Sifting out 'Fines'
Large amounts of dust that remain in the soil mixture can clog the open structure of the soil and disrupts the drainage of excess water.
Sifting out 'Fines'
For a good soil structure that drains well, all soils whether organic or inorganic, must be sifted to remove dust and very small particles. Soil particles smaller than 2mm should always be removed.
A good set of sifting screens should be purchased which will make the job a lot easier and enjoyable.
sieves - different grades for sifting out large lumps from composts or eliminating fine dust from Japanese Akadama clay
toothbrush - good for cleaning algae from trunks and branches. Can also be used to expose surface roots ...
Before being used, the mixed soil should be sorted into two or three grades differing in size of particles, by sifting through sieves having meshes of various sizes.
This is also why sifting the particles of the soil mixture is an important step in preparing your soil mixture - you want to avoid dust in between your particles clogging your bonsai's access to oxygen.
shakkan - Japanese term for slant style bonsai
sifting
suiban - Japanese term for a shallow tray without drainage holes intended for the display of suiseki
suiseki - Japanese term for viewing stone ...
 See also: Bonsai, Japanese, Tree, Plant, Lava
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