Mapito
Although Mapito has been around for a long time, it seems especially in recent years growers have discovered the advantages of cultivation on this substrate. No wonder, because Mapito is as substrate with a solid structure that possesses an optimal ratio of water and oxygen. This combination provides the basis for very good harvests! Mapito consists of rock wool flakes and PU-flakes (Poly-Urethane). Mapito therefore hardly contains any nutrition, but water and liquid nutrition are stored in it.
Quality
Please note that not all Mapito flakes are of the same quality. Some growers try to save money by purchasing Mapito flakes in bulk quantities. Unfortunately, these growers often pretty draw a blank, because it turns out that the crop grows very poorly on it. In such cases, Mapito is a waste product derived from the furniture industry. The foam that is manufactured from petroleum products is also produced for the furniture industry, in order to serve as padding for a bank, for instance. The bits and pieces that are left over after the production process, are crushed to flakes and some people then try to pass it off as Mapito. Do not be fooled by a low price, choose value for your money, rely on quality, and choose for Mapito by
Atami. If the substrate is no good to start with, the entire growing process will develop with difficulty. It is well-known that the quality of the plants is for 50% below ground. Therefore, with a large root volume you get a proper plant. When using Mapito that rule applies as well.
Flushing, EC and Ph value
Before we can use Mapito, we should rinse it clean first, so as to reduce the EC soil. Another important aspect of growing on Mapito is that the pH value of the substrate has to be monitored thoroughly. For successful growing on Mapito it is best to maintain a pH value in the substrate of between 5.3 and 5.8. Since normal tap water, for example, has a pH value of 7.5, it means that you have to reduce the pH value of tap water. By using pH-min and applying the correct dosage, you can try to get the pH value at its ideal value. We advise measure and monitor regularly. You can often find a lot of information about the pH value of the tap water in your vicinity on the internet.
Soaking
At the start of the growing cycle on Mapito it is important, just as with growing on rock wool, that you let the Mapito soak. If you do not do this or do it wrongly, it's likely that the Mapito will not function as well and will absorb significantly less moisture and subsequently yield it to the plants. All rock wool substrates (therefore Mapito too) have to be soaked before starting the cultivation. This is done to ensure that water-retention capacity of the Mapito is increased. This is also called "capillary action". Mapito that has not been soaked previously, will retain the water insufficiently and give the plants not the possibility to extract enough moisture and nutrition from it. You can often see these problems with growers that have conspicuously many cuttings that fail to develop. Not soaking the Mapito or soaking it wrongly is often the major culprit. This is the reason that young, vulnerable cuttings do not last long. It is also the reason that rock wool mats are often equipped with a plastic layer (white cover). In normal horticulture this plastic cover functions as a nursery. Moreover, thanks to the plastic cover the mats get soaked completely. If Mapito or rock wool is not soaked before the start of the growing cycle, the dry places will no get wet anymore during the growing cycle. The Mapito can then not retain the moisture optimally. For optimum soaking, Mapito preferably has to be kept wet for 24 hours. 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 your pots or containers are filled to the brim. By putting in as many flakes as possible, you prevent the substrate from subsiding too much after the flakes have become damp the first time. The water makes the flakes heavier and part of the air is squeezed out. This can cause the Mapito substrate to shrink considerably. By putting in a sufficiently thick layer, the substrate will remain thick enough after the subsidence to continue to grow proper plants on it. If the Mapito layer is still sagging too much, add extra flakes, so the pot is filled optimally.
