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I would like some help with drooping Calathea (rufibarba) leaves...

jopoutousbxvi_J9ijopoutousbxvi_J9i Posts: 2
edited February 2021 in Problem solving
I bought my Calathea 2 weeks ago and it was like this (picture 1). The leaves started drooping a lot so today I placed it in a brighter spot (picture 2,3,4). I checked the soil and it is not dry. Don’t know what else to do. I would be grateful if you could help me.

Jo

Posts

  • jopoutousbxvi_J9ijopoutousbxvi_J9i Posts: 2
    Thank you 🙏🏼 
  • fayestar2011LQMz1GOgfayestar2011LQMz1GOg Posts: 1
    I had similar issue and took the plant out of the basket weave pot it came in and it seemed the soil was bone dry so I gave it a good watering and the leaves did stop dropping but have relocated it to scorching hog conservatory and leaves started wilting/dropping again so i have watered it again and going to move it back to my cooler living room. I onlyl just joined this site for advice how to care for this plant ax it came with no care instructions and tridd to view responses to your querg and it sedms there are none. So this is what i have discovered.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Calathea are plants from shady tropical jungles. Sadly most houses aren't healthy for humans if the atmosphere is like a tropical jungle so finding a good spot for the plant with fairly consistent temperature and humidity will be a challenge. The ones you see if garden centres have been grown in ideal conditions on automated controls so they will suffer as soon as that life support is shut off and they have to acclimatise to living in a house. Find a good spot in the house that feels like a shady jungle and baby the plant through the transition with regular misting and careful watering.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    Welcome to the forum @fayestar2011LQMz1GOg.
    You are right to move your plant out of the conservatory. There aren't many leafy houseplants that can withstand relentless, hot sunshine and a dry atmosphere.
    It's all too easy to assume that a tropical plant will need sunshine but many of our houseplants are from wooded areas and are happier in semi shade.
    A quick google will often throw up detailed care instructions for most houseplants and this is from Hortology https://hortology.co.uk/products/calathea-rufibarba-velvet-calathea-house-plants. Or this from the Gardeners World site which covers Calathea in general https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-calathea/



  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    These are plants that grow in warm and humid conditions and thrive in the dappled shade beneath trees in hot climates and get frequent rainfall.

    So you want to try and get as close to those requirements as you can.
    Full sun and heat will not do it any good.
    My houseplants thrive being near big patio doors that face south. During summer the sun is high so they get lots of light but only a few hours of direct sun.
    They do get full sun during the other seasons for several hours a day, but the sun is weaker then and that seems to suit them well.

    Have you checked it's not getting root-bound?

    Do you feed it at all?
    From spring to early autumn I feed mine about once every 10 days with seaweed extract which suits them very well.
    I only use rainwater for them

    Twice a year (spring and autumn) I put all the houseplants on the patio and flush the compost with plenty of rainwater to wash away the build-up of chemicals.

    To increase the humidity you can spray the leaves a couple of times a day -ideally using rainwater

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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