Dramm - FloraPlus and VivaPlus Capillary Mat
Brand: Dramm
FloraPlus and VivaPlus Capillary Mat
Capillary matting waters from underneath: the mat is charged with water and every pot wicks up what it needs through its own drainage holes, so the foliage stays dry. The whole page turns on one number, how much water a square meter of mat will hold. FloraPlus holds 1 L/m2 and weighs 3.2 oz per square foot; VivaPlus holds 3 L/m2 and weighs 9.6 oz per square foot. Dramm runs a deliberately lower saturation capacity than most matting on the market, which means the mat dries down between cycles instead of sitting wet, keeps algae and root-zone pathogens in check, and in exchange may need charging more than once a day.
Start with the crop. FloraPlus at 1 L/m2 suits propagation, plugs and small pots where you can irrigate more than once a day; VivaPlus at 3 L/m2 carries larger containers and slower-turning retail benches, and stretches the interval between charges. Then pick the build. The 2 Layer construction is cap mat and PP ground cover with nothing underneath, so surplus water drains straight through and the mat dries fastest, which is what you want over gravel, over free-draining floors and on benches that already have their own drainage. The 3 Layer construction puts a PE bottom film under the same cap mat and PP ground cover, sealing the underside so the water you apply stays in the mat rather than soaking into the ground, which is what you want on bare soil, on sand and anywhere a leaking bench would just feed weeds. Width follows the bench or bed: every mat is supplied as a 100 ft roll in a 48 in, 72 in or 96 in width, and the 96 in width is built only in the 2 Layer construction.
Specifications
| Water-holding capacity | 1 L/m2 (FloraPlus) or 3 L/m2 (VivaPlus) |
| Roll width | 48 in, 72 in or 96 in; the 96 in width is built only as 2 Layer |
| Roll length | 100 ft roll, all widths |
| Construction | 2 Layer is cap mat and woven PP ground cover; 3 Layer adds a clear PE bottom film beneath the same two layers |
| Weight | 3.2 oz per sq ft (FloraPlus) or 9.6 oz per sq ft (VivaPlus) |
| Top surface | Woven polypropylene, lined with a grid for pot spacing |
| Foot traffic | Durable enough to be walked on |
| Service life | 6 to 10 years when kept clean |
Configurations
| Mat | Construction | Width | Part number |
|---|---|---|---|
| FloraPlus - 1 L/m2 | 2 Layer - cap mat and PP ground cover | 48 in x 100 ft roll | FP2-48X100 |
| VivaPlus - 3 L/m2 | 2 Layer - cap mat and PP ground cover | 48 in x 100 ft roll | VP2-48X100 |
| FloraPlus - 1 L/m2 | 2 Layer - cap mat and PP ground cover | 72 in x 100 ft roll | FP2-72X100 |
| FloraPlus - 1 L/m2 | 3 Layer - cap mat, PP ground cover and PE bottom film | 48 in x 100 ft roll | FP3-48X100 |
| VivaPlus - 3 L/m2 | 2 Layer - cap mat and PP ground cover | 72 in x 100 ft roll | VP2-72X100 |
| VivaPlus - 3 L/m2 | 3 Layer - cap mat, PP ground cover and PE bottom film | 48 in x 100 ft roll | VP3-48X100 |
| FloraPlus - 1 L/m2 | 2 Layer - cap mat and PP ground cover | 96 in x 100 ft roll | FP2-96X100 |
| VivaPlus - 3 L/m2 | 2 Layer - cap mat and PP ground cover | 96 in x 100 ft roll | VP2-96x100 |
| FloraPlus - 1 L/m2 | 3 Layer - cap mat, PP ground cover and PE bottom film | 72 in x 100 ft roll | FP3-72X100 |
| VivaPlus - 3 L/m2 | 3 Layer - cap mat, PP ground cover and PE bottom film | 72 in x 100 ft roll | VP3-72X100 |
Key Features
- Sub-irrigation from below: the mat is charged and pots wick water up through their drainage holes, leaving foliage dry
- FloraPlus holds 1 L/m2 for propagation and small pots; VivaPlus holds 3 L/m2 for larger containers and longer intervals
- Lower saturation capacity than most capillary matting, so the mat dries between cycles and stays cleaner
- 2 Layer build of cap mat and PP ground cover drains freely; 3 Layer build adds a PE bottom film that holds the water in the mat
- Woven polypropylene top layer over a capillary matting middle layer, with grid lines printed in for consistent spacing
- 3.2 oz per sq ft on FloraPlus and 9.6 oz per sq ft on VivaPlus
- Durable enough to be walked on, on benches or on the ground
- 6 to 10 years of service when the matting is kept clean
Ideal Applications
- Propagation benches and plug production on FloraPlus, where irrigation can run more than once a day
- Gallon and larger container production on VivaPlus, where a longer interval between charges matters
- Retail benches and garden center floors, where watering is infrequent and evenness across the bench decides quality
- Ground beds and outdoor pot pads over gravel or free-draining floors, using the 2 Layer build
- Bare soil and sand floors, using the 3 Layer build so applied water is not lost into the ground
- Poinsettia, mum and bedding crops where overhead water on the foliage causes disease or marking
Charge the mat automatically with Dramm PCAS drippers on a Dramm ProLine irrigation controller, and keep the surface clean and reflective with Dramm AquaFol filter cloth.
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