Your Calathea is letting its leaves droop - and this is happening despite your best efforts! Calatheas are finicky plants, so don't be alarmed if they show signs of distress at the moment. With the right treatment, it should be possible to bring them back to life, even if this is a sign of something more serious.
Watering problems cause most calathea plants to die. The only way to tell whether the ground is too dry or too wet is to feel it. Frost, lack of fertilization or moisture, among other things, are other, less common causes of wilting. Below we'll look at the most common reasons why calatheas wilt and how to treat them.
The houseplant moves
The leaves of the houseplant move from one place to another throughout the day. They fall off in the morning and stand up again in the evening. Like many other houseplants, the basket marant comes from tropical rainforests and reacts to the fluctuating light conditions there by “dancing” every day. Before you do anything extreme, take a few moments during the day to observe the leaves. Does the sag correct itself every evening? If that's the case, then that's simply the way this fascinating plant grows.
Do you water your plant regularly?
Keeping the soil evenly moist for calathea plants requires a lot of water. It is possible for the roots to become dry and go into shock if the soil dries out unevenly, even if the surface appears reasonably moist. To get a good feel for the moisture level in the root zone, insert your finger into the soil about 3 to 5 centimeters deep. If you water your plants irregularly, they may initially become limp, but this will go away when you water them again.
Calathea Droops Leaves: Excessive Watering
Overwatering calathea plants will cause them to wilt and drop, which is annoying but unavoidable. Things get more complicated when you notice that the leaves are drooping more than before and you have to water more than before because of the wilting. If the plant is wet and continues to look sad and wilted, allow it to dry out. If you suspect water is collecting around the plant's roots, it may be necessary to repot it into a new container. Be very careful with watering cycles for newly propagated calathea plants, and if that doesn't work, try a loose, more draining potting mix.
Provide nutrients
In most cases, Calathea plants will continue to grow even when nutrients in the soil are scarce. However, as they age, they can lose energy and become limp. For this reason, they may appear wilted, even ifthe stems and leavesare not really floppy or mushy. If your basket marante's new leaves appear to be drooping, even when it is well watered and shiny, fertilizing may be the solution. Giving a small amount of a 3-3-3 fertilizer should stimulate new growth.
Proper drainage
Calathea will become limp over time if the soil or container is not well drained.Although these plantsThey thrive in slightly moist soil, but die if they stand in water that is too high for their roots.
To check whether there is standing water at the bottom of the pot, lift the root ball and remove it from the container. If water cannot penetrate to the roots, it can cause wilting if the soil mixture appears compacted. To fix this, you can try adding more soil or using a new container.
Stress caused by high temperatures
Tropical plants like Calathea need a warm, friendly environment in which they can thrive. Keep the temperature between 18 and 24 degrees Celsius. Even in a warm environment, your plant will feel the effects of drafts. Extreme heat or cold damages plants and soil. Make sure your wicker is not shaking and that it is in a warm, draft-free place.
Low light conditions
Light is not very important for the wicker marant, but too much light can cause it to appear limp and wilted. The plant prefers indirect light, so even very bright bulbs may be too much for it.
Pay attention to the humidity
When it comes to humidity, Calathea is considered to be very picky. If the humidity is too low, their glossy leaves will dry out much more quickly as they absorb moisture from their environment. The humidity that marmot requires to grow is often lacking in air-conditioned habitats. When plants are exposed to dry air, they go into survival mode, which can be fatal if left unchecked. The ideal humidity for basket marante is 60% or higher. Getting the entire room to this humidity level may not be feasible or comfortable, but you can make a specific area as moist as your plant needs it.
Also read:Calathea gets brown leaves: 7 possible causes and their solutions
