Grodan Mapito Flakes 80 L Per Bag

Grodan Mapito Flakes 80 L Per Bag

Mapito

Although Mapito has been around for some time, growers seem to have discovered the benefits of growing on this substrate, especially in recent years. This is not without reason, because Mapito has a firm structure as a substrate and has 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 contains hardly any nutrition, but the water and liquid nutrition are 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. Unfortunately, growers have sometimes gone wrong with this, because the crop turned out to grow very poorly here. In such cases, the Mapito comes as a waste product from the furniture industry. The foam made from petroleum products is also produced for the furniture industry, to serve as padding for, for example, a sofa. The trimmings that remain after the production process are ground into flakes and sometimes offered as Mapito by some people. Don't be fooled by a low price, choose value for money and trust quality and choose the Mapito from Atami. If the substrate as a basis is not good, the entire further cultivation process will be difficult. It is known that the quality of the
plant is 50% underground. So with a large root volume you get a great plant. This rule also applies when growing on Mapito.

Rinsing, EC and Ph value
Before we can use Mapito, we must first rinse it thoroughly to lower the EC soil. Another important point when growing on Mapito is that we must carefully monitor the pH value of the substrate. For successful cultivation on Mapito, it is best if we maintain a pH value in the substrate of between 5.3 and 5.8. For example, since normal tap water would have a pH value of 7.5, this means that we need to lower the pH value of the tap water. By using pH-min and applying the correct dosage, we can get the pH value to the ideal value. Regular measuring and checking is recommended. There is often a lot of information on the Internet about the pH value of the tap water in your area.

Soak
When starting to grow on Mapito, it is important, just as when growing on rock wool, that we let the Mapito soak. If you do not do this or do it incorrectly, there is a good chance that the Mapito will not work nearly as well and will absorb significantly less moisture and release it to the plants. All rock wool substrates (including Mapito) must be soaked before starting cultivation. This is done to ensure that the Mapito's ability to retain water will be increased. This is called 'capillary action'. Mapito that has not been soaked in advance does not retain water sufficiently and therefore does not give the plants sufficient opportunity to absorb moisture and nutrition from it. You often see such problems with growers who have a striking number of cuttings that do not take off. Not soaking the Mapito or soaking it incorrectly is often the main culprit. The young, often vulnerable cuttings do not last long. 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 growing container. In addition, the plastic cover makes it easier to fully soak the mats. If Mapito or rock wool is not soaked before starting the cultivation, the dry areas will no longer become wet during cultivation. The Mapito will then not be able to retain moisture optimally. For optimal soaking, it is best to keep the Mapito wet for 24 hours. In this way, the foundation for a beautiful harvest has already been laid!

Growing tip
When you fill the flower pots or growing containers with Mapito flakes for the first time, make sure that you fill the pots or growing containers to the maximum extent. By adding as many flakes as possible, you prevent the substrate from collapsing too much after the flakes have become moist for the first time. The water naturally makes the flakes heavier and some 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 sufficiently thick after collapsing to allow you to continue growing decent plants on it. If the layer of Mapito still collapses too much, apply additional flakes again so that the pot is optimally filled.