What is akadama used for?
Akadama is used in the cultivation of plants. It can be used alone or mixed in as an amendment to other soil substrates such as lava rock, pumice, stone, peat moss, bark, etc. It is supplied in various sizes including Shohin (less than 1/16 inch), Small (1/16 inch to 1/4 inch), and Medium (1/4 inch to 1/2 inch). Akadama means red ball earth in Japanese, because of its color and shape. Akadama has many benefits for plant cultivation, such as water retention, nutrient availability, porosity and drainage. It can be used alone or mixed with other materials, such as sand, bark or peat.Akadama is rather expensive and is therefore sometimes substituted with similar fired/baked clays that are easily available at any garden center. Even cat-litter can be used as a substitute, check our Bonsai forum to see which brands are available in your country.Akadama is by far the most common component of every bonsai soil mixture. This hard-baked Japanese clay subsoil is specifically produced for potting bonsai trees.Akadama is effective as a potting medium for bonsai because it has good water retention properties and it drains well. Even better, akadama particles slowly break down over time.Many premium akadama soils are mined from Japan’s Kanto region, particularly Ibaraki Prefecture. The volcanic subsoils there contain allophane- and imogolite-type clay minerals that produce hard, porous granules with stable structure under repeated watering.
What are the properties of akadama?
Akadama is a type of volcanic clay soil found in Japan, commonly used in bonsai cultivation and horticulture. It is highly prized for its unique properties that provide excellent drainage, aeration, and moisture retention, making it an ideal growing medium for a variety of plants. It is especially suitable for cultivating ornamental plants because it has good water retention and fertility, which can improve the resistance and tolerance of plants and ensure the good growth of garden plants. In addition, akadama soil can also be used for plant cultivation, vegetable cultivation, lawn laying, etc.Improves Drainage and Aeration: Akadama soil’s natural composition helps retain moisture while ensuring excellent drainage and aeration, preventing root rot and promoting healthy root growth.Regarded as one of the best potting media for bonsai, Japanese masters use akadama for their highest quality bonsai, both to promote root growth and provide a medium for optimal water and nutrient retention. Akadama is a large-grained, neutral pH (not acidic or basic) clay.For deciduous, use small size mix (1/16”-1/4 “) and add 1 extra part of Akadama. All ingredients must be bone dry, screened and sized. The dust is discarded. The use of pumice for bottom layer drainage (5/16 “) is recommended.
Is akadama organic?
This is because there are no organic materials in Akadama bonsai soil. For this reason, it’s important to fertilize when you use Akadama, so that your bonsai roots always have nutrients available to pull from. We like our Green Balance and Green Growth slow release pellets, but there are other good ones as well. Pure akadama retains more water than many bonsai would prefer. Neither pumice nor lava retains much water, so mixing akadama with pumice and lava gives a soil that retains a reasonable amount of water, but does not become waterlogged.Ibaraki Akadama Soil provides excellent support for the development of intricate and refined bonsai root systems. To use, simply prepare the bonsai pot or container by placing a layer of akadama soil at the bottom, followed by the placement of the bonsai tree, and then filling in the remaining space with akadama soil.