Organic Inoculated Biochar - 5G
Details
5-gallon pail — for serious gardeners and larger projects. Treats 7.5–15 cubic feet of soil.
A soil amendment made from sustainably sourced pine and cedar industry waste, pyrolyzed into pure carbon biochar and pre-loaded with billions of beneficial microorganisms. One handful has the surface area of a football field — a permanent home for the microbes that feed your roots.
Most biochar on the market is raw — charcoal with empty pores. The moment it touches soil, it starts pulling nutrients away from your plants while those pores fill up. That's the 30–90 day lag experienced growers warn about. Our Inoculated Biochar is different. We pyrolyze sustainably sourced pine and cedar industry waste at high temperatures to create the carbon skeleton, then pre-load it with a curated community of mycorrhizal fungi and beneficial bacteria before it ever leaves the factory. The moment it touches your soil, it's already an ecosystem. OMRI Listed for certified organic use, CDFA approved, non-toxic to people and pets when used as directed. No dust, no PPE required.
Results
Better drainage in heavy soils. Better water retention in sandy soils. Stabilized soil pH. Higher cation exchange capacity, so the nutrition you add goes further. A more diverse and persistent root-zone microbial community. Studied in a multi-year USDA ARS field trial. Because biochar's carbon structure doesn't decompose, you apply once — and it keeps working for decades.
Ingredients
Biochar from sustainably sourced pine and cedar industry waste. A proprietary community of 300+ beneficial microbial species — mycorrhizal fungi, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, decomposers, and growth-promoting bacteria. No synthetic additives, no fillers, no chemicals.
How to use
Raised beds & new plantings: mix one cubic foot of biochar into the top 4–6 inches of soil before planting. Container gardens: blend at roughly 10–15% by volume into the planting mix. Established lawns & turf: apply 1–2 bags per 100 sq ft and rake into the top 4 inches. Trees & shrubs: work into the dripline of established plants. One application is permanent.
Frequently asked
How much do I need for my garden?
One 64oz bag treats one cubic foot of soil. A standard 4×8 raised bed (6 in. deep) needs about 16 bags or one 5-gallon pail. For container gardens, mix at ~10–15% biochar by volume. For lawns, plan on 1–2 bags per 100 sq ft.
Will it change my soil's pH?
Biochar has a mild alkalizing effect and helps stabilize soil pH over time. If your soil is already very alkaline (above 7.5), start with a smaller application and test. For most gardens with slightly acidic to neutral soil, the buffering effect is welcome.
Can I mix it with other fertilizer?
Yes — and the combination is stronger than either one alone. The biochar holds onto the nutrients you add, so they stay in the root zone instead of leaching past. Works especially well alongside our All-Purpose Liquid Plant Food and Liquid Compost.
How long does it last in the soil?
Biochar's carbon structure persists for hundreds to thousands of years. Unlike compost — which decomposes within months — biochar is a one-time application. It keeps working season after season.
Is it safe for edible plants and around children?
Yes. OMRI Listed for organic use, CDFA approved, with no synthetic chemicals or heavy metals. Safe for all edible plants, vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees, and safe to handle around kids and pets.
What's the difference between this and raw biochar from a hardware store?
Raw biochar is uncharged — its pores are empty and will pull nutrients away from your plants for the first 30–90 days as they fill up. Ours is pre-inoculated with a curated microbial community, so it works from day one. The wood source is also known: sustainably sourced pine and cedar industry waste, not unknown feedstocks.
Shipping & returns
Free shipping on orders over $50. Most orders ship within 1-2 business days. 30-day satisfaction guarantee — return for a full refund if you're not happy.
We take pride in producing the highest quality, certified organic products right here in the United States. Our entire production process from sourcing ingredients to manufacturing is conducted within the USA, ensuring adherence to the highest quality and safety standards.
Organic Plant Biosciences products are approved for organic use by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI), ensuring they do not contain harmful chemicals.
Organic Inoculated Biochar in motion.
How to use Organic Inoculated Biochar
Three simple steps — no expertise required.
Measure
Open the bottle or bag and follow the dilution rate on the label. Liquids: 1–2 oz per gallon of water. Biochar: one cubic foot per 64oz bag.
Apply
Drench the root zone, mist the leaves, or work into soil — depending on the product. Water in lightly when applying to soil.
Repeat
Most products: every 2–4 weeks during active growth. Reduce or skip during dormancy. Biochar is a one-time application — permanent.
