Calathea is one of the most common indoor plants in many homes. Characterized by curious leaves, with striking colors, and original shapes, it has become one of the most appreciated. Therefore, you have to know what the care of the calathea so that it lasts a long time.
If you want to have a plant of these but do not know exactly what care you should provide, here are the keys so that you know how easy it is to take care of it and where you have to emphasize so that it is well nourished.
Characteristics of the calathea
Calathea is a plant originally from South America, specifically from Brazil. It is estimated that there are about 25 different species and it draws attention above all for the colors that its leaves acquire as well as for the design of these. It can easily reach 80 centimeters in height and is more of an indoor plant than an outdoor plant, at least if it is not in its natural habitat, because it does not tolerate being in direct sunlight well.
As for these unique characteristics, it is that you can find species that have lancelate leaves, others rounded, others that are very noticeable on the nerves, others nothing ... And the same happens with color, with species such as «zebra» or «prayer ». Of course, it is very common for it to develop several stems, all of them culminating in a large leaf.
When all the cares of the calathea are applied, it is normal for it to bloom, however the flowers are not exceptional and tend to go unnoticed, except in specific cases, such as the Calathea crocata, which attract attention for having elongated rods that end in an orange flower.
From location to transplant: caring for calathea
Although calathea is an indoor plant and does not require excessive care, we must tell you that it is not easy to maintain, and that it will require a little more time than with other species. In general, the most important basic care that you should provide are:
Location
You must bear in mind that one of the calathea cares involves knowing where you are going to put the plant. As we have mentioned before, it is an indoor plant and that implies that it must be inside the house. However, does not like cold currents, and it is not very tolerable with temperatures, both high and low.
In general, it keeps well in a temperature between 16 and 30 degrees, with 18 degrees being its ideal. But beyond that, above or below, the calathea suffers.
Lighting design
Calathea is a tropical plant, and the most normal thing is that you think that it tolerates the sun and light well, but the truth is that it is not like that. In its natural habitat, the understory of the Brazilian jungle, it lives in areas that are very damp but barely light, because they are surrounded by gigantic trees. Hence, he likes light, but very little, indirectly.
You can place it in a semi-shadow area, where the light reaches it but it is not intense or direct. And do not worry about thinking that it does not have enough light, you will be giving it something similar to its natural place.
Irrigation, the most important part of calathea care
As with many plants, calathea is one of the ones that can give you the most problems with watering. Despite being a tropical plant, it does not mean that it needs a lot of water, something wrong. What it does need is a lot of humidity.
And, to begin with, you have to keep the substrate moist throughout the year, but not puddled. When it comes to watering it, it will depend on the season we are in. For example, if it is winter (or autumn), the watering will be 1-2 times a week, depending on the area in which you live, if it is hotter or less; In the case of spring and summer, the waterings should be more abundant, at least every 2-3 days, again depending on if you live in a place where it is very hot and there is no humidity, or if there is.
But perhaps the most important thing, and where many calatheas tend to die from it, is in the humidity. This plant needs a lot of moisture. To do this, you will have to spray it very often to keep it healthy. Others resort to placing the plant on a surface of gravel or stones, these in water, so that the water evaporates and gives it the humidity it needs.
In summer, especially, be grateful that spray the entire environment with water, falling on the leaves so that they are nourished by the water. Of course, you can not spend too much because in the end they will rot.
An indication of the plant that can tell you if you are doing well with watering are its own leaves. If you start to see that the tips turn brown, then it is indicating that it lacks watering.
Fertilizer
Normally, the fertilization of the plants occurs in spring, which is when it is in full growth and development. However, did you know that calathea requires constant fertilization?
Well yes, among the cares of the calathea you have to schedule a monthly subscription for the autumn and winter months; while, for spring and summer, this should be two per month (every 15 days). It is quite demanding, so bet on green plant fertilizers to provide it with the nutrients it needs.
Transplant
Calathea is one of the plants that suffers the most when it comes to transplanting, even a very minimally invasive one such as placing it in a larger pot without touching the plant. That is why experts recommend not transplanting them until the roots are not seen to protrude from the pot.
Then, you just have to wait for spring to do it, using a green plant substrate and trying not to "bother" it too much, because for a few days you may notice that it wilts.
Now that you know how to care for calathea, it is safer that you can have it in your home for a long time with a healthy appearance. Do you dare to have one?