- Where it will be used: Mainly in the Farm & Food Village and at Tsunagu Yokohama Field, the city’s exhibit in SATOYAMA Village. The type used is 8-8-8 (8% each of nitrogen, phosphate and potassium).
- Why it was chosen: The GREEN×EXPO association ran planting trials and confirmed how well it works in the site’s planting.
- What is in it: 10% of Hama Megurin, the city’s name for phosphorus recovered from Yokohama’s sewage sludge, plus organic materials such as compost and rice bran. Besides 8-8-8 there is a 12-5-5 type for fields that already have too much phosphate and potassium.
- Where to buy it: Over the counter at JA Yokohama’s Mercato farm shops. The release gives no price.
- Background: The city recovers phosphorus from sewage to rely less on imported fertilizer materials. In July 2023 it signed an agreement with JA Yokohama and JA Zen-Noh Kanagawa and has been making this fertilizer since. The recovery is a self-funded study under the national sewage technology programme (B-DASH), carried out with Tsukishima JFE Aqua Solution.
The fertilizer used at the site is on sale at JA Yokohama shops
What readers can actually pick up from this announcement is the fertilizer itself. The same Minna no Koe that will feed the expo’s planting is already on sale at JA Yokohama’s Mercato shops, before the opening. The site uses the 8-8-8 type; 12-5-5 is a different mix meant for fields already high in phosphate and potassium, so check the numbers on the bag.
The release does not say which beds or fields will get how much, or whether visitors will be able to tell which areas use it.
Tips for visitors
- The locations of the city’s two exhibits, Tsunagu Yokohama Pavilion and Tsunagu Yokohama Field, are in our news on Yokohama City’s 29 September announcements.
- Look for the fertilizer in JA Yokohama’s Mercato shops. Check shop locations and opening hours on JA Yokohama’s website before going.
- Minna no Koe and Hama Megurin are the city’s Japanese names; there are no official English names.
Our take
The GREEN×EXPO association tested it in planting trials at the site before deciding to use it. The same fertilizer is sold over the counter at JA Yokohama's Mercato farm shops, so you can use what feeds the expo's flowers in your own garden.