1 Litre Organic Biochar
1 Litre Organic Biochar
Organic, Sustainable Soil Improver
Biochar - The Gardener's Secret Weapon
The key to a thriving, bountiful garden lies not just in the plants themselves, but in the soil that nourishes them. And one of the most remarkable soil amendments I've come across over the years is Biochar.
"Biochar? Isn't that just fancy charcoal?"
Well, yes and no. Biochar is indeed a type of charcoal, but it's been specially produced to enhance the fertility and health of garden soils.
Through a process called pyrolysis, organic matter like wood or agricultural waste is heated in the absence of oxygen. This "cooks" the material, driving off the volatile compounds and leaving behind a porous, carbon-rich material - Biochar.
What makes Biochar so valuable for gardeners is its ability to improve soil structure, water-holding capacity, and nutrient retention. The intricate maze of nooks and crannies in each Biochar particle acts as a sort of underground home for microorganisms, providing them shelter and a place to thrive. In turn, these busy little creatures help make nutrients more available to your plants.
I've found Biochar to be particularly useful in my own garden, where it helps the heavy clay soil drain the winter wet weather, and in my nursery plants where it helps to buffer nutrients and moisture levels.
It is particularly good added to your compost pile where it is 'charged' with nutrients and provide an extra boost to your flowerbeds when applied. Don't apply uncharged to your plants as it will reduce the nutrients levels in the surrounding soil until it is charged, and then it will slowly release it back to the soil as required. Another way to charge your biochar is to soak it in say a nettle or comfrey tea. (Personally I just add it to the compost heap because I'm a busy guy!)
So if you're looking to give your plants a boost, I'd highly recommend incorporating Biochar into your soil. A little goes a long way, and the benefits will continue to pay dividends season after season. It's one of those quiet garden heroes that doesn't get the recognition it deserves, but believe me, your plants will thank you.
It's also almost completely carbon, so every kilo buried underground is nearly 3 kg of carbon emissions removed from the atmosphere, and it stays in this solid carbon state for hundreds of years!
Delivery £5 flat rate or FREE over £100 spend.
Delivery £5 flat rate or FREE over £100 spend.
We charge a flat rate of £5 for postage and packaging to all of Britain, including the Highlands and the Isle of Man, with free delivery for orders over £100. We are unable to send plants to Northern Ireland.
We use Royal Mail for our deliveries as they have the lowest carbon footprint per parcel delivered in the UK and actually tend to look after parcels rather than just chucking them over the nearest fence! This ensures that your plants will have the best care possible.
Please have a Safe Place set up if possible so your plants are not returned to the sorting office if no one is home to accept the delivery.
We aim to dispatch our plants twice a week and you will receive updates by text or email. In cases of extreme weather or if Royal Mail has a hiccup the delivery may be delayed but we'll keep you in the loop.
We are unable to deliver to the Channel Islands or Northern Ireland.
The LAWNMOWER Guarantee
The LAWNMOWER Guarantee
Healthy plants & happy customers
Your plant will only be dispatched if I'm happy it is healthy. The nature of growing the plants in large troughs means that the root system will be trimmed before they are balled in hessian, and therefore, depending on the time of year, the top growth may also be trimmed to make sure the roots are able to supply the water and nutrients your new plant requires.
Pruning encourages new growth and this applies to roots as well so a pruned plant actually results in a stronger plant.
The LAWNMOWER guarantee.
If you're not happy with your plants for any reason, even if you've run them over with your lawnmower, just pop them in a box (the plants, not the mower!) and post them back to us within 90 days for a replacement or refund.
If your plant is typically expected to live through a winter (e.g a hardy perennial or shrub) then the LAWNMOWER guarantee is extended to a whole year.
This does not affect your statutory rights.
For full details check out the Refunds and Returns Policy.
Sustainability
Sustainability
Eco-friendly business
Fed up with plants grown in plastic pots which are doused in herbicides and sprayed with synthetic chemicals by big nurseries who merrily burn through finite resources, fly plants in from abroad on jet planes, irresponsibly use peat and coir, kill any insect nearby with non-selective pesticides and generally only think of the bottom line?
So are we!
How we grow plants sustainably
Our plants are started in coldframes or inside our house, grown-on woodfibre pots or in reclaimed wooden troughs which are then carefully harvested and balled and burlapped (hessian wrap securing the rootball), before packing plastic free in a eco cardboard box from a certified B-corp carbon neutral supplier.
Sustainable and organic compost & fertiliser
Our Soil Association certified organic compost is bought in bulk without plastic bags from Dalefoot Compost, and consists of sheep wool, bracken and comfrey. This naturally feeds the plants for 12 months. If supplemental feeding is required we only use our own special blend of organic fertilisers (bone meal, hoof & horn and vinaase) which have been processed with solar energy.
Carbon Neutral business
The small amount of electricity we use is from renewable sources and we irrigate our plants with stored water we have harvested. Plus, we are using our house and land for more than one purpose, preventing further land use and utilising the sunk carbon cost of the building rather than creating more.
We have partnered with Carbon Neutral Britain to offset our emissions, and recognise that we are not in control of all parts of the supply chain so have fully offset scopes 1, 2 and 3 to take that in to account - so that's all emissions connected to our business, from the farts coming out of the back of the sheep, to the carbon dioxide from the delivery van outside your door.
We don't just offset and carry on, ALL the decisions we make work to reduce emissions - for instance we use Royal Mail to post our plants as they have by far the lowest carbon footprint per parcel delivered in the UK.