Mapito Flocken

Description

Although Mapito has been around for a while, growers seem to have discovered the advantages of growing on this substrate in recent years. This is not without reason, because Mapito has a solid structure as a substrate and possesses an optimal ratio of water and oxygen. This combination forms the basis for very good harvests! Mapito consists of rock wool flakes and PU flakes (Poly-Urethane). Mapito itself therefore hardly contains any nutrition, but the water and liquid nutrition is stored in it.

Quality
Please note that not all Mapito flakes are of the same quality. Some growers think they can save money by buying Mapito flakes in bulk quantities. Unfortunately, growers have sometimes gone about this in the wrong way, because it turned out afterwards that the crop grew very poorly on it. In such cases the Mapito is a waste product from the furniture industry. The foam, which is made from petroleum products, is also produced for the furniture industry, to serve as padding for a sofa, for example. The offcuts that remain after the production process are ground into flakes and are sometimes offered by some people as Mapito. Do not be fooled by a low price, choose value for money and trust in quality and choose the Mapito of Atami. If the substrate as a basis is not good, the whole growing process will be difficult. It is known that the quality of the
plant is for 50% under the soil. So with a large root volume you get a fine plant. When growing on Mapito this rule also applies.

Rinsing, EC and Ph value
Before we can use Mapito we must first rinse it thoroughly to reduce the EC soil. Another important point when growing on Mapito is that we have to keep a close eye on the pH value of the substrate. For successful growing on Mapito it is best if we maintain a pH value in the substrate of between 5.3 and 5.8. Since normal tap water, for example, would have a pH value of 7.5, this means that we need to bring the pH value of the tap water down. By using pH-min and applying the correct dosage, we can get the pH-value at the ideal value. Regular measuring and checking is recommended here. You can often find a lot of information on the Internet about the pH value of the tap water in your area.

Soaking
When starting to grow on Mapito it is important, just as when growing on rock wool, to soak the Mapito. If you do not do this or do it wrongly, there is a good chance that the Mapito will not work nearly as well and will absorb significantly less moisture and pass it on to the plants. All rock wool substrates (including Mapito) should be soaked before starting to grow. This is done to ensure that the Mapito's ability to retain water will be increased. This is called the 'capillary action'. Mapito that has not been soaked beforehand does not retain enough water and does not give the plants the opportunity to absorb enough moisture and nutrition from it. You often see such problems with growers who have a striking number of cuttings that do not take root. Not soaking the Mapito, or soaking it wrongly, is often the main culprit. The young, often vulnerable cuttings do not last long because of this. This is also the reason why rock wool mats are often provided with a plastic layer (white cover). In regular horticulture this plastic cover functions as a nursery. Moreover, thanks to the plastic cover the mats can be soaked completely more easily. If Mapito or rock wool is not soaked before the start of the cultivation, the dry spots will not get wet during the cultivation either. The Mapito cannot then retain moisture optimally. For optimum soaking, it is best to keep the Mapito wet for 24 hours. In this way the basis for a good harvest has already been laid!

Growing tip
When you fill flowerpots or nursing trays with Mapito flakes for the first time, make sure that you fill the pots or nursing trays to the brim. By putting in as many flakes as possible, you prevent the substrate from collapsing too much after the flakes have become damp for the first time. Because of the water the flakes become heavier and a part of the air is squeezed out. This can cause a Mapito substrate to shrink considerably. By applying a sufficiently thick layer, the substrate will remain thick enough to grow decent plants. If the layer of Mapito still sinks too much, apply extra flakes, so that the pot is filled optimally.

Available in 80L