The Sigma Biochar Platform
Spray it. Blend it. Coat with it. Build with it.
Four professional biochar technologies, each built for one job: a sprayable 5 micron liquid, a screened granular chip, an ultra-fine powder and a high-solids dispersion. Stable carbon that holds water and nutrients, gives soil biology a permanent home, and works alongside the rest of the Sigma program in turf, farming and lawn & garden.
Same science, every market. Biochar is fully carbonized, so it does not break down in the soil, in the bag or in the tank. Its high surface area and porosity hold water, ammonium and other nutrients and release them back to the root zone, while its pore structure becomes lasting habitat for the beneficial microbes in Sigma biology.
The four technologies
One platform, four products
Pick the form that fits the way you apply. Every grade can be private labeled, and screened sizes can be matched to your blend spec.
Sigma Biochar 5M
Sprayable liquid · ~5 microns
Softwood pine biochar, wet-milled to about 5 microns so it stays hydrophilic and in suspension.
- Rides in the spray tank, injection or fertigation
- Part of the Sigma Liquid Foundation program
Sigma Biochar EZ Mix
Medium granular · ~1 mm
Clean, screened, 100% virgin pecan shell chip for dry fertilizer blends and soil incorporation.
- No binder to crush in augers or conveyors
- Construction, bare soil, dry-inject and wet-inject
Sigma Biochar Powder+
Fine powder · ~20 microns
Ultra-fine 100% virgin pecan shell powder for liquid fertilizers, seed and granule coatings.
- Blends into topdressing sand
- Greenhouse starter trays and plugs
Sigma Biochar Dispersion
High-solids liquid · pecan shell
Thick, pourable suspension with high biochar loading for manufacturers of soil and media.
- Potting soil and growing media
- Compost manufacturing
Where it fits
Match the particle size to the job
Particle size decides how biochar is applied. Each Sigma grade has its place.
| Job | Product | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Existing spray, injection and fertigation programs | Sigma Biochar 5M | Stays in suspension at about 5 microns; moderate rates go out with every spray. |
| Construction, renovation and bare soil | Sigma Biochar EZ Mix | Granular chip incorporates into the root zone before planting, sodding or sprigging. |
| Dry-inject and wet-inject cultivation | Sigma Biochar EZ Mix | Screened, free-flowing granules feed mechanical placement into the profile. |
| Topdressing sand | Sigma Biochar Powder+ | Fine powder mixes evenly into sand and brings carbon to the surface root zone. |
| Greenhouse starter trays and plugs | Sigma Biochar Powder+ | Ultra-fine particles distribute through small cells and media. |
| Dry fertilizer and humate blends | Sigma Biochar EZ Mix | Blends uniformly; adds stable carbon without fillers or added ash. |
| Liquid fertilizers, seed and granule coatings | Sigma Biochar Powder+ | About 20 microns: suspends in liquids and coats evenly. |
| Potting soil, growing media and compost | Sigma Biochar Dispersion | High biochar loading in a pourable form for manufacturing lines. |
Three markets. Same science.
Biochar across the Sigma divisions
Turf Management
- Biochar 5M weekly in the Sigma Liquid Foundation spray
- EZ Mix for construction, renovation and dry-inject
- Powder+ blended into topdressing sand
Farming & Crop Nutrition
- Biochar 5M through drip and fertigation
- Powder+ for transplant trays, plugs and nursery media
- EZ Mix in soil mixes and at planting
Lawn, Garden & Private Label
- EZ Mix for bagged fertilizer, seed and soil blends
- Dispersion for potting soil and compost lines
- Every grade available under your brand
Technical data
Pecan shell grades at a glance
Typical values from representative lab samples. Full methods, heavy metals and rates are on each data sheet.
| Typical value | EZ Mix | Powder+ |
|---|---|---|
| Particle size | ~1.0 mm | ~20 µm |
| Organic carbon | 88.1% | 85.0% |
| Surface area | 250 m²/g | 250–265 m²/g |
| Ash | 5% | 4–5% |
| pH | 8.5 | 9.7 |
| Hydrogen / carbon ratio | 0.27 | 0.34 |
| Liming value | 7.8% CaCO₃ | 8.3% CaCO₃ |
| Bulk density | 28 lb / ft³ | 31.5 lb / ft³ |
| Heavy metals | Below IBI thresholds | Below IBI thresholds |
IBI = International Biochar Initiative. Results vary by lot. Always read and follow the product label; confirm state registration.
The science
Why biochar works
Holds nitrogen where roots can use it
High surface area and porosity adsorb ammonia and ammonium, which can reduce volatilization and leaching loss and feed nitrogen back slowly. Published field research links biochar in the root zone with less nitrate moving below it, toward groundwater.
Fine biochar works harder
Research on fine biochar (under 50 microns) shows stronger interaction with nutrients, microbes and soil colloids than coarser grades: faster microbial colonization, better adsorption and better suspension in liquids. That is why 5M and Powder+ are milled fine.
PFAS case study
In a University of Illinois laboratory study, Sigma pecan shell biochar removed 33% to 77% of several PFAS compounds from water, measured by EPA Method 1633. It is the same high-surface-area carbon that holds nutrients in a blend.
Documents
Data sheets and downloads
Data sheets by market, SDS and label
Talk to the agronomy team
Samples, blend trials and private label
The Sigma agronomy and registration teams support blend trials, label claims and state registration. Tell us how you apply and we will match the grade.