tina Rosenberg, can help solve so many serious environmental issues.

A green roof on a NYC co-op

• "Urban Heat Island." For anyone who has ever lived in a city, this needs no explaining, the temperature can sometime be as much as 7 degrees warmer, Rosenberg says, and green roofs can help lower the heat index.  
• "Scrub the air." One sq meter can absorb all the emissions from a car being driven 12,000 miles a year, said Amy Norquist, chief executive of Greensulate.
• "Water Run-off." It can take only 20 minutes of rainfall to start water from toilets flowing into Brooklyn’s waterways, Rosenberg reports.  And, the water can makes us sick.
• "Habitats." Green roofs can provide the plants that animals, birds and bees need when parks are far apart.

The movement is attracting all types of companies interested in making a difference, from hydroponic growers to vertical walls and soil amendments like biochar. In fact, Brooklyn Grange is planning to put Soil Reef biochar on 1/2 acre of their rooftop in Brooklyn. 

Start small... with a green doghouse roof!

The benefits of Soil Reef are endless, conserving water and nutrients, growing healthier, bigger plants and putting carbon back in the soil, yet, the addition of biochar to greenroof soil has even greater benefits.  According to the Journal of Environmental Pollution, it has been proven to improve both runoff water quality and retention.

The future of green roofs is bright- look into installing one today. 

Katie @KatieGMG
http://www.gardenmediagroup.com

Easy Ways to Save Water

This spring, Americans should make conserving water one of the most important environmental actions they take at home.  According to the EPA's WaterSense publication, “One of the best ways to save energy across the country and in our own home is to use water more efficiently.”

Mother Nature Network's Roni Robbins lends advice on easy ways to save water at home. Not to mention how it will help cut utility bills.

Don’t water your lawn on windy days when most of the water blows away or evaporates. (Photo: tympsy/Flickr)

Below are tips for preserving this natural resource when landscaping - since it accounts for between 30-70% of water used daily in American homes, depending on the region and season. Taken from “100 Ways to Conserve.”

Rain Barrel from The Growers Exchange

• Don’t water your lawn on windy days when most of the water blows away. Also note: trickling or cascading fountains lose less water to evaporation than those spraying water into the air.
• Water your plants deeply, but less frequently, to encourage deep root growth and drought tolerance. More plants die from over-watering than under-watering. Set a kitchen timer when watering your lawn or garden to remind you when to stop or redirect the water. A running hose can lose up to 10 gallons/ min
• Check the root zone of your lawn or garden for moisture before watering. If it’s still moist 2-3 inches under the soil surface you have enough water. Install a rain sensor on your irrigation controller so your system won’t run when it’s raining. Use a rain gauge, or empty tuna can, to track rainfall on your lawn. Then reduce your watering accordingly. A can of tuna also measures sprinkler output. 1in of water on 1sq ft of grass is 2/3 of a gallon of water.
• Next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a native, low-water-use plant like those from American Beauties for year-round landscape color, and save up to 550 gallons a year
• Direct water from your roof’s rain gutters into a rain barrel to water your garden. 

Soil Reef soil amendment

And finally, a GMG tip: Soil Reef, a biochar based soil amendment, helps your soil retain water and nutrients.  Use it in your garden or in containers and you won't have to water as often.

For other easy ways to save water in and around  the house, check out the graphic home tour navigator at www.H2ouse.net to target room-specific conservation ideas.

And, use this tool on the EPA’s website to calculate the savings you would achieve by using water saving products.

 Katie @KatieGMG
www.gardenmediagroup.com 

Trendspotting: Water Watchers & Seedlings: Part III

Here at the Garden Media Group spotting green living trends that include hot new plants and products for your lawn and garden and green lifestyle is our passion.

In the last of our 3-part series of GMG's Garden Trends for 2012 Report: Cultivate the New Good Life with the Power of Plants, we've identified Water-Watchers and Seedlings as important trends that are coming on strong.

Water-Watchers. According to Dr. Charlie Hall, professor of horticulture at Texas A&M University, "There is no single issue greater than water."

Drought and regional water restrictions are causing us to grow plants, flowers and vegetables that require less water.

Beneficial soil amendments like the new Soil Reef Biochar are considered by many scientists to be like a "coral reef" for soil. Its high carbon content and porous nature help retain water and nutrients, saving gardeners time and money.

New Bloomtastic! plants from Hines Growers use EcoCover mulch discs to help save water and reduce weeds. Look for their new bougainvillea and Bougainvillea Patio Trees that are drought tolerant and give vibrant multi-colored flowers for your patio, deck and porch all summer long.

Seedlings. From the White House to the neighborhood schools, kids are learning how to grow their own food and take care of the planet. Suzi McCoy, our chief trendspotter and garden expert says the popularity of miniature gardens is "ideal for kids and the young at heart to share the whimsical world of plants and appreciate the joy of gardening."

Share what you see trending on the horizon. We'd love to hear from you!

~Lynne, Garden Media Group

Photos: Soil Reef Biochar and Bougainvillea, GMG

Creating a Lifetime of ‘Black Magic’ for your Soil

Biochar has been improving soil for thousands of years. 

In 1541, Spanish conquistador Francisco de Orellana, led a famous expedition down the Amazon river.  He returned boasting tales of a massive golden empire and areas of rich, black earth.  

Check out those lush banks!

Expedition after expedition hunted for evidence of these Mayan civilizations, but each came up empty handed.  This ‘Legend of El Dorado'  was thought to be a myth, until recently.

Soil science has proven that de Orellana was not hallucinating. By burning woody biomass, creating a char-like substance, and burying it in the soil, these Indian farmers created extremely fertile soil.  Today, this char-like substance is called biochar.

In a recent article in GOOD, Sarah Laskow writes that "biochar can capture carbon and improve soil."

She goes on to explain, "Biochar doesn’t feed plants directly, but it makes soil a friendly environment for biological life. It helps soil retain water and communities of microbes that benefit plants. It keeps nitrogen—necessary for plant growth—from leaching into ground water. Overall, it’s been shown to raise crop yields. This isn’t a secret: Amazonian farmers used this techniques thousands of years ago to prepare thin soils for planting."

Leading the US industry in producing biochar for consumer use, Soil Reef™ is using proprietary technology to create a superior product for the garden. 

Soil Reef™ creates biochar with an age-old process called pyrolysis that bakes uncontaminated wood by cooking it at high temperatures with no oxygen in a controlled container. This process sequesters about half the carbon in the biomass and reduces it to pure biochar, one of the key ingredients in rich soil.

According to biochar pioneer Lopa Brunjes, Director for The Biochar Company, LLC and TEDx speaker, “Soil Reef ultimately increases crop yields, grows healthier plants that are more resistant to disease, and reduces annual dependency on fertilizers.

Soil Reef™ is now available at www.soilreef.com.

AND- if you're in Seattle and want to meet other biochar aficionados, make sure you check out this upcoming biochar stove workshop on March 31. 

-Katie
Garden Media Group

Tips for February Gardening

The Feb 1916 cover of House and Garden

Preparation. Preparation. Preparation.

January's garden was all about planning, buying seeds and dreaming of Spring.  February brings us one month closer to that delightful season!

The main tasks and priorities this month are:

• Paint a fun, bright color on all tool handles.  It will keep them looking fresh and help you find them in the yard. 
•  February is also the month to get the lawn mower going and check that it's in good working order. Sharpen the blade and lubricate the moving parts, it'll be busy before too long. The shears and other tools will appreciate a tune up or spring clean as well.
• Dig in some soil amendments like Soil Reef around the roots of shrubs and trees. This will help kick start them into action when the weather starts to warm up.
• Deciduous vines should be trimmed back now and shaped if needed. 
• Your roses should also be pruned back now if they haven't been done yet. 
• If you didn't do it in January, get buying those seeds!
• 

  @KatieGMG

Tune in to #GardenChat tonight at 9pm EST

If you haven't tweeted with #GardenChat yet, you don't know what you're missing.

But, if you tuned in last Monday for the garden trends discussion, THANK YOU!  It was so much fun to hear what you thought of our trends and hear many new ideas!!

Tonight's topic is BioChar Soil Reef (TM)!

Do you what biohar is?
Do you know how biochar is created?
Do you know how long biochar lasts?
Do you know how biochar can add to a sustainable future for our planet?

Come learn, grow and tweet with us tonight at 9pm EST to find out the above answers and much, much more!

How #gardenchat Connects: A topic is picked and a guest host specializing in that topic is usually present to help answer  questions and add to the conversation. Questions are submitted in advance. Everyone attending the chat is encouraged to share their experience and answer questions as well.  A transcript is saved after each Monday event that can be downloaded from the transcript page.

Tips for a January Garden

Most gardeners are dreaming of Spring during this cold, blizzardy winter month of January.  Although, most of us east coasters had been experiencing a VERY mild winter, there is still a lot to be done. 

The main tasks and priorities this month are:

• Planning! What plants are you going to focus on for the coming year? Analyze last year's planting, fertilizing and spraying. Make notes to reorder successful varieties as well as those you wish to try again.

•  Dig out those seed catalogs for inspiration! When reviewing for new varieties, consider American Beauties Native Plants, which have improved insect and/or disease resistance for your area. Watch also for drought-tolerant types. 

• If the ground isn't soggy or frozen, January is a good time to turn the soil. This will expose insect eggs and help reduce the number of pests.  Consider adding biochar to the mix for greater water retention and increased nutrient absorption.

• Feed the birds to help them survive through the cold winter.

• Prune shrubs and bushes.

• Brush snow from evergreens as soon as possible after a storm. Use a broom in an upward, sweeping motion. Serious damage may be caused by heavy snow or ice accumulating on the branches. 

• Indoor Hyacinths and Amaryllis should be in full bloom adding a touch or much needed color to windowsills or heated greenhouses. Other house plants will appreciate a feed with a good quality liquid plant food. 

• Increased humidity in your house by placing plants on trays lined with pebbles and filled with water to within one half inch of the base of the pot. If you heat with wood, keep a pot of water on the stove. The added moisture will be healthier for you as well as your plants!

 What other tips can you offer?

Biochar: An Ancient Solution to a Modern Problem

What do you know about biochar? 

 

Learn how to "put the carbon back" into the earth with this new technology!  Questions?  Post them in the comments section and we will answer them.