JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Decorative plants calathea be one of a kind decorative plants which is popular this year. The leaves which have attractive patterns and colors attract many ornamental plant lovers.
This plant is known not to need a lot of sunlight. So, Calathea is suitable to be placed as a decoration in the room.
Well, for those of you who are interested in these ornamental plants, here are the following how to treat calathea you need to know, quoted from Apartment Therapy, Sunday (22/11/2020).
Also read: Get to know Calathea, a beautiful ornamental plant that doesn’t need a lot of light
1. Lighting
Calathea suitable for homes with low lighting. Keep in mind that calathea does not do well in direct sunlight, which can cause the leaves to turn white.
Place the calathea in a part of the room with dim to indirect light. Usually, the darker the leaves, as in Calathea ornata, the lower the need for light.
2. Humidity
Calathea prefers a humid environment, but many varieties can adapt to lower humidity levels. Ideally, calathea likes a humidity level of 50 percent or more.
Some types of calathea that are more sensitive require a higher level of humidity, which is around 60 percent.
Also read: 5 Ornamental Plants That Don’t Need Much Sunlight
You can increase the humidity in the room by using a humidifier or by placing the pot on a tray of gravel and water.
The gravel will prevent waterlogging, and the natural evaporation of the water will help keep the air around the plant moist.
Calathea also likes to be grouped together, which increases the overall humidity.
3. Air
Like all houseplants, calathea enjoys filtered or dechlorinated water. Just fill in your sprinkler and leave it on overnight to remove chlorine.
If there are other chemicals in tap water, try using water that has been filtered or distilled.
4. Pot
Calathea likes moist soil, but not soggy soil. Try a mixture of 50 percent potting soil, 20 percent orchid peel, 20 percent charcoal, and 10 percent perlite.
Calathea also doesn’t like dry soil. Every few days, place one finger on the ground to see if the medium feels dry.
If so, pour plenty of water, but don’t stagnate.
5. Plastic or terracotta pots?
Contrary to the long-held belief that calathea doesn’t do well in terracotta pots, these pots help keep the roots moist, but not soggy.
Terracotta pots absorb excess moisture, keeping the soil optimally moist. However, if you live in dry conditions, consider sticking with plastic pots.
Make sure the pot has drainage holes, as excess water can cause root rot.
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