The Calathea, also known as the basket marante, is one of the most popular houseplants. It decorates every apartment with its large decorative leaves. The plant requires proper care to thrive. The Calathea can show care errors by twisting the leaves.
Why are my Calathea leaves breaking?
If the calathea is too dry, this leads tolack of moisture and the leaves break. If there is too little water, the leaves often curl.
How do I water my calathea correctly?
Your Calathea should be watered so that thesoil is evenly moist. Because the plant comes from the rainforests of South America, care must be adapted accordingly. A rhythm of twice a week is optimal. The water should be as low in lime as possible. This will prevent the leaf stems from twisting.
Can I convert my calathea to hydroponics?
For young plants, it is possible to switch the Calathea toHydrocultureThis makes water dosage easier for many people and at the same time increases the humidity for the plant. After the change, it is enough to water once a week. Add water to the pot until the bird indicator moves slightly. You should avoid switching to space granules. The watering indicators for this are usually unsuitable for a Calathea because they react too slowly. This often causes waterlogging.
Tip
Help watering the Calathea
The Calathea's soil must not become too moist so that the roots do not suffer. Otherwise, mold could form on the surface. An easy way to check soil moisture is to use a soil watering indicator. This allows you to specifically test the moisture in the soil. For a Calathea, the display should always be in the “moist – moist” range.
