Farmers are achieving 27% higher productivity by integrating our biochar into vertical farming systems. With biochar, they can grow significantly more crops in the same space, maximising land use without needing additional farmland. Beyond increasing yields, biochar also extends growing seasons. 

In our recent trial, we even cultivated onions during summer—a season they rarely thrive in—opening the door to a potential third crop rotation and year-round farming.

Biochar: The key to smarter vertical farming

At MASH Makes, we’re advancing vertical farming by incorporating biochar—a sustainable, carbon-rich soil amendment made from organic waste. We've done 30+ pot and field trials on our biochar to test its efficacy -- the most recent on vertical farming. While vertical farming is already transforming agriculture by allowing crops to grow in stacked layers, biochar takes it to the next level by solving critical challenges and making the practice more accessible and efficient.

What is biochar?
Biochar is produced through pyrolysis, where organic materials like agricultural residues are heated in the absence of oxygen. This process creates a stable, porous material that offers unique benefits for farming:

• Water Retention: Biochar absorbs and holds moisture, ensuring even hydration across the soil.
• Nutrient Optimisation: Its structure helps retain nutrients, reducing waste and supporting consistent plant growth.
• Improved Soil Structure: The porous texture enhances aeration and root development, creating an optimal growing environment.
• Carbon Sequestration: Biochar locks carbon in the soil, contributing to climate change mitigation.

How biochar enhances vertical farming

Vertical sack farming is a highly affordable and cost-effective approach to growing crops. Biochar plays a key role in maximising its efficiency and sustainability.

Benefits of vertical farming with biochar include:

• Utilised resources: Vertical sack farming leverages readily available materials, making it practical and accessible.
• Reduced soil requirements: Biochar minimises the amount of soil needed, conserving resources while maintaining plant health.
• Optimised land use: By enabling more plants to grow in limited space, biochar supports higher productivity within small areas.
• Boosted plant growth: Plants grown with biochar show greater height and stem girth compared to those grown without it, demonstrating its benefits for vertical farming

Proof in action
In our recent trial in Beed, India, biochar greatly improved onion farming on a 273.43 square-foot vertical farming plot. Farmers saw:

• 27% more plants: A quarter more plants were able to be farmed in the same area using the vertical method.
• Extended growing seasons: Onions, typically unsuitable for summer farming, flourished in biochar-enriched soil, opening the potential for year-round production.

These results showcase biochar’s ability to make vertical farming productive and cost-effective, offering a viable solution to modern agricultural challenges.

Biochar’s benefits for vertical farming

Vertical farming offers a sustainable solution to the challenges of limited arable land and climate change. By incorporating biochar, farmers can take this technique to the next level:

1. Maximise land use: Biochar’s ability to improve soil health allows for denser planting and higher yields, optimising every square metre.
2. Save resources: Its water-retaining properties reduce the need for frequent irrigation, cutting costs and conserving water.
3. Adapt to climate variability: Biochar enhances soil resilience, enabling crops to grow even in less-than-ideal conditions.

Grow more with less

At MASH Makes, we are making vertical farming smarter and more accessible with biochar. This sustainable solution empowers farmers to grow more food with fewer resources, helping address global challenges like reduced arable land, food security, and environmental degradation.

With biochar, you can achieve higher yields, reduce costs, and farm sustainably—turning even small spaces into highly productive farmland.

Want to try our biochar in your vertical farming practices?
Contact us on the form below for samples, insights, and support.

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