Dos
Incorporate into the root zone
Mix biochar into the top 10–20 cm of soil — the root development zone — to maximise contact with plant roots and microbial activity.
Combine with compost or organic matter
Pre-loading biochar with organic nutrients (compost, manure) before application accelerates microbial establishment and amplifies agronomic benefits.
Moisten before application
Dry biochar can be blown away by the wind. Lightly moisten it before or during soil incorporation to ease handling and reduce losses.
Apply before or at planting
The best timing is before or at planting, allowing biochar to integrate well into soil and be available to roots from the start of the growth cycle.
Respect recommended rates
Typical application rate is 1–2 kg/m2. Higher doses do not bring proportionally greater benefits — follow NetZero's technical recommendations for your specific crop.
Monitor and record results
Track crop productivity before and after biochar use. Field data is essential for optimising future rates and demonstrating benefits to other farmers.
Don'ts
Don't leave on the surface unincorporated
Biochar left on the soil surface loses effectiveness: it is easily blown away by wind or washed away by rain before interacting with plant roots.
Don't abandon soil management
Biochar improves soil but does not replace good agronomic practices. Continue soil analysis, maintenance fertilisation, and proper crop management.
Don't use uncertified biochar
Biochar must be produced from renewable, traceable biomasses according to quality standards. Biochar of unknown origin may contain contaminants.
Don't burn biomass in the field
Open burning does not produce quality biochar — it incinerates the carbon that could be sequestered. Biochar must be produced by controlled pyrolysis.
Don't expect immediate results
Biochar's benefits are progressive. In the first crop cycle, gains may be modest; the greatest impact typically occurs from the 2nd or 3rd cycle onwards.
Don't mix with quicklime simultaneously
Avoid applying biochar together with quicklime or highly alkaline products at the same time. Space applications by at least a few weeks to avoid destabilising soil balance.