When the root system is damaged or deprived of water, the parts of the plant that are farthest from their source of hydration run dry first. In this article, gardening expert and houseplant enthusiast Madison Moulton walks through 11 reasons why your fiddle leaf fig may have curling leaves, and how to fix it! In that case, we have some bad news: your plant has cooties. Implement proper care on an ongoing basis. Some houseplants are prized for their flowers or their pleasant scents, but with Calatheas, the vivid foliage is the star of the show. They dig their teeth in and settle down to feed on any water and nutrients that come through the stems, depriving the leaves. If your Calathea is in a low-light area where evaporation is low and soil remains moist, it is likely to attract one of the peskiest indoor pests fungus gnats. If the excessive sun continues, the overall growth rate of the Calathea will suffer. Its normal for them to fade, wither, and drop off the plant after a while. Drooping leaves and limp or rotting stems can result from one of three problems. Testing the soil for nutrient deficiencies is an excellent way to identify if this might be the problem. Lack of humidity. Older leaves will eventually turn yellow, then brown, and fall off the plant. But when you get it just right, Calatheas are stunning plants that brighten up any space. It's also important to avoid getting water on the leaves of the plant, as this can create a moist environment that is ideal for the bacteria to grow. Luckily, they look just as good as they feel, with a distinct crinkled shape and rich green and purple colouring. Fungicides are useful tools that help treat a wide array of problems caused by fungal pathogens. The most common causes of brown spots on Calathea are overwatering, bad water quality, excessive sun, diseases and pest problems. Look in areas with stems and leaves close by where there is little airflow and you may notice them gathering there. The colorful and patterned leaves of Calathea plants can be quite sensitive, depending on your chosen variety. Pesticides and insecticides help protect your houseplant when nothing else will work. Natural aging. Thankfully, these issues can typically be corrected rather easily. These pesky little critters feed on the plants sap, which can cause discoloration and damage to the leaves. This article may contain affiliate links. If you suspect overwatering as the cause of your Calatheas brown leaves, start by allowing the soil to dry out completely between waterings. However, the most common issue is overwatering. To identify overwatering, look for yellow or wilted foliage and slimy, dense roots that give off a foul smell. Calatheas are just plain difficult. WebThe answer lies in its long-lasting, exotic flowers, coming in red, orange, and pink, with strappy green leaves. You should never prune more than 1/4 of the plants leaves as the Calathea does need its leaves to absorb nutrients from the sun. If this isnt an option, consider using sheer curtains or blinds near the windows to filter the extra light. In this article, gardening expert and houseplant enthusiast Madison Moulton walks through the most common calathea problems, and how to fix them! WebUse half of the recommended dose If the amount of fertilizer is still causing your leaves to turn yellow, dilute it further with water. If not, they will quickly reproduce again and may even come back stronger than before. are members of the plant family Marantaceae and are native to tropical America and Africa. If so, then that is your confirmation that the plant is too dry. To restore the pattern, simply move your Calathea to a location where it receives more shade or less direct light. Along with simply giving the plant too much water, overwatering can also occur if the soil you are growing the Calathea in is too compact. It is found growing under a canopy of other plants in rainforests. We are a member of several affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to external sites. Calathea jungle velvet adores well-drained, airy, and moist soil to grow. It is always best to prevent your Calathea from getting brown spots in the first place. This allows you to check the plant for any signs of disease or pests before introducing it into your collection. Last updated: February 18, 2023 | The exact treatment, however, will depend on what is causing the brown spots on the Calathea. In most cases, however, the problem is usually more of an annoyance than a serious issue. Leaf wetness and high humidity can increase the issue. When you make purchases through links on our site, we earn a small commission. Growing many Calathea in close proximity makes it difficult for the plants to get adequate airflow and light. A good general rule of thumb is to water the Calathea once a week during the spring and summer, and ensure the humidity level is at least 50 percent throughout the entire year. Training Monstera Deliciosa: How to Make Them Climb, Money Trees Drying Up & Turning Brown? A Calathea that stays in the same pot for a long time will eventually consume all of the nutrients mixed into the potting soil. So what might be starving your Calatheas roots of water? Look for roots pushing up from the soil or creeping out of the drainage holes in the pot these are sure signs that your Calthea is desperate for space. Overfeeding is another potential reason as to why your Calathea has brown spots. 8 Steps to Nurse Your Calathea Back to Health, How to Choose the Best Pot and Soil for Your Calathea, When, Why, and How to Remove Brown and Dying Leaves from Your Calathea, Spider Mites & Calatheas: Prevent, Defend, and Cure Your Calathea of Pests, 8 Reasons Why Your Calathea May Have Stopped Growing and What You Can Do About It, Humidity and Calatheas: Everything You Need to Know, Plus Our Favorite Humidifier, Calatheas and Misting: To Mist or Not To Mist, That Is The Question, 13 Ideas for Displaying Your Climbing (or Trailing) Philodendrons, 9 Most Likely Reasons Your Pothos Leaves Are Turning Yellow, 7 Possible Reasons Your Pothos Isnt Vining and Trailing, What Should You Name Your Monstera Deliciosa? If your Calathea is infected with a fungal or viral infection, treating the plant as soon as possible is essential. Keep temperatures moderate and move the plant out of the way of drafts to resolve the problem. Calathea plants prefer a humid environment. If they appear to be leaning towards the light source, thats an indication that it might not be receiving enough light and should be moved closer to a brighter spot. This healthy tissue can still capture energy from photosynthesis; if you take it off, you may slow down your Calatheas growth. Hi, I'm Naomi and I'm here to help fellow houseplant lovers get their own plants thriving! Scientific Name: Calathea, subspecies of the Marantaceae plant family. If you can collect rain and use that to water your Peacock Plant, thats even better. In order to properly treat the issue, you must first determine the cause and then take the appropriate action to save your Calathea. Provide a potting mix thats chunky and well-aerated, and water just enough to keep the soil around the roots mildly damp. Apply the same steps in irradicating scale as with mealybug. Then transplant your Calathea into a pot thats a couple of inches larger in diameter. Weirdly enough, too much water can be even worse than too little when it comes to maintaining a healthy plant. If you want to confirm that underwatering is the cause of the brown edges, simply take a look at Calatheas soil. You may also notice stunted growth or wilting of the plant. Underwatering. Calathea is a large genus of leafy tropical plants found growing in the damp, swampy forest floors of the Americas. Continually check the stems for tiny bumps in irregular patterns. If there are only a few leaves that have brown spots, you may be able to control the problem by pruning them off the plant. WebSYMPTOMS: Tiny pale specks on leaves or light, white webbing on leaves or buds. Jungle Calathea soil requirements. Copyright 2023 Garden's Whisper. This kind of environment encourages fungi and bacteria to breed rapidly until they begin to invade your Calatheas roots, rotting the plant from the bottom up. For the best results, follow the instructions listed on the bottle. When the Calathea has brown spots caused by overfertilization, you will need to flush out the excess minerals that have built up in the soil. As with most leafy plants, the most likely cause is underwatering. It also goes without saying that you should immediately stop fertilizing the Calathea, and then dont fertilize the plant again for a while. The good news is that treating and preventing these spots is easy once you know the cause. Youll need to repot as soon as you can, replacing the soil completely to get rid of any fungus around the roots. Yellow or pale foliage is one way this problem can manifest. Avoid growing the Calathea in compact soil, 5. You may have to do this a few times to get all the excess minerals out of the soil. In these cases, flush the soil with filtered water until it runs clear. Give your plant filtered or distilled water to sidestep this issue. When your Calatheas pot is utterly drenched, the water fills in those little gaps and starts to choke the roots. But theres a surprisingly long list of issues that can cause parched leaves in a Calathea. In most cases, contact occurs when you water the plant from above, since this causes soil to splash up on the leaves. Webcalathea growers only during the past year or two. Flush the pot every 1-2 months while using fertilizer, using the method we described in the section on water quality. Trim off any rotting areas back to healthy growth to stop potential spread in the new soil. Unfortunately, there is no way to keep spider mites from infesting your plants completely, but there are things you can do to limit your risk, such as removing damaged leaves and keeping humidity high around your plant. Thinking of adding a Christmas Cactus to your indoor or outdoor gardening space? If your Calathea is not receiving enough nutrients, it can cause brown spots on the leaves. Low humidity can also contribute to this problem. Also, check out our list of large houseplants. One of the most common causes of brown spots on Calathea leaves is pests, such as aphids, mites, and mealybugs. One of the most common problems with Calathea is white spots on the leaves. A good general rule of thumb is to water the Calathea once a week during its active growing season and then reduce it to about once every 10 days during the winter season. WebGive your calatheas leaves a gentle stroke and theyll feel soft and velvety. Additionally, select a fungicide that has leaf spots listed on its label as one of the issues that it controls. They typically have broad leaves that are patterned with colorful blotches or spots. This guide will help you figure out what is wrong with your plant, how to fix it, and how to stop it from happening again. 4. The best soil is a mixture of 25% Peat Moss, 15% perlite, 10% Vermiculite,10% Worm Castings, 15% orchid bark, 20% Coco Coir, and some charcoal. CAUSE: Spider mites are minuscule relatives of spiders with four pairs of legs, no antennae and sharp mouths that pierce plant cells and suck out the fluids, leaving behind yellow, orange or white speckles. If the first 2 inches of soil still feel moist, then you can wait a day or two before testing it again. If you dont want to create your own mixture, you can purchase a commercially available potting mix designed for Calathea. A stressed Calathea is more susceptible to pest and disease problems. Is it dry and pulling away from the pot? Its never a good idea to let your Calatheas roots dry out completely; these thirsty plants wilt and fade quickly. Severely dehydrated plants will start by wilting, eventually curling inwards to retain as much moisture in the leaves as possible. Overwatering is one of the leading culprits when the Calathea has brown spots. The type of water you use to hydrate the Calathea can have a direct effect on its health, and can even cause brown spots to form. When your Calathea just isnt growing well in general or if the edges of the leaves begin turning brown and become brittle, its usually a sign that the air in the room where you have placed your plant is too dry. Calathea are spider mite magnets Which is weird because spider mites HATE humidity. Once you have identified the cause, you can take the necessary steps to get your Calathea back in good health. It commonly causes reddish-brown spots on the leaves of the Beauty Star and other Calathea and ornamental plants. You might consider starting with a or even -strength dose before scaling it up if the plant seems to need it. Does your calathea plant look a bit unwell? These sap-sucking pests are small but easy to identify by the white substance they use to protect themselves while feeding on foliage. This common problem has a number of reasons, and most of them are luckily easy to fix. There are rarely more than two spots on a leaf and loss of the leaf often occurs if it is infected before complete expansion (2). In most cases, the problem is associated with poor growing conditions or neglect. Ever since I was a little kid working in the garden with my mother and grandmother, I've loved helping green things grow. Once identified, apply an all-purpose fertilizer that contains the necessary nutrients for your Calathea. This usually begins at the tips and slowly spreads to the rest of the leaf if the issue is not fixed. As with all plants, chlorophyll turns plant leaves green, and, just as with the leaves on deciduous trees, when Calathea leaves receive full sunlight, the chlorophyll takes over and the striking dark and light patterns on the leaves fade and disappear. Return it to its more humid home when the partys over. Calathea can endure short periods of underwatering if it must, but if that period extends too long, the plant will let you know about it with the aforementioned reminders of your neglect. This disease can be hard to treat and hard to get rid of, so preventive measures are the best option for protecting the Calathea from these diseases. Alternatively, translucent spots with the dark border are a sign of leaf spot disease. As with watering, too much heat can cause the same problems as too little. This substance is a buildup of salt that occurs when you overfeed plants. If the temps are too cold, especially if they are under 60 degrees, brown spots can start to form on the plants foliage. Immediately stop overwatering the Calathea, 8. Although less likely on Calatheas, you also need to keep an eye out for scale insects. Ensure that the soil is well-draining and allow it to dry out between waterings. Should I cut off Calathea leaves with brown spots. This can be exacerbated by large water droplets on the leaves that focus the light rays into a small spot, These attackers can be chased off by occasionally treating the plant with neem oil; see our article on how to use this natural pest repellent on Calatheas. Calatheas are a houseplant that likes its soil to stay moist but not soggy. Properly sanitizing your tools and space when handling plants is essential. These can be large patches of pink or more subtle pink markings. In most cases, you can point the finger at tap water, since it typically contains chlorine, fluoride, and other additives that cities add. Related: Best Calathea Soil: Tips to Pick the Right Potting Mix. Soil choice is also vital make sure it is amended with coconut coir or peat moss and perlite to improve drainage and prevent rotting in future. All these preventive measures are done to help reduce stress that can occur when pruning any plant. Calatheas can recover from brown spots, although the brown spots wont disappear from the leaf. When these chemicals accumulate in the soil, they make it harder for the roots to take up water. In this article, gardening expert Emily Horn walks through the most common causes of droopy leaves and how to fix it! If Your Calathea Isnt Growing Well or the Leave Edges Turn Brown and Brittle, If the Leaves Begin to Droop or the Stems Become Limp and Begin to Rot, If You See Gray Mold Growing on the Leaves or Stems. Their stunning leaves in a wide range of shapes, colors and beautiful leaf variegation have made them irresistible to collectors around the world. If not, here are a few other possibilities. Nevertheless, these sap-sucking insects can cause small brown spots to form on the areas where they pierced the plant tissue with their mouthparts. Another potential issue is new leaves that are small or misshapen when they emerge. You should only water the Calathea once the soil starts to feel dry. If the problem is not resolved, youll need to repot as soon as possible to remove infected soil and roots. WebLighting Conditions. Another common pest to look out for is mealybug. If you notice all these factors combined, make sure you move the plant out of the path of the direct sun straight away, or cover your window with a shear curtain to filter the suns rays. Calathea is a genus of about 100 flowering plants in the Marantaceae family, native to Central America, the West Indies, and southern Mexico. Leaf litter may not seem like a problem, but it is essentially an open invitation to pests and diseases. There are actually a few common issues that can impact these popular houseplants, depending on how they are grown. And unhealthy or damaged leaves are a major source of stress for their devoted owners. The issue of overwatering isnt something to fool around with, since it makes the roots soggy, which leads to root rot. Do you have some problems with your Chinese Money Plant and aren't quite sure what to do? Brown edges on your Calathea leaves are generally a sign that the plant isnt getting enough water. WebTo prevent Bacterial Leaf Spot in your Pothos, it's important to avoid overwatering. Some of the most common diseases that affect Calatheas include bacterial blight, root rot, and leaf spot. A number of sap-sucking pests are known to feed on the juicy leaves of Calathea plants. The Healthy Houseplant is reader-supported. If only one or two leaves are yellowing, dont sweat it especially if they seem to be the leaves that have been on your plant the longest. If, however, there is an abundance of infected leaves, removing them all can cause the plants growth and health to suffer. As the underwatering continues, the leaves will start to feel dry and crispy, brown spots can form, and the plants health and growth will suffer. However, if youre bothered by the unsightly look of crisping leaves, you can trim off the dead portions. If you mist your Calatheas, use a fine droplet setting and try to avoid letting it sit in a sunbeam immediately afterward. The usual suspects are spider mites, the most common Calathea pests by a landslide, but thrips or aphids can also cause this type of damage. 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