Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Calathea White Fusion

lynnscarterlynnscarter Posts: 5
in Problem solving
I have two Calathea White Fusions but neither of them are very healthy.  They keep sending up new shoots which look promising but then very quickly they wither and die.  I have taken lots of advice but nothing seems to work.  I would be very grateful for any advice any one can offer!

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Not something I grow, but what conditions have you got them in - soil moisture, soil mix,  light etc?
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • lynnscarterlynnscarter Posts: 5
    Thanks for the reply. They’re in ordinary houseplant compost but maybe they need better drainage so I’ve just ordered a bag of perlite. Not sure what mix of perlite to compost I should use. They have been out of direct sunlight but I’ve just put them nearer to a west facing window to get a bit more light. They are such temperamental plants and very difficult to get the right moisture balance.
    They’ve been moved all over the house to try to find the right position for them. I’ve struggled with them for about a year now and bless them, they’re trying so hard to survive!
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    They are very tricky to please. The happiest ones I've seen were at a garden centre that was growing them in a sort of mini rainforest with lots of sphagnum moss to maintain humidity levels. Mine did best permanently inside a plastic bag!
  • lynnscarterlynnscarter Posts: 5
    That’s interesting - maybe I’ll try them with a bit more humidity too. Thank you.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Most Calathea make terrible houseplants sadly. The soil should never be allowed to go dry but also can't be too wet, they hate direct sunlight, or even just bright light, and central heating is terrible for them. They can go from a healthy plant to totally dead with little warning. I kept one thriving for almost two years by finding a good spot for it and misting twice a day but let it dry out too much one day and it was gone. I was glad to see the back of it though frankly. I would bet that 99% of those amazing plants you see in garden centres don't last more than a few weeks once someone takes them home.
    Find the Goldilocks spot in your house that might suit it then treat it like a rainforest understory plant. High humidity, dappled shade and moist soil. Group them together with other plants if you can as this can raise the humidity around them and provide a bit of shade. Never use tap water on them and be careful what you feed them with as they're sensitive to salts and chemicals. You also have to be careful not to attract fungus gnats to the damp soil as the larvae will attack the roots.
    Good luck :#
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • lynnscarterlynnscarter Posts: 5
    Wow - so much information! I do have fungus gnats so maybe I should get something to tackle them too. I am beginning to think that these plants are far more trouble than they’re worth although they do make the most beautiful house plant!
  • Balgay.HillBalgay.Hill Posts: 1,089
    edited January 2022
    I have a couple of Calatheas, and plants that like the same conditions, at an east facing window. I re-potted them into a 2:1 mix of John Innes No. 2 and Perlite.
    As an OCD type, i also placed a humidifier in front of them.
    They seem happy in 60-70% humidity, and temps between 16-21c at this time of year.
    I've only recently started being interested in tropical house plants so my advice might be crap!  :D
    They are growing new leaves, so hopefully i'm doing something right. :)
    Sunny Dundee
  • Balgay.HillBalgay.Hill Posts: 1,089
    I would place a humidity meter in the area you want to place it.
    I have several of these placed around my house.
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/ThermoPro-TP50-Digital-Thermometer-Temperature/dp/B01H1R0K68/ref=asc_df_B01H1R0K68/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309816003291&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10729025914965235374&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007321&hvtargid=pla-349471987885&psc=1
    Sunny Dundee
  • Balgay.HillBalgay.Hill Posts: 1,089
    I also have a couple of LED grow bulbs on a timer set at 14 hours pointing at them.  :)
    Sunny Dundee
  • lynnscarterlynnscarter Posts: 5
    Thanks so much for your help. I don’t think I’m going to go as far as led grow bulbs but will mist them more often and hope for the best. After that, I’m giving up!
Sign In or Register to comment.