SAKADAMA small grain substrate (3-5 mm) 14L

SAKADAMA small grain substrate (3-5 mm) 14L.

GROWING SUBSTRATE. Sakadama is an attapulgite type of clay, a natural mineral of very low density, porous and with a large specific surface, which is subjected to a heat treatment in a furnace at 600ºC. This manufacturing process means it has excellent water and nutrient absorption properties, as well as obtaining a substrate whose particles remain hard for longer, which means the periods between re-potting can be extended. These features make this material ideal for growing bonsai, with a high capacity for cation exchange, water retention and porosity.

Advantages of Sakadama over other substrates used in the cultivation of bonsai:

01. Absence of dust

In the Sakadama manufacturing process, there is an additional level of screening, guaranteeing the product’s granulometry and the absence of the finest particles.

In Bonsai cultivation, dust is an unwanted material, since it blocks the drainage of the substrate and promotes unwanted root suffocation and the consequent rotting of the roots.

02. Greater resistance

This material has exceptional hardness for a substrate, which makes it more resistant during handling, cultivation and degradation, which also means your Bonsai can go for longer periods between transplants. If pressure is exerted on the grain, it will hold without breaking, unlike other bonsai growing media. Moreover, recent studies show that Sakadama is more resistant to other materials to adverse weather conditions, especially low temperatures and frost.

03. Free of pathogens and weeds

During its manufacture, Sakadama is subjected to heat treatment in a 600ºC oven. Apart from improving many other characteristics of the substrate, this process ensures that any possible presence of organisms harmful to the vegetables and weeds is elimina