Calathea: Everything About Planting And Reproduction, Caring For A Flower At Home + Photos And Videos

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 22:26

A prayer flower in your home: calathea and caring for it

Calathea is a houseplant highly prized by flower growers for the attractiveness of its leaves and flowers. You can make up a whole collection of its types. Although it is quite difficult for a beginner to grow such an exotic at home, experienced flower growers boldly acquire calatheas, despite the possible difficulties of care. They can be understood by looking at this plant in bloom. Such an unusual beauty expiates the inconvenience and exactingness of the flower.

Content

• 1 Description of the species

  • 1.1 Why does a flower raise leaves in the evening and lowers them in the morning
  • 1.2 How the "crown of the Incas" blooms
  • 1.3 Video: capricious sissy Calathea

• 2 Popular varieties

  • 2.1 Calathea Bahema
  • 2.2 Calathea Varshevich
  • 2.3 Calathea Veitch
  • 2.4 Wonderful, or lanceolate (lansifolia)
  • 2.5 Striped (zebrin)
  • 2.6 Leopard print
  • 2.7 Calathea Litze
  • 2.8 Calathea Makoya
  • 2.9 Painted
  • 2.10 Decorated (sanderiana)

  • 2.11 Saffron (crocata)

    2.11.1 Video: caring for calathea saffron

  • 2.12 Calathea Rufibarba
  • 2.13 Calathea Burle Marx, or "Blue Ice"
  • 2.14 Calathea Lubbers
  • 2.15 Mosaic (network)
  • 2.16 Pink-colored (roseopicta), or "Medallion"
• 3 Transplanting a plant after purchase and as it grows

• 4 Necessary home care

  • 4.1 Lighting
  • 4.2 Temperature conditions
  • 4.3 Air humidity
  • 4.4 How to water
  • 4.5 When and what can be fed
  • 4.6 Video: how to properly care for calathea

• 5 How to save a flower from pests

  • 5.1 Mealybug
  • 5.2 Spider mite
  • 5.3 Shield

  • 5.4 Whitefly

    5.4.1 Photo gallery: calathea pests

• 6 Reproduction of a flower

  • 6.1 Division of roots
  • 6.2 Cutting
  • 6.3 Planting with seeds

• 7 Difficulties and mistakes of care

  • 7.1 Table: common problems and their causes
  • 7.2 Video: the secrets of caring for a beautiful calathea
• 8 Reviews

Description of the species

Calathea is a perennial herb native to the Amazon Valley in South America. In the arrowroot family, this is the most numerous genus. At present, about 130 species of kalata are known, not counting the hybrids bred by breeding. Calathea also favorably differs from other plant species in this family, known for the decorativeness of the leaves of all its representatives, in the presence of flowers.

Calathea leaves of different species are very different.

The plant is not tall (65–75 cm), so it is well suited for growing at home. As a houseplant, calathea is prized mainly for the appearance of its leaves. They are large (25–30 cm long), strongly elongated, oval in shape. In most species, the leaves have petioles, although lanceolate variants are also found. The leaves are collected in rosettes. Their number varies: for some kalata with the most beautiful flowers, one leaf in the outlet is the norm.

Why does a flower raise leaves in the evening and lower them in the morning

A characteristic feature of the calathea is that its leaves are always drawn by the sun's rays. Therefore, if you do not want your plant to grow crooked in a pot, you need to turn it from time to time. In the evenings, the leaves rise almost vertically upward, revealing the lower side, in the morning they fall back. The raised leaves are very reminiscent of folded hands for prayer. For this feature, Calathea received its second name - "prayer flower". The first, the "crown of the Incas", is associated with the area of its distribution and the appearance of flowers. A lot of wild species of calathea were discovered in Peru.

The leaves live for about a year, then die off and are replaced by new rosettes. Shoots are almost impossible to see - they are almost completely located underground, forming rhizomes. Only a vertical process 2–3 cm long emerges on the surface, on which a rosette of leaves is formed.

How the "crown of the Incas" blooms

Subject to proper care, Calathea blooms from late May to mid-August. Its inflorescences resemble a spike collected from three smaller spikelets. They form at the tops of the shoots or in the leaf axils.

The structure of flowers in calathea is very unusual, so their pollination in nature looks pretty funny. A bee, descending on a flower, tries to reach the nectar with its proboscis, but this is impossible, since there is an obstacle that is very similar in shape to a cocked pistol trigger. When the insect pushes it, this outgrowth sharply straightens, slapping the bee. As a result, the pollen of this plant is transferred to it. At the same time, the bee shudders violently, thus shaking off the pollen of another flower.

Calathea roots are covered with frequent small spherical growths, which botanists call stolons. It is in them that the plant keeps in reserve water and essential nutrients.

Video: capricious sissy calathea

Popular varieties

Most often, the following types of kalata can be purchased in flower shops. Among them there are both natural species and hybrids created by breeders.

Calathea Bahema

The plant is not tall, about 35 cm. Leaves are lanceolate, without petioles, not too narrow (7–8) cm and long (15–20 cm), sharply narrowing towards the top. The upper side of the leaf plate is light green with a noticeable silvery sheen, the lower one is lime-colored. A pattern of dark green spots along the central vein is characteristic. The flowers are rather large (5-6 cm) and are located on short peduncles.

The main decorative feature of the Bachem calathea is the silvery sheen of the leaves

Calathea Varshevich

The leaves of this species are dark green, and below are purple, with petioles, velvety to the touch. Above the leaves, there is a pattern of spots and stripes of a lighter shade, running along the central vein. The plant blooms with white, cream or pinkish flowers.

Kalathea Varshevich has very beautiful leaves and flowers

Calathea Veitch

It is sometimes mistakenly called "Calathea Vicha". This is one of the tallest representatives of the species (75–90 cm). The leaves are large, 25–30 cm long and 12–15 cm wide. The outer surface of the leaf is dark green with a glossy sheen and a pattern of yellowish green stripes. From below they look no less impressive - light green, with a reddish tint and a pattern of white and yellow stripes. Flowers are arranged on very long (18-22 cm) peduncles.

Calathea Veitch looks very impressive even without flowers

Wonderful, or lanceolate (lansifolia)

The leaves of this calathea are long (25 cm), but narrow (3-5 cm), with a slightly wavy edge. From above they are light green, with a geometrically regular pattern of dark green ovals of different sizes, and from below they are inky purple.

A characteristic feature of the remarkable calathea is waviness along the entire edge of the leaf plate

Striped (zebrina)

The leaves of the zebra-like calathea are long (30–35 cm) and wide (15–20 cm), without petioles. Above - bright green, with a pattern of stripes reminiscent of feathers, below - reddish green. Inflorescences are almost round or ovoid in shape, peduncles are short, flowers are white or pale purple.

Of all the kalatei, the zebra-like one is perhaps best suited to its name.

Leopard print

The height of this plant is about 40 cm. The leaves are without petioles, short (9–12 cm) and narrow (2–4 cm). The upper part of the leaf plate is light green, with elliptical spots that diverge from the central vein. The flowers are bright yellow.

Calathea leopard blooms very beautifully with yellow flowers

Calathea Litze

It is a medium-sized plant (55–60 cm). Leaves on petioles, about 15 cm long and 6–8 cm wide, slightly wavy along the entire edge. They are bright green above, with a glossy, almost metallic sheen and wide stripes of a darker shade, and reddish-lilac below. The flowers are snowy white.

The leaves of the Litze calathea are not the most attractive, but the white flowers look amazing

Calathea Makoya

The plant is not tall (40-50 cm). The leaves are long and wide (15–20 cm and 10–12 cm, respectively). Above, on a bright green plate, there is a pattern of dark green stripes radiating from the central vein and reddish spots. Below the leaves are pale green, almost transparent.

Calathea Makoya has a spectacular leaf color

Painted

The leaves of this calathea are about 20 cm long. From above, they are dark green, the central vein is always lighter, like a continuous strip along the entire edge of the leaf plate.

The pattern on the leaves of the painted calathea resembles brush strokes

Decorated (sanderiana)

This is a stunted plant (25-30 cm). Leaves on long (8–12 cm) petioles, 17–20 cm long and 7–8 cm wide, lime-colored, with a pattern of silvery and pinkish stripes. Below they are purple-violet. Inflorescences 7–8 cm long, white or lilac-violet, on a very long (25–30 cm) peduncle.

Unlike the rest of the kalata, the decorated one has very long peduncles.

Saffron (crocata)

The leaves of this popular flower are dark green on top and brownish brown on the underside. The flowers are yellow-orange, saffron-colored, hence the name. Unlike other species, saffron calathea blooms in winter (in January or February).

Calathea saffron stands out among other varieties with beautiful bright flowers

Video: caring for calathea saffron

Calathea Rufibarba

Literally the name means "red-bearded". It is associated with the presence of a light yellow-orange cannon on the underside of the leaf plate and petioles. The leaves of this calathea themselves are slightly wavy along the edge, bright green, without a pattern. Flowers are yellow or orange.

Calathea rufibarba differs from other species by the presence of a light "cannon" on the leaves

Calathea Burle Marx, or "Blue Ice"

Leaves are light green, with a noticeable bluish tint. The flowers are snow-white, with a subtle shade of blue.

Calathea "Blue Ice" blooms with amazing bluish flowers

Calathea Lubbers

Unlike most other calatheas, in which the pattern on the leaves is more or less symmetrical, the Lubbers calathea are lemon and pale yellow chaotically located spots on a bright green leaf. The leaves themselves are an almost regular ellipse, tapering towards the top. They are located on long petioles. The leaves are slightly lighter below than above.

Bright lemon spots on the leaves of Calathea Lubbers look very festive.

Mosaic (network)

The leaves of the calathea of this species are of a very light green hue, they appear translucent in the light. Veins of bright green or lime color divide them into small quadrangles. This explains the name - the leaves seem to be folded from pieces of glass of different shades.

The leaves of calathea are mosaic as if they were collected from thousands of tiny fragments of translucent glass

Pink-colored (roseopicta), or "Medallion"

It is a spectacular flower about 35-40 cm tall. Below, the leaf plate is inky-purple, on top - dark green with wide veins of various shades (bright green, light green, silvery, pinkish), radiating from the central vein. A narrow, almost white border runs along the edge of the sheet.

It is hard to believe that pink-colored calathea is a creation of nature, and not a figment of the artist's imagination

Plant transplant after purchase and as it grows

The optimal time for transplanting calathea is early spring. This procedure is vital for the plant. But do not transplant calathea at the wrong time. Therefore, new items in your collection should be bought at the end of winter or early spring. Plants aged 1 to 3 years are transplanted annually, then - once every 2–3 years (depending on the state of the flower).

Before starting a transplant, you need to take care of a suitable soil and pot. Purchase a special soil mixture designed for plants from the arrowroot family. If it is not there, the soil is suitable for growing azaleas or rhododendrons. Experienced gardeners prefer to prepare the soil on their own, mixing in a 2: 1: 1: 1 ratio of fertile soil from their own garden, humus, peat and coarse river sand. Another option is to mix earth, humus and peat in equal proportions. A prerequisite is a slightly acidic or neutral indicator of the acid-base balance. At the same time, only wood ash can be deoxidized.

The pot for calathea should be low, but wide and resemble a bowl in shape. This is due to the fact that the root system comes very close to the surface. As for the material, it is better to give preference to unglazed ceramics. This will provide oxygen to the roots in the required volume.

The most suitable pot for calathea is similar to a basin or bowl.

The transplant takes place as follows:

1. When preparing for transplanting, water the plant abundantly within 1–1.5 hours. This will make it much easier to remove from the old pot.

2. Take care of the drainage before filling the pot with soil. The layer thickness must be at least a quarter of the container height. Expanded clay, river pebbles, fine gravel, brick chips, small ceramic shards and even eggshells can be used as drainage. It is useful to dust the drain with a thin layer of powdered charcoal or activated carbon. This is an additional prevention of root rot.

   

   Good drainage is essential to aerate the calathea roots.

3. The drainage can be filled with soil. The layer thickness should not exceed 2–3 cm. There is no need to tamp it.

   

   Pour the soil into the pot little by little and do not tamp

4. Remove the calathea carefully from the old pot to avoid damaging the roots. No need to try to pull out one plant - take out the entire earthy clod.

   

   Turn the plant pot on its side and carefully remove the earthy ball

5. Rinse the roots under running cool water and carefully examine. All roots with traces of rot, mold and other damage must be cut with a sharp knife strictly perpendicularly. The cut sites are disinfected with a pink solution of potassium permanganate and covered with crushed charcoal or sifted wood ash. Also trim off any old dry leaves.

6. Place the plant on the soil. Spread out the roots. Be sure to hold the calathea with your hand, constantly making sure that the growth point is above the surface of the substrate and does not move away from the center of the pot.

   

   The growth point must be above ground level

7. The soil is poured into the pot carefully, in small portions, stopping when 1.5–2 cm remain to the top edge of the pot. It is slightly crushed, but not tamped. The roots left without air are the inevitable speedy death of Calathea.
8. Then the transplanted calathea is watered abundantly and removed for 2-3 days in a cool place, protected from direct sunlight. This is necessary to minimize the consequences of the transplant.

Necessary home care

The natural conditions in which calathea feels best at home are quite problematic to create. However, a significant plus that made all plants of the arrowroot family extremely popular for home floriculture is the absence of a dormant period. Once the conditions have been created, they do not have to be changed regularly.

Lighting

Calathei do not like the bright hot sun at all. It can cause burns on the leaves as light spots, fading of bright colors and shrinking of the leaf blade. This is easily explained if we recall what tropical forests look like, in which the upper branches of tall trees, intertwining, form a canopy that is practically impenetrable to rays. These plants need diffused light. Therefore, if you grow them on a windowsill, where direct sunlight falls, calatheas must be shaded during the daytime (from 11:00 to 15:00).

Another option is artificial lighting. Calatheas grow well under fluorescent lamps if the light hits them for 14-18 hours a day. The same lamps must be turned on from November to March, when the daylight hours are not so long.

Temperature regime

During the period of active growth and flowering (from early March to late August), the optimum temperature for calathea is 24–28º. In winter, the temperature should be kept at 17–22º. If it drops to 15º, the plant will inevitably die.

Air humidity

High air humidity (at the level of 90–95%) is one of the necessary conditions for the normal development and regular flowering of calathea. Therefore, daily spraying is extremely important for the flower. In winter, when the air in the room becomes drier due to the radiators, calathea is sprayed twice a day. At the same time, the leaves should not be allowed to hang from the windowsill, almost touching the batteries.

To increase the humidity, place a humidifier in the room, and next to the calathea, place a container with water, wet moss, peat, expanded clay, sand or pebbles. In this case, do not pour water directly into the pan of the pot. Another care option is to hermetically seal the plants with plastic bags or glass caps at night.

If the leaves are leathery and dense, they can be regularly wiped with a damp sponge. In this case, just like for spraying, use warm water (25–27 ° C).

How to water

Watering kalatea needs abundant, but the plant should not be poured either. Calathea Makoya especially suffers from waterlogging. Water only when the topsoil is dry. Calathea is watered at intervals of 3-4 days (more often in summer), consuming about 0.5-0.7 liters of water per adult plant.

For irrigation, use warm water (25–27 ° C) that has been settled for 2–3 days. It should never be hard, too chlorinated or high in fluorine. To soften the water, dip the peat tightly bound in cotton or linen into a container. A couple of handfuls are enough. Ideally, you should use melt water or rainwater. Too cold liquid leads to rapid development of root rot.

The frequency of watering is directly related to the level of humidity. If the humidity exceeds 75–80%, one watering every 3-4 days is sufficient, but if it is low (35–40%), water should be done more often.

When and what can you feed

Calathea needs feeding only during the period of intensive growth and flowering (from March to September). Once every 12-15 days, fertilizer for arrowroot or universal flower fertilizer for decorative foliage crops is applied to the soil.

Fertilizers designed for decorative leafy indoor plants are suitable.

It is important not to overdo it with fertilizers. Therefore, read the instructions carefully and follow the manufacturer's instructions. Calathea reacts especially negatively to excessive amounts of nitrogen and calcium.

The optimal time for top dressing is 10-15 minutes after watering, when the moisture is completely absorbed into the soil. It is strongly not recommended to fertilize overdried soil.

Video: how to properly care for calathea

How to save a flower from pests

Despite the fact that Calathea is quite capricious, it relatively rarely suffers from diseases and pests, if you create the right conditions for it. The most common problems are powdery mildew, spider mites, scale insects and whiteflies.

Mealybug

What is called powdery mildew is actually the result of a pest called a mealybug. They settle in whole colonies under the leaves. You can observe small pellets, as if from dirty cotton wool, dotting the leaves, their petioles and peduncles. Worms suck sap from plants. As a result, the more the calathea suffers, the more its growth is inhibited, the leaves become deformed, dry and fall off.

For prophylaxis, regularly carefully examine the plants, wipe the leaves with a damp sponge at least once every 15–20 days, cut off all yellowed, withered, dried leaves in a timely manner. The sooner you find the problem and start to deal with it, the easier it is to get rid of the worm.

Control measures:

1. At an early stage, it is enough to wipe the leaves with a piece of bandage or a cotton pad dipped in foam of laundry soap, and then spray the calathea with a solution of potassium green soap three times a week (a teaspoon of fine shavings per liter of water).
2. Another option is to wipe the leaves with 7-10% ethyl alcohol or an alcoholic tincture of calendula flowers diluted to the same concentration. A more concentrated solution can burn the leaves.
3. In severe cases, use insecticides - Actellik, Fitoverm, Inta-Vir, Nurell-D, Karbofos. Before use, be sure to read the instructions and recommendations of the manufacturer. The affected calatheas are sprayed with the prepared solution weekly until the pest is completely destroyed.
4. Those who prefer natural remedies can fight mealybugs with the help of an infusion of garlic arrows, onion peels, and any citrus peels. 50–70 g of crushed raw materials are poured with a liter of boiling water, tightly closed with a lid and removed for 2-3 days in a warm, dark place. The ready-to-use infusion is filtered. Processing is carried out every 3-4 days in the evenings, alternating means. With a cotton swab dipped in the infusion, periodically changing it, rub the leaves and peduncles.

Spider mite

The spider mite is a pest that feeds on plant juices, it is a carrier of many pathogenic viruses, fungi and bacteria. On a calathea affected by a spider mite, you can see thin threads twisting around leaves or their petioles, as well as small whitish dots on the lower part of the leaf plate. If the process has gone too far, the plant literally hides under a thick layer of whitish mass, resembling a cobweb.

The spider mite feels great in insufficiently humidified air, so regularly spray calathea leaves for prevention. Carry out sanitary pruning in a timely manner - remove faded flower stalks, old dried leaves.

Control measures:

1. The fight against spider mites begins by wiping the leaves with a solution of laundry soap or dishwashing liquid in warm water.
2. If the pest has not yet hit the calathea en masse, water the plant abundantly (0.5 liters of water) and cover it on top with a plastic bag for 2-3 days, sealing it on the pot. Due to the increased humidity, the pests inside the bag will die. All this time, watch out for calathea (especially in summer) so that sunburn does not appear on the leaves.
3. In advanced cases, spraying the flower with solutions of Karbofos, Inta-Vir, Fitoverm, as well as products containing the oil of the Neem tree will help. At the same time, Temik or Aldicarb granules can be added to the soil.
4. In addition to high humidity, these pests do not like ultraviolet light. That is why they prefer to settle on the underside of the sheet plate. If you have a fluorescent lamp, irradiate the leaves with it.

5. You can try the following folk remedies:

   • Onion infusion. 10-15 g of finely chopped onion or 2 times less husk is poured with a liter of water at room temperature and insisted for 8-10 hours. Filter the infusion before use.
   • Infusion of dandelion roots. Pour a tablespoon of finely chopped raw materials with a liter of warm water and leave for 2-3 hours.
   • Garlic infusion. Gruel from peeled cloves (12–15 pieces) is poured with a liter of water and infused for 4–5 days. Then they mix thoroughly and take a teaspoon of liquid for spraying, again diluting it in a liter of water.

Shield

A sticky transparent plaque appears on the leaves affected by this pest, which is clearly visible in the sun due to the characteristic shine. The scale insects feed on plant sap, and their excrement creates a light and airtight film, negatively affecting the normal course of photosynthesis and cellular respiration of the plant. Calathea practically stops growing, the leaves are deformed, turn yellow and dry out.

For prophylaxis, regularly inspect the plants for the presence of characteristic dark brown almost flat growths on the underside of the leaves, on the petioles and at the roots. At least once every 2-3 weeks, wipe the calathea with a soft cloth soaked in warm water.

Control measures:

1. If literally the whole plant is affected by a pest, it is easier to destroy it, the pot and pallet can be disinfected, and the window sill and window are thoroughly washed with hot water.
2. When the problem is not yet chronic, pour warm (about 45 ° C) water from a watering can or shower over the flower. Then wipe it with a cotton swab dipped in 70% ethyl alcohol. Make sure to spread the alcohol in a thin layer - this will evaporate faster. After 1–1.5 hours after rubbing with alcohol, the calathea is treated with a thick foam of laundry soap. The foam treatment is repeated every other day, and then after 3-4 days (only 7-10 times) until the pest is completely destroyed. The second and subsequent foam treatments can be replaced by thorough spraying with solutions of Inta-Vir, Aktara, Aktellik, Fufanon, Fury, Bazudin preparations. It is important that the leaves are completely dry before the procedure.

Whitefly

Tiny insects with whitish wings appear on the underside of calathea leaves. If you shake the plant slightly, you can see them rise into the air. On the leaves, starting from the lowest ones, a shiny sticky coating forms. The whitefly is very fond of heat and high humidity. Therefore, for prophylaxis in winter, it is useful to keep the calatheas for 3-4 weeks at a temperature of about 18 ° C.

Control measures:

1. Of the chemicals for pest control, Verticillin and Pegasus (no more than two treatments), Actellik (up to 4 treatments after 4-6 days), Confidor, Mospilan, Fufanon (one procedure) can be used at intervals of 7-10 days.

2. Folk remedies for combating whitefly:

   • Traps. Pieces of cardboard, plywood, glass are painted in bright colors and placed next to flower pots, having previously greased with a mixture of petroleum jelly or rosin with honey, jam or sugar syrup. Whiteflies stick to the trap, attracted by the bright color. Homemade traps will successfully replace special sticky tapes designed for catching flies.
   • Infusion of yarrow. 3 tablespoons of leaves and stems are finely chopped and poured with a liter of boiling water. Insist day. Filter the leaves before spraying.
   • Garlic infusion. A teaspoon of finely chopped arrows or a gruel of 2-3 cloves is poured with a liter of water and infused for a day.

Photo gallery: calathea pests

Small whiteflies are easy to see just by shaking the calathea

Scabbards resembling natural growths are easy to miss at first, but they are very dangerous pests.

It is simply impossible not to notice spider mites, especially when they have multiplied in large numbers - the calathea is literally hidden under the cobweb

Large colonies of mealybugs are literally able to suck all the juices from the calathea

Flower propagation

Calathea is propagated at home in three main ways. Reproduction by division requires the least time and effort.

Division of roots

Adult plants older than 3-5 years independently form several rhizomes that are practically isolated from each other, which are easy to finally separate during transplantation. Usually 3-4 new calatheas can be obtained from one plant.

Adult calathea reproduces successfully by dividing the bush, but this method is not suitable for all species

Procedure:

1. The main thing when dividing is not to damage the roots. To do this, they are cut with a sharp knife, disinfected in a saturated purple solution of potassium permanganate.
2. All sections are sprinkled with crushed activated carbon.
3. New plants are planted in small pots filled with peat mixed with coarse river sand in a 2: 1 ratio.
4. After transplanting, the soil is poured abundantly with cool water. The next watering is only after the soil is completely dry.
5. The pots are placed in plastic bags that are loosely tied. Another option is to make several holes in them.
6. The containers are placed in a warm place (25–28 ° C) until 1–2 new leaves appear.
7. Then the plant is transplanted into a pot with a slightly larger diameter (literally 2-3 cm) and put in a permanent place. The composition of the soil is the same, but with the addition of humus in an equal amount with peat.
8. A year later, the calathea is transplanted again and looked after, like an adult plant.

Cuttings

A somewhat more time consuming method is cuttings. A healthy leaf or part of the shoot is carefully separated from the flower, making sure that there is a growth point on it. A correct stalk should be at least 12-15 cm long and have a minimum of 3-4 leaves.

For subsequent planting, it is important to choose the right cuttings.

The stalk is placed in a prepared pot with the same soil that is prepared for the calathea propagated by division, and covered with plastic wrap. It is removed only when the plant has 3-4 roots.

Seed planting

Seed propagation is a process with unpredictable results. In this case, daughter plants with almost 100% probability will not retain their varietal characteristics. But it is very interesting to wait for the result of the selection carried out by himself.

Calathea seeds look like small yellowish balls

The seeds are harvested in the fall, after waiting until the flower stalks of the calathea are completely dry. They are dried in the open air for a couple of hours and planted in shallow containers filled with a mixture of fertile soil and river sand in a 2: 1 ratio. The optimum temperature for seed Qalat - 22-25ºS. As soon as the first pair of leaves appears, the plants are planted in small pots (7-9 cm in diameter) filled with the same soil.

Difficulties and mistakes of leaving

It is quite difficult to create ideal conditions at home on the windowsill for calathea. Therefore, it is important to know what is the cause of the most common plant problems.

Table: common problems and their causes

Symptom	Cause
The tips of the leaves are removed or dried.	Low air humidity.
Leaf tips yellowed or brownish, but not dry.	Improper feeding or excess fertilization. This is especially true for fertilizers with nitrogen content. Another option is cold drafts.
The leaves curl into a tube, covered with spots lighter than the main tone of the leaf plate.	Insufficiently moist soil. The plant needs more frequent watering.
Decaying at the base of the petiole or base of the leaves. The leaves just fall under their own weight.	Insufficiently high room temperature and excessively high humidity.
Leaves fall.	Insufficient air humidity, too much watering acidified soil.
Leaves dry.	Perhaps this is due to the natural cycle of development. Calathea changes foliage about once a year. If the growth of the plant slows down, the symptom means insufficient watering and a lack of nutrients.
Light spots appear on the leaves.	Direct sunlight on the plate. Or it is sunburn, formed in those places where large drops of water remained on the plant after spraying, which played the role of lenses.
Leaves become deformed, lighter, thinner and over-stretched	The plant lacks light.
Small white crystals on the underside of the leaves.	If, at the same time, there are no cobwebs indicating a spider mite lesion, this is completely normal. On the back of the leaves, there are points of release of cell sap, which solidifies in the open air.

Video: the secrets of caring for the beautiful calathea

Reviews

Julijamilaja

https://irecommend.ru/content/odno-muchenie

mitina3112

https://irecommend.ru/content/zayachi-ushki

Yuliavrn

https://forum.bestflowers.ru/t/kalateja-calathea.1023/page-55

Savlana

https://forum.bestflowers.ru/t/kalateja-calathea.1023/page-55

Azaliya waleriya

https://forum.bestflowers.ru/t/kalateja-calathea.1023/page-55

Having decided to have a prayer flower on your windowsill, first think about whether you are ready to spend time and energy on creating the required conditions and daily care. Without this, he will inevitably quickly perish. Those who successfully grow calathea are often not ready to exchange this beauty for any other plant.