Bioactivated charcoal — called biochar — is the new darling of organic gardeners, embraced for its outstanding abilities to enrich the soil and improve plant growth. Gardening with Biochar is the first comprehensive guide to understanding, making, and using it effectively in the home garden. In this highly accessible handbook, long-time garden writer Jeff Cox explains what biochar is and provides detailed instructions for how it can be made from wood or other kinds of plant material, along with specific guidelines for using it to enrich soil, prevent erosion, and enhance plant growth. Now widely available at garden centers, biochar is also being lauded for its ability to sequester carbon in the soil, making it good for the health of the planet as well as the plants. “Biochar has been in the news a lot of late, so why isn’t it in your garden? That may be the question you ask yourself as you start  Gardening with Biochar . It won't be a question you ask again. Jeff Cox not only makes the science of biochar accessible, he makes it downright compelling. Buy it, or make it (Jeff shows you how easy it is), you will be using biochar in your gardens after this read.” — Jeff Lowenfels, author of Teaming With Microbes, Teaming With Nutrients, and  Teaming With Fungi Better Gardens Begin with Better Soil The key to growing bigger, more productive, more nutrient-dense plants starts at ground level. Biochar – slow-roasted organic matter inoculated with compost – creates the perfect habitat for soil-enriching microorganisms. Learn to make and use this power-packed soil amendment with long-term benefits for your garden. Adding biochar to your soil:   - Loosens compacted dirt and improves soil structure   - Decreases the need for fertilizers   - Reduces effects of toxic heavy metals in soil   - Enhances plant growth by storing water and nutrients   - Sequesters carbon and decreases greenhouse gas emissions   - Increases soil biodiversity Jeff Cox is the author of 21 books on gardening, cooking, and wine, including Gardening with Biochar and From Vines to Wines . He was the managing editor of Organic Gardening  for many years and is a contributing editor to Horticulture , where he writes a regular column on the science of gardening. He lives and gardens with biochar in Sonoma County in California.