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How can I save my calathea

HeyawcHeyawc Posts: 34
in Problem solving
I have got this calathea by a north facing window and it has been fine for around a year. It has however recently started to get some brown spots, curled up and look crispy and dried. The underside of the leaves has also lost its red colours. I read online that the red colour fading could be due to too much sunlight, but the window sill has dappled shades and not bright at all. I have been watering it once the top soil is dry, and spraying it like twice a week. What has gone wrong with it please? 


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Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    You could try misting it more frequently. They are notoriously picky, and when I've had one give up the ghost it's always been during or shortly after a period of very warm (for UK) weather.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • youngalistairyoung4K0pr0XOyoungalistairyoung4K0pr0XO Posts: 27
    Yes they are very picky I've lost several and they take a long time to tell you there not happy. I got no real answers apart from tipping the pot out and having a look at the roots is a good sign if there's not much root could be vine weevils is there any rot? Roots should be healthy in premium condition.
  • HeyawcHeyawc Posts: 34
    Thank you! I will try to mist more. Will take it out from the pot too when there's time. I do not have much hope but let's see if it gets better now the temperature has lowered a bit.
  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,847
    I have two clathea one looks to be the same variety as yours both were in a dark south facing hall which meant that they both got little if any direct sunlight, the one like yours thrives in this situation the other lighter leaved one didn't. I have moved the lighter leaved one onto a North facing windowsill where it is now thriving and putting out new leaves. 


  • babydolla47babydolla47 Posts: 13
    It might just need a bit of extra TLC! I see you already have it in a north-facing window so that's great. Have you tried moving it further away from the window, so it doesn't get as much direct sun? That could be a good place to start, and then work on the frequency of watering and misting.

    It could also be a sign of either over or under watering. So just double check that you’re doing it correctly. Have you been fertilizing it? That could be important too. If you can, increase the humidity level around it, that could help too. Or maybe it just needs a new pot with fresh soil.
  • clematisdorsetclematisdorset Posts: 1,348
    I have experimented and found that a warm room @20°c plus all year and in a position away from direct light but in an airy light-filled room has helped my calathea. I also discovered by trial and error that it is more healthy when drinking rain-water. Mine looked awful this spring but recently developed new leaves.
    Sorry to witness the demise of the forum. 😥😥😥😡😡😡I am Spartacus 
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Try to think like a Calathea. You want to be growing in a very shady rain forest with nice consistant temperatures and humidity, no chemicals or dust, low nutrients and nice clean rain water to drink and bathe in. The red pigments in the leaves are a way to absorb as much light as possible in very shady environments so imagine what light they would get under a dense tree canopy. Now find the furthest point in your house from a window or heat source, try to regulate the humidity and see if that suits the plant. Personally I don't think calatheas are suited to living in houses, or at least not the type of houses that are healthy for humans, but some people do make it work for a while. I can recommend Ctenanthe Burle Marxii as a viable alternative though. It's Calathea's tough little cousin.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I agree about the Ctenanthe Burle-Marxii - not as tall as Calatheas but a good deal tougher. Mine sit happily on an east-facing windowsill with no special treatment, and bulk up so quickly that they need splitting every few years.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • HeyawcHeyawc Posts: 34
    @barry island Good to know yours thrive in a dark room! I thought it needs more light so put it by the window sill. Let me try to put it further away and see how it goes.
  • HeyawcHeyawc Posts: 34
    @babydolla47 That's quite a lot to try out haha. I gave it fertilizer drops last month, will definitely try to mist it more often.  

    @clematisdorset Rain water is a good idea but a bit of challenge for me. The current room will go quite cool in winter time. I may try to move it to another room if nothing else helps.

    @wild edges It's very insightful! Putting myself in the calathea's shoe do help me figure out what is more likely to suit it the best. Thank you. I did think about getting a Ctenanthe Burle Marxii before, but since they appear from the same family and growing the calathea is not much of a success, I did not dare to make another failure... I may give it a go some day.
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