Soils and layers

Cork crumbs

Small, light pieces of cork that almost never rot.

What the simulation uses

Holds water: 15 % by volume; Water it keeps after draining; the rest runs down to the drainage.
Pore space: 85 % by volume; Room for air and water between grains; low means roots suffocate when wet.
Weight: 140 g/L; How heavy a litre is.
pH: 5 to 6.5 pH; How acid it keeps the soil.
Mould risk: none; How much fresh food it gives white mould; high-risk soils fuzz over in the first weeks.
Breaks down in: 5 to 10 years; How long it lasts before rotting down to fine soil.
Nutrients: low; Plant food it brings.
Presses down to: 97 % of its loose depth; How far pressing can pack it, keeping its weight.

Small, light pieces of cork that almost never rot. Sprinkled on top, they stay airy and give springtails places to hide.

Also called cork granules.

Estimated, where sources were thin: values estimated from hobby and horticultural references; not measured.