What to do if calathea leaves start to turn yellow

Types of calathea

The most popular types of calathea:

1. Calathea Bahema. The plant looks different at different times, and it seems that its leaves are moving.
2. Kalathea Varshevich has a characteristic feature: at night, the leaves of the plant seem to fold: they rise up, showing their lower part. Calathea Varshevich is prized for its beautiful flowers.
3. Calathea Veicha or Veicha - the surface of the leaves has an effective clear pattern.
4. Calathea Rufibarba - the lower part of all the leaves of the plant and the petioles are covered with a small light fluff. Calathea Rufibarba was one of the first to come to Russia and European countries.
5. Calathea crocata is one of the most beautiful blooming species among all the variety.
6. Calathea zebra or striped calathea - the surface of the leaves of the plant has an effective clear pattern, the leaves are painted purple below.
7. Calathea striped is the most commonly grown species at home.
8. Calathea leopard has yellow flowers, which are collected in spike-shaped inflorescences.
9. Calathea wonderful or calathea lancifolia - below the leaves of the plant are purple in color. Lancifolia leaves have an elongated narrow shape and wavy edges.

Many types of calathea with large leaves are suitable only for growing in greenhouses, therefore they are not widespread. Some species have a rather inconspicuous color, for which they are not appreciated by flower growers.

Caring for calathea at home is not difficult, you just need to adhere to certain rules.

Location

A cold or, on the contrary, sunny windowsill, TV or a shelf above the TV, computer and other equipment are not the best places for calathea. It does not tolerate bright sunlight, cold, or dry warm air that rises in a stream from switched on household appliances. Direct sunlight, draft, temperatures below 16 ° C are detrimental to calathea. Under these conditions, the tips of its leaves inevitably begin to dry, and if you do not locate it in a suitable place, it will die.

Take care of the correct location for the calathea. Keep it away from the window, out of direct sunlight. Protect from drafts. The air in the room should be warm and humid enough. In a word, find a middle ground, and calathea will delight you with its healthy appearance and beautiful, as if painted, leaves.

Difficulties in caring for calathea at home

The beauty of the leaves of the bush is mesmerizing, but you should not buy a plant if you cannot pay much attention to it and create optimal conditions. The capricious calathea requires ideal conditions of detention, so you should familiarize yourself with its preferences.

Planting soil

The further development and condition of the flower depends on the correct selection of the soil mixture. The pot should be filled with nutritious, loose and sour soil. Alkaline soils have a detrimental effect on the flower, so it is best to purchase a ready-made substrate for arrowroot. You can make a soil mixture yourself from the following components:

• humus - 1 part;
• sheet land - 1 part;
• peat - 1 part;
• river sand (calcined) - 0.5 parts.

Lighting

In natural conditions, the flower lives under the crowns of trees, which provide it with protection from the scorching rays. When kept indoors, the plant must be shaded from direct sunlight. A small partial shade or room with diffused light is ideal for growing.

However, a lack of light provokes a change in the color of the leaves, they become pale and lose their decorative effect. Too much sun often causes yellow foliage. The pot should be placed on the west, east or southeast side.For good growth, the plant is provided with 14-hour daylight hours, often using phytolamps.

Air temperature and humidity

The temperature of the room where the plant lives should be the same, without sudden changes.

If in winter the flowerpot is on the windowsill, then it is advisable to put a dense piece of fabric under it, which will save the root system from hypothermia.

The flower prefers high humidity, about 70%. It is very difficult to maintain such a microclimate at home, so the plant is often grown in a terrarium or florarium. If the flowerpot is on the windowsill, then the space around the flower is regularly sprayed and the deciduous part is sprayed only a little.

Florists advise to wipe the foliage more often with a damp cloth, because water droplets can provoke the appearance of dark spots. For species with velvet leaves, another source of moisture should be created - take a small pallet, pour expanded clay or pebbles into it, and fill it with water. The pot is placed on the stones so that its bottom does not touch the water.

Watering

Water the calathea so that the substrate is constantly moist. Even a slight drought contributes to the death of the plant.

Excessive watering is also contraindicated. In addition, excess water, which is glass in the pan, must be drained, otherwise the roots can rot.

For irrigation, only warm water is taken, which contains a small amount of lime and salt. It is best to use melt water or rainwater. When watering a flower with tap water, it is pre-defended for at least three days. It is advised to dip a little peat wrapped in gauze into the settled liquid at night. This contributes to the acidification of the water.

Top dressing

During active development, liquid top dressing should be applied, intended for decorative deciduous varieties. The frequency of feeding should not exceed twice a month, because the capricious calathea is very sensitive to an overabundance of nutrients.

Transfer

Young plants are transplanted annually after the end of winter, and adults are disturbed no more than once every three years. To begin with, select a suitable flowerpot, which should be wide, but not deep. The reaction of the soil intended for planting should be slightly acidic.

After removing the flower from the old flowerpot, a thick layer of high-quality drainage is poured into a new container, then a layer of fresh moistened soil. After that, using the transfer method, the plant is transferred to a new pot.

This should be done very carefully so as not to damage the sensitive roots. The resulting voids are covered with a new substrate and slightly compacted

Calathea transplant

What to do if calathea dries

The air in the house where calathea lives must be humidified

It is especially important to do this during the heating season and the summer heat. The plant needs to be sprayed regularly, a couple of times a day, with soft water

The flower should not be placed under an air conditioner or near radiators. For additional moisture, you can put a container with moistened expanded clay next to the flower pot.

Calathea belongs to light-loving plants, but it suffers from an overabundance of light, since it has very delicate leaves. Direct sunlight can cause burns and increased evaporation of moisture. Therefore, it is better to place the calathea in a well-lit place, but so that the sun does not shine directly on it.

Calathea is an African princess. It has a complex character and is not stable immunity. Try to prepare in advance for her surprises. First aid skills can help determine the cause of diseases and how to treat them. Consider what to do and why the leaves may dry and curl.

If it so happened that she showed her character and her wonderful foliage gives a signal, then urgently provide first aid
flower.

With the help of foliage, the florist signals the disease

Remove from the windowsill
in a shaded place and observe its condition for several days;

Spill dry soil, and best of all, transplant the flower. It is possible that the roots have begun to dry out, they will need to be cut off.

• The ground is wet, on it kind of mold
  ... An urgent transplant will save the decay process.
• Add heat
  you can use a fluorescent lamp, thereby you will extend the daylight hours in autumn or winter.
• Feed gentle fertilizers
  ... Perhaps there is a lack of vitamins.

Transfer

For calathea, the soil is selected light and fluffy, it should pass water and air well. Add a little pine needles or wood ash to the garden soil. The ratio of soil to needles is 2: 1. To aerate the soil, it is mixed with coarse sand or perlite.

The pot is taken small, several cm wider than the previous one. At first, the plant will stop growing so that the root system completely fills the pot. Better that it is transparent. It clearly shows the development of roots, the condition of the soil, the presence of condensation. There must be holes at the bottom for the outflow of excess liquid. A pallet is placed under the flowerpot so that it does not spill onto the windowsill or floor.

To pull the plant out of the old flowerpot, squeeze it with little effort in your hands. Then the soil is separated from the wall and it is easier to get it. Calathea roots must be washed under running warm water, and then examined. The affected areas are cut with a sharp knife or scissors. For the prevention of wounds, you need to process:

• charcoal;
• crushed activated carbon;
• a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
• iodine solution.

Reasons for curling and drying leaves

The main reasons for this state of the plant include the following:

• dry air or draft in the room;
• the location of the flower near heating devices;
• insufficient care;
• wrong place.

If there is not enough humid air in the room where the flower is located, the edges of its leaves will dry out.
In the cold season, it is undesirable to place the plant near heating appliances. You can save the situation with the help of wet expanded clay, placed at the bottom of the pot. In the summer, you need to spray the flower with warm water several times throughout the day.

Calathea crocata is a light-loving plant, but does not like direct sunlight. His leaves are too sensitive and can get burned. This causes the edges to dry out. Sunlight and heat help the moisture evaporate from the soil and from the plant itself.

If it is decided to place a pot of calathea in the room, you need to choose a place where direct sunlight will not fall. The plant is afraid of drafts. Therefore, you should not put a flower pot near windows that often open.

Plant appearance

By its appearance, you can determine the cause of the plant disease:

• If the leaves curl and rise up, there is not enough moisture in the soil. If they are lowered, then the reason is the opposite - there is a lot of water in the soil. It is possible that the soil is heavy and the roots are not getting enough air. Watering calathea is necessary when the soil is semi-dry. But there shouldn't be too much moisture.
• If the new leaves that have appeared immediately dry at the edges, their lower parts constantly have a yellowed appearance, the point is in dry air. In summer, calathea rufibarba needs a draft, but it does not need to be placed in direct sunlight. If its leaves, even unblown, dry and turn yellow, then the plant should be placed under a lamp with artificial daylight. Otherwise, the death of the flower is inevitable. It is easier to care for species with glossy leaves than with velvet leaves, but all calatheas need greenhouse conditions.
• If parts of the plant turn yellow, it may be in the wrong pot. It shouldn't be too big. The soil should be chosen light. The roots of the plant must be loose in the soil for air to enter. They should be lightly sprinkled on top, otherwise moisture will linger in the soil, which will lead to waterlogging.After transplanting, Kalathea needs to be covered with polyethylene for a short time until the plant takes root. You also need to fertilize the flower regularly.
• If transparent crystals form on the back of the leaves, it is honeydew. The cause of the disease is a sharp drop in temperature throughout the day. You need to try to prevent this and keep the flower under conditions of moisture and heat favorable for it.
• If the stems of the leaves rot and turn black, and they themselves turn yellow and dry, this is fusarium wilting. The cause of the disease is excess moisture in the soil. In this case, saving the flower is useless.
  It does not lend itself to treatment, it must be thrown away so that the rest of the plants do not become infected.
• If the leaves are covered with a white coating on the back, this is a spider mite. The pest settles on the entire plant. As a result, the flower does not grow well, small, light spots appear on the leaves. As the colony grows, the spots merge, the shoots curl and dry out. In this case, the cobweb characteristic of a tick may not exist. A sick flower urgently needs to be isolated from healthy ones and the humidity of the air should be increased. It should be treated with special means (Aktara, Fitovern, etc.), strictly following the instructions. The same remedy can be used to treat other plants as a preventive measure.

There is a very beautiful ornamental plant, which, first of all, attracts with its leaves, or rather, with fancy patterns on them. This is calathea. Do the leaves of the plant dry and curl? Is it losing its appeal? This deficiency immediately becomes noticeable, and growers strive to cure the plant as quickly as possible. However, in order to do this, you need to know its features.

Calathea care at home

As we already wrote, caring for calathea requires care, not everyone can cope with it. First, let's talk about how to water calathea.

• The main thing to remember is that calathea should not be watered with cold water. If you break this rule for a long time, the flower may die. The water temperature should be at room temperature.
• Boil the water before watering to reduce acidity. There are many ways to soften water, the simplest one we have provided.
• Monitor the soil in the pot. If the top layer is dry, then the plant needs to be watered.
• Do not pour a lot of water, its excess leads to rotting of the roots of the flower. The ideal option is to install a tray of water under the pot.
• Watering frequency also depends on the season. In summer, it is 2-3 times a week, and in winter - once every 7-9 days. Monitor the condition of the soil and leaves of the flower, they will tell you if there is a need to water the plant.

Lighting level

Regardless of the type of calathea, it needs good lighting. But there is a small nuance: direct sunlight burns the leaves, they lose their color and curl. A lack of light leads to a slowdown in leaf growth. The best option is partial shade. If you are not sure that there are places with similar conditions in your apartment or house, you should not give preference to calathea.

Temperature for harmonious growth

The flower needs a comfortable home, it is not so easy to choose the temperature it needs. For the normal development of a flower, it should be 15-25 degrees

It can be difficult to find it, but it is really very important, so take the advice responsibly.

A sudden change in air has a detrimental effect on the flower. If the leaves of your calathea wither and begin to rot, then temperature changes have affected them. The formation of drafts is also unacceptable. Do not open windows if there is a plant on the windowsill.

The flower cannot withstand temperatures below ten degrees and above twenty-five. This means that the temperature in the room must be measured regularly in winter and summer.

Plant growing humidity

Humidity is another important factor that should be considered along with the air temperature and the amount of lighting. The tropics are the birthplace of Calathea. And as you know, in tropical countries, the humidity is quite high. The ideal humidity for a plant is 90 percent. However, it is almost impossible to achieve this indicator in an apartment. But flower growers have found a way out: they grow calathea in aquariums and terrariums. If this method does not suit you, then the humidity level can be reduced to 55-60 percent.

The plant should be sprayed three to four times a week. The water temperature is at least 26-28 degrees. Leaves can also be wiped with a sponge, but no water droplets should remain on the plant, as this will cause stains.

Top dressing and choice of fertilizer

An integral part of the care is plant feeding.

• Purchase liquid fertilizers.
• Dilute 1: 1 with water.
• The flower is sensitive to nitrogen and calcium, consider this before purchasing a fertilizer.
• An overdose of trace elements negatively affects the growth of the plant, so you should not overfeed it.

The flower has a superficial root system, which needs a transplant once every 1-2 years. The optimal time for her is the end of winter or the beginning of spring.

There should be no lime in the ground, it is important to have high-quality drainage. In shops for florists, you can buy a ready-made mixture.

The pot should not be deep. Do not push the soil too hard, or the roots may suffocate.

Reproduction methods

Reproduction of a plant at home has several ways. You can choose the best one for you and start implementing it.

1. Dividing a bush is the most popular way. This method should be used during the transplant period. Divide the mother plant into parts and root each of them in a separate container. Then it is covered with foil and placed in a warm place. Remove the film after the calathea takes root and begins to grow.
2. When grafting, separate the aboveground cutting from the mother plant. Dip the stalk into a pot with damp soil and cover with foil. When the stalk starts up the roots, the film can be removed and you can begin to fully care for the plant.
3. The most difficult way is seed propagation. Sow the seeds in a mixture of sand and leafy earth in a 1: 2 ratio. Keep them at a temperature of 21-25 degrees.

Why do Calathea leaves dry, curl and turn yellow? Reasons, photos, treatment

There may be several reasons why calathea leaves curl, dry and turn yellow. This is improper watering, air humidity and temperature, various parasites and pests. The main thing is to respond to the problem in time and take timely action. In this matter, the help of specialists with examples and photos will come in handy.

Why do the edges of the leaves dry in calathea? There may be several reasons.

In calathea, the edges of the leaves dry from the low humidity in the room. If it is winter, then you can not put the flower close to heating devices. In the summer, it is necessary to carry out regular spraying of the flower. This is done 2 times a day with warm, soft water. You can also put wet expanded clay near the flower pot.

However, according to experts, calathea is difficult to grow in an apartment.

If the calathea is in direct sunlight, the edges of the leaves also dry out. Although the flower belongs to the category of light-loving, its leaves are very delicate. Direct sunlight can burn them. In addition, an excess of sunlight increases the percentage of moisture evaporation from the sheet plate. As a result, calathea experiences a moisture deficit. This is another factor why the tips of the leaves of the flower dry out. The plant should be moved away from direct sunlight, but in a place where there will be enough light.

Why else do the tips of the leaves dry on Calathea? This may be the result of cold air currents.The main rule in caring for a flower is the temperature regime within + 20 ... + 25 degrees, high humidity in the air and the absence of cold air. If these rules are not followed, the plant is sick.

Why do Calathea leaves curl and dry? If there are no obvious signs of the presence of pests and diseases on the plant, then the conditions for its maintenance need to be revised. Leaves dry and curl if the calathea is exposed to direct sunlight with simultaneously low air humidity.

If the leaves of a flower curl and rise up, this indicates a lack of moisture in the soil and air.

If the leaves of the calathea go down, then this indicates waterlogging of the soil in the pot. Perhaps the soil is too heavy for the flower. It accumulates an excess of moisture. This reduces the access of air to the roots. It is necessary to water the flower if the soil in the pot is half dry, but at the same time, waterlogging of the soil should not be allowed.

If calathea throws out new leaves, which immediately dry at the edges, and its lower leaves constantly turn yellow, then this is a clear sign of insufficient air humidity. In summer, the plant should be taken out into the open air, but not in direct sunlight.

Calathea with velvet leaves dries. What to do? At home, calathea with velvet leaves is often naughty. Its leaves dry, even unopened leaves may dry out and turn yellow. Such a plant is placed in a florarium under an artificial daylight lamp. Otherwise, the flower will die from low levels of air humidity and lack of light. Experts recommend giving preference to plants in glossy leaves for growing in an apartment.

If the calathea is planted in a pot that is too large, its leaves also turn yellow. The plant is planted in very light soil. The pot should be small. Its volume should be enough to comfortably place the roots and some more soil on top. Otherwise, the soil becomes waterlogged. The plant does not have time to drink all the water. The roots begin to rot, the soil becomes alkalized. After the transplant, it is recommended to cover the calathea with a plastic bag for a while until it takes root.

Why do Calathea leaves dry? The back of the sheet is covered with transparent crystals 1.5 mm in height. The cause of calathea's disease: sudden changes in temperature during the day. Transparent crystals are honeydew. It is formed from the sugar remaining in the sheet. The problem can be solved by ensuring the constancy of temperature and humidity conditions for the flower.

White bloom on the back of calathea leaves. The cause of the disease: spider mite. At the same time, there may not be a characteristic spider web on the flower. Treatment of the disease: increase the humidity of the air. The flower must be isolated. Treat it with actellik, phytovernous, actara. Follow the instructions strictly. It is also recommended to treat all plants with the above preparations for prevention purposes.

In calathea, the stems of the leaves turn black and rot. The leaves themselves curl, turn yellow and dry out. Reason: waterlogging of the soil, from which the flower was struck by fusarium wilting. The flower is not treatable. Throw it away to avoid contamination of other plants.

Calathea: why do the leaves dry and curl?

Calathea is a very wayward plant. Sometimes it is not easy for a florist who is not familiar with the peculiarities of caring for her. But in a flower shop it is very difficult to pass by this beauty, she just attracts the eye.

But having made a purchase and bringing an exotic beauty home, caring, creating all the conditions, very often it is not possible to help her adapt to a new place. Calathea dries up and dies. It turns out that you were deceived and slipped a low-quality copy? Not at all. It's just that this plant is not for beginners.

The most common problem that Calathea owners complain about is the drying and folding of the gorgeous, lacy, whimsically colored leaves, which are its main decoration.

Why do Calathea leaves turn yellow and curl?

This may be due to several reasons:

• dry air;
• insufficient lighting;
• wrong location;
• low room temperature;
• lack of nutrients in the soil.

Dry air

the cause of drying and twisting

Most often, the air is dry in winter when the heating is on or in summer, in extreme heat.

You will find tips for transplanting anthurium at home in our article.

Find out how to propagate the Phalaenopsis orchid at home here.

You can fix the problem with a special humidifier. If you do not have the opportunity to install a humidifier - hang wet wipes or towels on the battery, place containers with water, which will gradually evaporate and humidify the air.

Optimal climatic conditions for calathea can be created by adding a layer of wet expanded clay or sphagnum moss to the pot pan.

Remember to regularly spray the leaves with a spray bottle using warm filtered water.

How to provide moisture in kalatee? For professional tips, watch the video below:

Location and temperature

For calathea, it is equally harmful to be on both the cold northern and southern windowsills, which are exposed to direct sunlight.

In addition, the plant can be badly affected by:

• radiation from a nearby TV, computer and other equipment;
• draft;
• warm and dry air rising from a battery or other heaters;
• temperature below 16 ° C or above 18 ° C (calathea does not tolerate temperature changes).

Any of these irritants will inevitably lead to leaf death unless the plant is rearranged or the problem is corrected.

The flower may have to be rearranged several times, carefully monitoring its well-being, until the ideal place is found.

Read recommendations for transplanting phalaenopsis at home in our article.

Learn how to propagate hyacinth at home from the article.

Remove the calathea from the window - where neither hot sunlight nor a draft can reach it; warm and humidify the air in the room - and the plant will come to life and again delight you with the beauty of its extraordinary glossy leaves.

Lighting

With the wrong lighting, the leaves of the calathea lose their attractiveness: from a lack of light they simply become monotonous green, and from an excess of it they acquire a brownish-red light.

Wrong soil

The key to active growth and well-being of Calathea is the correct choice of soil. A properly formed soil mixture is ordinary soil (2/3) and humus of conifers (1/3) with the addition of perlite or coarse sand for good air permeability.

When transplanting, you can feed the soil with a small amount of horse humus. During the growing season, calathea is fed with universal fertilizers for indoor plants once every 2 weeks. An excess of nutrients is just as bad as a lack.

Express assistance

If you see that the tips of the leaves turn yellow and begin to dry out, remove the plant along with the lump from the pot and carefully examine the roots.

Carefully remove damaged or rotten fragments with garden shears, and then transplant the plant into the “correct” soil.

After transplanting, treat Calathea and the soil surface with Epin.

If you come to the conclusion that the cause of your bush's illness is dry air, and the leaves are already pretty dry, try a radical method of plant resuscitation.

Periodically remove the package according to the scheme:

• on the first day - 10 minutes;
• on the second and subsequent days - for 30 minutes;
• in a week - for the whole day.

If the room is hot and dry, you may need to keep the calathea captive until the heating is turned off.