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Biochar for Vineyards


California vineyards using biochar include: Ridge Vineyards, Clos de Bois and Paradise Ridge Winery (Sonoma County), Bonny Doon Vineyard at Popelouchum vineyard (San Benito County), Bonterra Vineyards (Mendocino), Spring Mountain Vineyard (Napa County), Monterey Pacific Vineyard Management Company (Monterey County), and many others.

A Case Study

Hans-Peter Schmidt is the European thought-leader in using biochar in vineyards. He first established a biochar trial at experimental vineyard Domaine de Mythopia in Switzerland in 2007. Since then, his work with biochar has expanded into Germany, Norway, France, Switzerland, Spain, Italy and Austria. He has published the following information about biochar improving production and quality of wine grapes.

The 2010 data collected for the biochar experiment confirm the results of previous years and show ar has a significant influence on all parameters investigated. Due to the significantly improved grape health, higher anthocyanin, higher amino-N and lower acid value an improved wine quality can be expected in the biochar treatment. It confirms literature findings (Lehmann 2003) that biochar treatments shift plant nutrient uptakes to their particular optimum ranges. For some elements, this means an increasing uptake while for others a decrease.

What is BIOCHAR?
 
Biochar is a solid material obtained from the carbonization of biomass.
 
It is a fine-grained, highly porous charcoal that enhances soil by retaining nutrients and water.
 
Customers use SymSoil as a biochar activator
 to enhance terrior. 
 
This is achieved through reduced compaction, improved porosity, cation exchange, increased pH, retained water, improved hydaulic conductivity, promoted growth of microorganisms and
sequestered CO2. 

SYMSOIL BIOCHAR OPTIONS

Touch Soil

Biochar by the bucket, yard or truckload

We start with the best biochar we can find (and we search far and wide!). Then fully condition and colonize with the Symsoil biology, and ready for application, so it will boost the performance of even your best soil.

Vineyard Biochar Classes in Sonoma County, Napa, and Solano Counties

Join us in a class on how to create biochar with your farm’s agricultural waste. As a service, SymSoil’s team can come to your farm to do a burn or create compost.  We can create a sustainable process that works in your farm for future seasons.
 
To learn more about currently booked Biochar Burn Classes at other locations, or to book a burn at your location, contact info@symsoil.com.

Want to Learn More?

Check Out These Articles and Our Blog Below

Biological Terroir –Why it Matters & How to Improve it

by Elizabeth Pearce

Biochar in Vineyards

by Hans-Peter Schmidt

Biochar in Viticulture New Results

by Hans-Peter Schmidt and Claudio Niggli

Plant growth improvement mediated by nitrate capture in co-composted biochar

by Claudia I. Kammann, Hans-Peter Schmidt, Nicole Messerschmidt, Sebastian Linsel, Diedrich Steffens, Christoph Müller, Hans-Werner Koyro, Pellegrino Conte, Stephen Josep

How Biochar Improves the Environment

  • Reducing nitrous oxide emissions 50-80%
  • Reducing phosphorous and nitrogen in groundwater
  • Increasing soil carbon and reducing atmospheric CO2
  • Reducing forest fuel load
  • Sequestering carbon

0% biochar on left
​20% biochar on right

Corn in poor soil on left
Biochar amended soil on right

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