POROUS CERAMIC SINTERED PRODUCT

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a porous ceramic sintered product capable of stimulating the smooth growth of plants without needing the spraying of water by enhancing the water absorption percent and effective water absorption percent of a porous ceramic sintered product to specific values or larger, respectively. SOLUTION: This porous ceramic sintered product has a water absorption rate of >=7% and an effective water absorption rate of >=7%. A coarse particulate ceramic raw material having an average particle diameter of 5-30 μm and a fine particulate ceramic raw material having an average particle diameter of 0.1-2 μm are preferably used as ceramic raw materials in amounts of 50-95 wt.% and 5-50 wt.%, respectively, based on the total amount of the coarse particulate ceramic raw material and the fine particulate ceramic raw material. The coarse particulate ceramic raw material is preferably chamotte, mullite, alumina, etc. The fine particulate ceramic raw material is preferably kaolin, muscovite, etc. Since the porous ceramic sintered product has an excellent property for absorbing up water, it is suitably used as an artificial soil for growing plants, etc.