User talk:YURU CHANG/sandbox

Akadama

This article is very short. There is nearly no spelling and grammar problem with very few citations. I think it should be added some subtitle such as origin, standard, functions and usage, etc. And something should be explained in detail.

Akadama (赤玉土, red ball earth) is a naturally occurring, granular clay-like mineral used as soil for bonsai trees and other container-grown plants. It is surface-mined, immediately sifted and bagged, and supplied in various grades: the deeper-mined grade being somewhat harder and more useful in horticulture than the more shallow-mined grades. Akadama may also act as one component of growing medium when combined with other elements such as sand, composted bark, peat, or crushed lava. Akadama’s color darkens when moist which can help the grower determine when to water a tree.

Origin

Japan's horticultural cultivation medium is very rich in resources. Due to the frequent volcano activity, Japan enjoys rich resources of ancient volcano. After the volcano eruption , volcano rocks and pumice accumulation near the volcano. Using this unique resource, Japan developed rich horticultural products medium. Akadama soil and kanuma soil are two representations.

Standard

Medium particle: 2-6.5mm Fine particle: 1-2mm

Main components

SiO2 42.7% CaO 0.98% MgO 2.5% MnO 0.15% Fe2O3 8.4% Al2O3 25.1% pH=6.9 EC=0.052ms/cm

Functions

While akadama is more costly than alternative soil components, it is prized by many growers for its ability to retain water and nutrients while still providing porosity and free drainage. For all of its qualities, many bonsai growers consider the cost of akadama prohibitive or unnecessary. Still other growers claim that when subjected to cold and wet climates, the granules progressively break down into smaller particles which inhibit drainage, an essential characteristic of bonsai soil. This problem can be avoided either by incorporating sand or grit in the soil mix, or by using the deeper-mined, harder grades.

Usage

According to the different kinds of cultivated plants, Akadama can not only be used alone, but also be mixed with other collocation substrates, such as pumice, stone, peat etc. Medium particle is suitable for all kinds of potted plants, especially for cactus and Succulent plants

References

This akadama is literally dug out of old Cryptomeria Forests of Japan at about 10 feet depth. It's piled up on concrete areas to let dry, then it goes through sifters to separate the grain sizes. It is flashed fired to remove any organic matter that may have blown on it or somehow visited it during its "curing" process.—YURU CHANG (talk) 01:34, 25 February 2017 (UTC)