What is Sakadama?
Sakadama is an ideal material for the cultivation of bonsai, with excellent physicochemical properties, an alternative to the materials traditionally used in the management of miniature trees.
Sakadama is made up of Attapulgite, a high-quality mineral from the silicate subclass called phyllosilicates, belonging to the group of the most absorbent clays. Attapulgite's own characteristics are enhanced by Sakadama's special manufacturing process. Said manufacturing process consists of extraction, screening, and heat treatment at 600ºC in a rotary kiln. This makes the particles stay hard for longer, which allows the product to be used for many years, since it does not break down easily, as well as being the most resistant to degradation due to adverse weather conditions, especially when faced with frost.
Heating at high temperatures also improves the absorption capacity of water and nutrients, resulting in optimum cation exchange and water retention capacity. Ideal qualities that guarantee the growth of strong and healthy plants, while allowing less frequent watering. On the other hand, its granulometry, absence of dust and great porosity, improve the drainage of excess water from irrigation, minimizing the risk of root suffocation.
Advantages of Sakadama compared to other substrates used in the cultivation of bonsai
01. Absence of dust
In the Sakadama manufacturing process, additional screening is carried out, guaranteeing the granulometry of the product and the absence of the finest particles. Dust in bonsai cultivation is an unwanted material, since it clogs the drainage of the substrate, and promotes unwanted root suffocation and the consequent rotting of the roots.
02. Higher resistance
It is a material with exceptional hardness as a substrate property, a fact that makes it more resistant to handling, cultivation, and degradation, which also allows the time between transplants to be lengthened. If pressure is exerted on the grain it will hold without breaking, unlike other bonsai growing substrates. On the other hand, recent studies show that Sakadama is more resistant than other materials to adverse weather conditions, especially low temperatures and frost.
03. Pathogen and weed free
Sakadama undergoes, during its manufacture, a heat treatment in a 600ºC oven. Apart from improving many other characteristics, this process eliminates any possible presence of weed seeds or organisms that are harmful to vegetables.
04. Great water retention
The very characteristics of Sakadama, together with the entire manufacturing process, make it a material with excellent porosity and a large specific surface area, which results in a great capacity for absorbing water and nutrients that are immediately available to the bonsai’s roots.
Properties
Physicochemical properties:
neutral pH 7 – 8
Electrical conductivity: 2 - 3 mS/m
Cation Exchange Capacity: 100 - 120 milliequivalents/100gr
Density 530 - 660 g/L
Hardness (MOHS index): 3
Brown color
Specific surface area 92 m2/g
Empty space / porosity 68%
Water retention capacity (% by weight) 65%
Organic matter in % of dry matter less than 0.5%
Dry matter 67%
Mineral composition (elements expressed as oxides):
Silicon expressed in Silica SiO2 61. 20%
Aluminum expressed in Alumina AI2O3 8.16 %
Iron expressed as iron oxide Fe2O3 6. 91 %
Potassium expressed as potassium oxide K2O 0.27%
Calcium expressed as lime CaO 7.90 %
Sodium expressed as sodium oxide Na2O 0 .06 %
Magnesium expressed as magnesium MgO 15.50%
Applications
Sakadama is a material that can be used as a substrate for bonsai cultivation alone or mixed with other components such as Pomice, Blond Peat, Kiryuzuna, Kanuma, Terrabonsai or others.
Sifting to remove dust is not necessary.
Choose the appropriate granulometry:
- Medium grain, from 5 to 8 mm approximately for bonsai with a pot width of more than 25 cm.
- Small grain, from 3 to 5 mm approximately for bonsai with a pot width of less than 25 cm.
- Shohin grain, from 1 to 3 mm approximately for small bonsai, Mame or Shohin.