Calathea Care | Things you should know before buying a Calathea

[@hj6507]

I feel bad for everyone commenting how their partners get annoyed when they add new plants. I get money sometimes can be an issue but cmoooon. Every time I come home with plants my boyfriend ALWAYS goes 'oouuu aahhhh thats so neat what are you going to name it?' lol 💕 tell your partner's to lighten up! Plants are the best 💕

[@reannabrock]

Gus Griswald haha my partner names my plants for me. My favorites right now are the giant golden pathos that he named Gloria and our cactus, cactus jack.

[@superinquisitor]

Gus Griswald you stole that comment from reddit, you fucking plant hater.

[@oliviaekvall4767]

Well my boyfriend said enough is enough when dirt was found in the bed 🙈

[@chandremonae2372]

Olivia Ekvall not in the bed😩😩😩I try to clean up before mines come friend u can’t be leaving evidence around😂😂😂

[@Brightsidefilmscanada]

@@oliviaekvall4767 I dropped gritty mix into the back of the couch last week, knocked succulent from table.. still have a bunch clean out.. ;)

[@rhiannonh5202]

watching after impulse buying my first Calathea yesterday lol oops

[@ellaaa___]

Rhiannon H hahahah same

[@parad0xx26]

Me too I’m in trouble

[@alexisdelgadillo4514]

Haha same. I just bought mine today. A bit nervous now 😳

[@anneharding4893]

Me too! I did pretty much everything she said not to do!

[@solste1]

Hahaha same. Mine has survived for a month now. Has grown like crazy too! 😯 my very first house plants that's not a cactus too, so I'm nervous to say the least 😂

[@Kirorokat1132]

Regarding the need for distilled water; I have 8 calathea now and didn't want to constantly be stocking distilled water from the store and didn't even realize a water filter would work, but I learned a trick from KZbin comments on another video to treat a gallon of tap water with water purifier for aquariums. It's made to neutralize the minerals and whatnot in tapwater, you only need a few drops per gallon, and I got a little bottle of it for under $5 at my local pet store. Been using it for a good while and have no brown tips on any of my callies.

[@miguelvaldez4735]

Thank you.

[@evarose7789]

Plant pickup lines: girl, are you a calathea? 'cause you look stunning but painfully high maintenance! 😂

[@poppychyk]

I always go back to this video whenever I get hands on a new calathea. It doesn't matter how many I already have. When I get a new one, the anxiety is high and this video makes me calm 😂

[@paytonthomas8441]

Same!

[@MH-qi2mf]

You can also put pots water on radiators as the water will evaporate into the air working like a (very cheap) humidifier :)

[@roobertjuh]

I just have a lot of plants and propagations in water in my east facing window sill above the radiator. Works the same way, some lovely humidity being radiated throughout the house plus some warmer weather but moisture loving plants are in a great place with some dim morning sun :)

[@KokeshiAudrey]

Calathea’s are also non-toxic, for all you pet owners concerned about that 😸

[@toge7101]

Mvp 🙌🏼

[@Terry-hw1ws]

Even birds !!!

[@clairebatacan]

They’re my favorite and I’m actually not that bad with them! 🙈

[@Melissa-hc9gs]

Even some reptiles, like crested geckos! :)

[@carolinebarrett4736]

Oh thank god 😂 my cat Satan likes to go and rub up against the leaves to torment me 😆

[@carolinalozano5808]

I put a large plate under each of my calatheas' pots with some pebbles and water, I fill it 1 to 2 cm deep, and I make sure there's aways water, I don't let it dry out. That really helps keeping the "humidity bubble" too! :)

[@stephaniechristiano9446]

I’ve had a Calathea for two years and never knew it was temperamental. It started flowering last week. And then I read an article about how temperamental they are and now it’s looking pale... ignorance is bliss?

[@davidmartindale1678]

It always makes me sigh a bit when people describe plants as "temperamental" or "difficult to care for" because the plants have evolved to grow and reproduce all on their own (imagine that!), its simply the further you take some plants from their usually environmental conditions the harder you have to work against your house climate to make it more like the plants native climate. It seems you're very lucky! and your house simply has enough humidity and heat to comfort the calathea and you have your watering down to a T!

[@jeanniefromtahini5197]

SAME! I usually am awful with plants, but for the most part my calathea tell me what they want and I give it to them. They're doing pretty good. My other plants are usually "quiet" then die 😅

[@alanticstars]

Found your videos recently, and I swear you are the realest plant youtube out there. Everyone presents Calathea as easy, but you show us the truth and non-expensive ways to tackle it. I love your channel!

[@reagan6743]

My younger brother picked up a Calathea Ornata because he thought it looked cool and I had no idea they’re they require this much care! I just ordered a spray bottle, humidity meter, and water level meter off amazon to be sure i can try my hardest to keep it alive!

[@TheRealSabrinaDeep]

I collect rain water for my calathea's. This is no small task in Spain. It requires real dedication but its been worth it. Turned my calatheas and my orchids around. Orchids really hated me before rain water. Im going to go order a Brita now for back up though. That is a great Idea!!

[@bimirabu]

Yes!! I agree it’s a water filter is a great backup! I got lazy and started watering my calathea with straight tap water this winter and they started getting crispy edges. 😓 The thing is, the tap water was too hard for *me* to even want to drink-why would the calathea like it any better? lol went back to distilled and they’re bouncing back 🤗

[@margiemcpeak9304]

Hi Kaylee Ellen! This is one of the few times that I'm actually happy to NOT HAVE a plant! Lol! The beauty of calatheas is amazing & I love them; but, I haven't yet purchased one. My fear of failure & indecisiveness have obviously saved me from experiencing the dreaded "brown, crispy leaves" and disappointment that so many people have endured. Thank goodness! This video AND the one done by Tropical Plant Addict on calathea care have given me a new attitude toward those beautiful plants. I've decided to purchase the same humidifier that you own. Once my home & I are properly prepared, I'll shop for calatheas with the confidence I've lacked until now. Thank you very much for your channel AND this most valuable video! 🌾💜

[@LatriceSydney]

If you glaze the inside of a terra-cotta it creates a barrier so that the terra cotta doesn’t absorb moisture.

[@KayleeEllenOfficial]

That's a good one! I should try that :) good tip! 🙂

[@margiemcpeak9304]

Wow, Latrice! How do you DO that? Please? Thank you!

[@ariannaroldan5424]

So glad I don't need a humidifier because I live in Costa Rica, where is 70% humid all year!

[@andrescastillo07]

same! haha here in Curridabat is always like 99%

[@gardeninginthedesert]

Here in Gambia we swing from 70-80% to 20% every six months. Such hard work for my poor plants. 😣

[@aristeaheidenreich8023]

Me too! Humidity here ranges from 71-85%

[@MrLogic85]

A tip for you. Putting plants that like moisture and humid air in terracotta is actually a great idea just because it leeches water from the soil. Why is that then might one ask :). Well, where does it leech the water to then? Into the air of course. And the more moist loving plants you have in terracotta, the more humid your room will be. Yes, you will need to water more often, but you will have to refill your humidifier less often as it will not have to work as much.

[@mrblacknwhite23]

This is perfect! I'm planning to move forward on my plant journey and calathea are my next target. I'm starting to do a research before I get one and this video is all timing. ♥️💚🌿

[@kimsmith2781]

Kaylee,your advice is on point. My Calatheas have thrived in their nursery pots.it's been 5 months,so I may repot them now. I live in the Tropics,so humidity is not an issue,but I use filtered water. I did all my research before getting one and they are now lush,gorgeous and my favourites. Finally gave them a little diluted plant food.

[@emmanordgren6086]

Sounds like an ideal home and I'm jealous!

[@hamburgsperle324]

Hi Kaylee! I came here from Jenna and Juliens vlog and subscribed right away ☺️

[@kjjgfyfcc2944]

and now we wont be able to watch jenna and her plants :/

[@blondeyesbluehair]

Rare plants are fun and this is also very helpful. Maybe also vacation tips? If you don't have anyone to water your plants?

[@riodejaneiro7675]

Get watering stakes to do the job while you are out - or just lazy, ha ha www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H9HZ4FB?pf_rd_r=DVH7JKJYZ2E6MHDHHXTG&pf_rd_p=edaba0ee-c2fe-4124-9f5d-b31d6b1bfbee

[@aingealtara1479]

.. I've got my very first calathea ornata a couple of months ago, not knowing what it was, but I fell in love with the little critter in the grosery store.. Back home I found it was soaking wet and I left it on my kitchen table thinking I would see tomorrow where to put it.. That night I was really worried about the dripping soaked soil, it was actually drowning.. Next morning I skipped my routine and took the little critter out of the pot dripping all over the place and gently removed the soil and cleaned the roots under lukewarm water.. It took a good wee while and patience.. I removed the dead roots and sprayed with neem oil, took a clean pot and gave it my own potting mix and waited a few days before watering.. Meanwhile I used my spray to mist it and 24 hours later it behaved like it should.. Like a Calathea prayer plant.. It has given mee 2 new leafs and has grown half size taller.. Now it sit on my grands old desk with 5 others, in the shade (I've got 3 sitting on my working place in a corner of the kitchen where its very low light) and they are all as happy as can be.. With same mist routine everyday, water when they are halfway dry fertilizer with fish emulsion and more once every 2 week.. I boil the tap water, cools it down and run it through a paper coffee filter, and it works for all my 75 plants 🤗

[@snowangelz430]

Your tips were a huge help my ctenanthes have been far to wet since I bought them. The moisture meter I bought did not say what calathe etc. Should register when it needs water. I did check them and emptied out some of the wet soil and added some dry I figured it would wick the wet away from the center but I dont think it has and I have several new leaves coming out light brown Im assuming now due to being to wet for to long. Again thank you. You probably just saved 2 plants lives.

[@Gomez3nt]

Worldclass in every aspect, great personality, intelligent and gorgeous. Great channel!

[@taishagonzalez1947]

I repot all my plants soon as I get them. I use clear pots on all my plants it makes watering so much easier & has made a huge difference. I also use a brita to water with a few drops of fish tank water clarifier.

[@JillyC5]

How have I only just found you! At last a UK plant channel. This video is SO helpful. especially as I didn't realise I have one of those 'humidifiers' for essential oils and I never thought to use it with my plants. My Calathea is doing so well despite the abuse (I repotted it the day I got it!) but I do keep her warm and moist.

[@missingair]

Got the soil moisture meter thanks to this video. It is a life saver, I was seriously under watering :’). I expect my plants to do much better now.

[@knitandknot2805]

Simply the best care guide out of all the videos i watched

[@melandbelle89]

I didn’t know any of this before buying my calathea, but read about it after I repotted it. Since then, I’ve been struggling to keep it healthy. It’s growing and has flowers but it’s leaves are wrinkled and droopy. I don’t have a humidifier yet, but have grouped my plants together on pebbles w water and spray their leaves occasionally. I’m looking into the watering probe now. Thanks for all your tips, wish I found you sooner x

[@emmanordgren6086]

Make sure to invest in a hygrometer! Gives you the chance to know exactly what the humidity is in your home

[@miguelvaldez4735]

I just got my first calathea today. It is in really bad shape so they gave me a distressed discount. Most of the plant is crispy so I will need to clean it up a bit. I really enjoy finding distressed plants. They usually just need a good water and most places will give you a deal.. I inspect thoroughly as to not get any plants with disease or pests. And quarantine it for a while. I am impatient when I get a new plant. I always want to repot right away but I do understand that they need to acclimate. I have a really good humidifier too! So im excited. Anyways, wish me luck!

[@gravellane150]

Thank you for pointing out about cold water shocking plants. I think I almost killed my Avocado tree because of it. 😪

[@Melissa-hc9gs]

"We don't want crispy, we want sexy" XD You're so funny. Thanks for making it a fun calathea care guide.

[@mercedesguzman1151]

ooooh, Why the underleaves are purple?Pleeeease, a video about that :) Excellent tips and tools!!!

[@Jo-uf6gs]

Mercedes Guzmán I don’t remember where I heard it from but apparently because the calathea plants typically grow on the floors of the rainforest where there’s not much light, the purple color on bottoms of the leaves of some calatheas help capture more light to photosynthesize (rather than the light escaping and reaching through the leaf) :)

[@Nettietwixt]

Calathea and other humidity-loving plants seem to do well in my damp Devon home. We struggle to get our humidity below about 65% without using a dehumidifier and it's often closer to 80%. One thing I've realised is not to buy Calathea and other similar plants from supermarkets on the odd tempting time they have them, I think the air conditioning damages them as none have them have lasted long without severe issues. They seem to be fine if they've come from garden centres.

[@keiths.9239]

Im so glad im not the only one that my partner gets annoyed if i add more plants. Ive been told i have a jungle.

[@karenhedrick1]

Kaylee, wow! This video is extraordinary!!! You did a great job of explaining in details on how to care for Calathea. Thank you so much for sharing. I have been following you for a long time. I watched your setup and opening of your shop, which was very enlightening.

[@87FloJo]

BAHAHA! I haven't bought ANY plants since October. We're relocating in January so my husband told me to wait until then & I ordered 2 more plants off eBay😂😂😂 HOPEFULLY he's at work when they get here! I JUST HAD TO HAVE THEM!! 😂😂

[@sarapocorn]

Florence Perez I also didn‘t get any more plants since October! Because.. is it. October. I got two plants yesterday. I have 40+ plants in my bedroom in the house I share with others, because I‘m a student. someone help me haah

[@TheIncredibleHieb]

The thing i always ask myself when it comes to humidity is " Do none of you get house mold ? " I have no problems getting up to 60-70% humidty in my room since i have aquariums, but in winter i get serious mold if i don't use a dehumidifier.

[@steinistein8611]

I *heard* ivy helps with that because it cleans spores from the air, however I have no source to back it up. But I thought it might be Wort mentioning to you so you can check it out

[@JenMarco]

I’ve been wanting one of those weather things for indoor outdoor so now this is my excuse to get one! I am ordering now.

[@brettdomenick]

Hey! FYI, Britta filters do not filter fluoride! I like to buy cheap filtered jugs for my sensitive plants

[@evicaf4e]

My sister has the Calathea and she water it with tap water. I've never seen bigger Calathea then hers, it even blooms now in the summer time, it has flowers. I have the same one as she does, but for only 1 months and it's doing great. :)

[@JS-ys2uk]

It's highly dependent on where you live but most people should use distilled

[@evicaf4e]

@@JS-ys2uk true, we also drink our tap water and it's better than any bottle water you can buy.

[@acaldock8626]

I've just bought a Calathea "Network" and I love it - but I am so worried I'm going to end up with a sad crinkly mess. Hope not. I'll mist until I can save for a humidifier...

[@rebeccaferguson4273]

I literally bought 2 calatheas last week, one calathea sanderiana pinstripe and also a calathea lemon lime(because you mentioned it 🤦‍♀️😂) I bought a humidity checker because I was curious about the level of my home luckily it's at 50-60% at the moment. I do also have my plants on trays of pebbles with a little water and I have a good few plants close together to help with the humidity in the area. So there's a couple tips for anyone who can't afford a humidifier right now (me😂). I am in Wales in the valleys so it gets colder here than most other places so time will tell now it's getting colder.

[@jennywagner2448]

loving your channel Kaylee.... :) wanted to mention that Brita doesn't take out fluoride but does remove chlorine and other nasty stuff... to remove fluoride which is a good idea for humans and I'm guessing plants too... the Berkey water filter system does offer filters that will get the fluoride out so I thought I should mention that - and I think they originated from your side of the pond too!

[@Cyrilmc222004]

Thank you so much Kaylee, I really really enjoyed listening to your tips and advice on Calathea’s. I think these plants are really really stunning and beautiful too. I only have two of them so I’m learning so much about them. I’ve subscribed and given you a thumbs up too.

[@ulibarriL]

"Recreate its forest environment" "Stick this probe in the soil" xD Sorry, I couldn't resist. This was a really good instructional video for care of a Calathea plant. However, some people still have had trouble despite creating ideal conditions for their calathea(s), and I have also seen many plants, calatheas included, do just fine in adverse conditions and tap water. This just further increases my own anecdotal evidence that plants respond to much more than just the conditions of the home. Obviously, it is better to create a good environment for your house plants, but it would seem that plants also require some form of stress in order to boost its growth potential.

[@AcidicSeraph]

I have about a 50-65 humidity range in my bedroom where I kept mine but every single leaf was getting brown and crispy ends or edges, especially the new leaves that were still growing. I've now put it in my bathroom for even more humidity and it seems the browning at least hasn't gotten worse, but that might also just be because of different light conditions or even swapping over from tap water to bottled water (I've heard these are also sensitive to chalk and salts that are present in tap water). It's also growing a new shoot since a few days ago so it seems that I finally met the conditions it likes. I still find it strange that it was browning so much while in the right humidity, with no direct sunlight and regular watering and misting. Welp, I just now got to the part in the video where you mention the water. It must have been that then, shocking how much of a negative effect it had.

[@carmenwhitehead]

Wonderful tips! I don't have any Calathea because living in Arizona, it's so dry here. But, you've given me great info to maybe give it a try. Thank you!

[@WonderSings]

Hi, Carmen! Writing from Scottsdale to tell you there is hope! :D I don't have a calathea yet, but a good humidifier has made all the difference in my jungle room 😃

[@rena_curren]

Can you please do a variegated plant care video? I just impulse bought a variegated Calathea and I want her to stay happy and healthy and beautiful!

[@erin-iq8tm]

I've got a calathea gandersii and a zebrina and the gandersii has always been very healthy even though I give it tap water, my friend recently gave me the zebrina and she's very crispy so I'm going to get a humidity sensor and use rain water and hopefully she'll get better 🌿😊

[@tavornac1075]

Thank you, this was a really helpful video! I bought a Calathea Zebrina about a month ago and it's doing fairly well, but I'm going to implement some of your tips to really get it flourishing! My dream plant is a Calathea Musaica, so if I can get the Zebrina right I feel like I'll be ready for the far more rare and expensive Musaica...

[@capricorn3113]

I'm over waterer too, i have to get one of those thermometer. I'm use to using terracotta pot and now I've changed to plastic pot and I'm struggling, my Anthuriums, my ficus all their root rot. Gosh! Thanks for the video.

[@kayj2093]

I just bought my first plant which is a Calathea- very lovely! Thanks for these helpful tips esp the info on the probe👍🏼

[@97ana]

How is your calethea doing?

[@remiska8655]

I use my water meter everyday, very great to have! Sometimes I would have a watered but the meter has save my plants. I google all the plants I plan to purchase in the nursery just to see if we can work together.

[@cherilynmcfadyen7061]

I absolutely love seeing your channel growing!!

[@kimofacertainage]

Great video. Thanks for the info. Starting to think its the British atmosphere. You and Tropical Plant Addict (fellow Englishwoman) have the best calatheas on youtube. I have one question (two parts), how often do you run your humidifier and how long? Thanks again and keep it coming.

[@KayleeEllenOfficial]

Thanks :) yeah it could be our atmosphere to be honest. Ah yeah I know her I watch her videos and follow her on Instagram shes great 😁 well I actually have one that I use to set the desired humidity level and my humidifier just maintains that by itself. But when I used my old humidifier I actually had it running 24 hours a day lol. Calathea like insanely high levels of humidity - even as high as 85%! So I just give them as much as I can.

[@sgist7824]

@@KayleeEllenOfficial thanks for your video! I think I may take her into the shower with me on occasion as our place is too damp as it is upstairs, but downstairs is not

[@ann-kathrinschretter7921]

did you ever make a video about the „purpleness“ of the calatheas?

[@nadimahbogart2705]

I truly appreciate the advice to consider where the plant naturally lives. I say similar to fish keepers funny enough, people are overwhelmed with new information and the best thing they can do is Learn about what they’ve got and where it came from and try to emulate that. “Can I keep goldfish with angelfish?” Well you can but you shouldn’t. In my perfect dream world I could zone my whole house with different environments. How snobby would that be?! “And here in the dining room we have Peru.... hohohohoh”

[@autumnnlynn2323]

Can you please do one of these on anthuriums?! 😊

[@KayleeEllenOfficial]

It's coming on Friday 😂😁😍

[@stylewithlaurieburley3707]

Great info! I have two arriving tomorrow! I put cute vases/jars of water next to them.

[@emmanuelcharlot1695]

Potted plants and I, love self watering containers. I have plants which spend the cold months indoors and the rest of the years out and the water gauges are a lifesaver. Expensive solution, but it does guaranty high level of success when you have a collection of plants with widely varying watering needs, dependant on breed, season and setting.

[@rosemarypan155]

You got a new subscriber! I’m totally binge watching - great format and love how you share your research!

[@Sarah-iz2nt]

I finally bought a calathea to add to my jungle. I think a mosaic variety? I drench mine in my pond water (aka crack water) so hopefully she’ll be loooing like a rock star in no time-somewhat crispy from on the store shelf

[@CarmenAlvarez-ro9uq]

Thank you so much. I can now look after my plant. I could not do anything right . I now have a thermometer which reads humidity as well. I will purchase the humidifier. I so love this plant.

[@MintyCanRead]

I love terracotta pots, mainly because I'm a compulsive kill-it-with-kindness over-waterer and it gives me some level of comfort to know my pot is doing its best to save my plants from me. Looks like I'll have to be a bit more careful with my Calathea. I've got a moisture meter too, and a big bottle of distilled water, so I really have no excuse now if my Calathea dies.

[@texasgigi3684]

I wish I had watched this before getting my rattlesnake calathea. It has really gone downhill since I repotted it into my bird container. It looked SOOOO GOOD at first. The leaves looked kind of like feathers. Now, it’s circling the drain. I guess I will put it back in a nursery pot and put a moisture meter in it. I have the one as you, Kalee, just haven’t used it.... hopefully I can save it..

[@2909missqueen]

I love your calathea white star! It's the first "fussy" plant I've bought and I love it so so much!

[@Kyle-ch2nk]

Great advice about the water meter! I don't know how i survived before I started using one.

[@picklepirate]

The great thing about nursery pots is they have the perfect soil mix for the plant- a good amount of perlite/vermicompost/pete/soil

[@maeclark6484]

Great Video Kaylee! I appreciate the suggestions on caring and preserving our Calathea plants! I will look into purchasing the water and humidity meters! I enjoyed you video, thank you!💕❤

[@Peterrdee]

I keep my calathea in my bathroom, he loves the hot showers 😂

[@gabbymoon9464]

Same🤣

[@TheBizWizz]

Can you, Kaylee, somehow, illustrate exactly how and how much you water your plants? I know you feel if it's damp ~ how? If it is, exactly how much water do you pour in? Cupfull, jug full, watering can? Let it run out of the bottom then drain? Stand them all in the bath and give them a shower once a month? There's so much to know and nothing to see. Could you help on physically watering your plants please! How do we know we've given them enough to drink? Confused in Birkenhead. Lornie xx xx xx

[@staceykersting705]

Use about 1/3 the volume of the pot. Use filtered or distilled water, or let water sit overnight.

[@naysneedle5707]

You can tell how dry your plants are by picking up the pot *in both hands* to judge the weight, experience will teach you how heavy a wet pot is and how light a dry one gets. Let one absorb all the water it will and see how it feels afterwards. It's much easier to judge if the pot is plastic, which is why I keep all my plants in plastic pots, preferably dressed up with a nicer cover pot - also avoids overflowing a saucer! Some folks stick their finger into the soil or use a moisture meter, but personally I think that regularly wounding the roots is a bad idea. In terms of when to water, certain plants want to dry out completely between waterings, most cacti and some succulents for example. Most tropical plants should not be allowed to dry out completely, if they feel about "half empty" by weight I will water. A few plants don't want to even dry out that much and must be kept on the moist side; many Calatheas, Stromanthes etc fall into that category, as do peace lilies, as well as many ferns. Don't listen to people who say to water only when a plant wilts or the leaves feel soft or flaccid; your plant will grow much better if it isn't constantly dehydrating. In the warmer months when there is more light and plant is growing, you should fully saturate the soil every time you water. If the soil was still fairly moist to begin with, you can stop as soon as you see any water coming out of the drainage holes. But if the soil was more on the dry side, keep going until there's around a centimetre or two of water in the saucer or cover pot, and drain it half an hour or so later, if there's still some in there. Dry potting soil repels water, so it just runs straight through to the bottom of the pot and takes time to be absorbed. If you let your soil dry out and don't allow it time to re-wet, your plant will not get enough water to grow properly. In winter, if the plant isn't growing, you might not want to fully saturate the soil at watering time, because it won't be using much water and will take a very long time to dry out. Just water enough to get to about "three quarters" or so. All plants should have an open, airy, fast draining soil. Plants don't die from too much water, if that were true hydroponics wouldn't be a thing. They die because lack of oxygen in the moist soil creates an environment in which undesirable microbes can thrive and rot the roots or stem of the plant. It's critical to maintain an open soil structure so you can give your plant the water it wants without rotting it. If your potting soil has a fine, peaty texture or tends to clump when moistened, add some orchid bark, perlite, pumice, coarse sand, something to loosen it up. I grow most of my plants in a coarse, spongy mix of potting soil, orchid bark and chopped dried sphagnum moss, often with some extra pumice thrown in too. Succulent plants get a sandy mix, except the epiphytes. Sorry to go on and on. Hope this helps.

[@TheBizWizz]

@@naysneedle5707 Your reply was amazing. Thankyou sooo much. For the first time, I am now not scared to go near to my plants with water! You have explained the logic beautifully. Thankyou so much for the extensive but much needed explanation. Huggies, Lorna xx xx xx

[@emmanordgren6086]

@@naysneedle5707 great response! Research is key

[@creech444]

We have those meters in the states, but the light meter seems to be set more for outdoor readings, I wish there was one that was calibrated for indoor light readings. Has anyone used those photometers for houseplants, I see you can get one for $20-$30 US$. Do those work? LOL, I love Kaylee talks about her boyfriend not happy about the new plant, then in the very next sentence she talks about getting soil all over the bed - gee, wonder why he would be upset? I find with Calatheas too that the variety makes all the difference, there are several that are less fussy, but also less showy. i like a lot of the Ctenanthe (Grey Star, Amigris, Setosa), many of those come from Central America, still like humidity but not to the extent that the Amazon varieties demands.

[@sasharandomly4221]

Recently fell in love with calath but haven't gotten 1 yet. This will help loads because I hear so much about how difficult they can be to keep looking beautiful. Yet few elaborate.

[@ladisqui5920]

The watering probe technique is the same i use and it works perfectly! Always wait for it to go to number 3.

[@fionamoir7467]

Stumbles across this video after being the proud parent of two calatheas! I must be super lucky with my orbifolia as she is behaving for me (slight crispy-ness on oldest leaf!).... I have cursed myself now! Thanks for the tips humidity reader on shopping list 👌🏼

[@lullabie18]

The more I research the more I hear that everyone has different problematic calatheas. For example my velvet touch is acting like all hell broke loose but my roseopicta which is standing right next to the velvet touch is enjoying life and existing happily. It even bloomed a while back!! I'll definetely try some things you mentioned

[@veralynwijaya9019]

Me watching this while removing my varigated calathea from it’s nursery pot : 👁👄👁

[@Fiedelewie]

Which one do you mean? White fusion?

[@EchoSappho]

Definitely going to buy the moist-thermometer! My roseopicta corona plants keep dying and they're the quickest to die. Right next to it are the makoyana and rufibarba that are doing well, even making new leaves in the winter. It would be great to see if I can manage my calathea's to no longer die. I'm going to try some subspecies of calathea again this spring :)

[@lucybloom5463]

I've always tried to go without humidifier because i think they are kind of cumbersome (and a wee bit ugly) but your Levoit Humidifier looks fantastic. I think i might cave and have to get one.

[@1983zil]

amazing, just to the point and no drama. You should do more videos.

[@maria3604]

So what you are saying is that I basically just bought the plant version of a Karen

[@lin5683-d4m]

🤣🤣

[@franconavarro342]

I’m so lucky I live in Florida and humidity outside is always over 80%... I keep all of mine at my balcony. I just have to watch out for wind and rain sometimes

[@mikey9945]

My calathea is thriving so much because I live in a rainforest so the humidity is absolutely perfect!

[@shoulders-of-giants]

pah

[@carmenochoa1278]

Feeling much better now...my calathea got crunchy and died this winter. I’m understanding why and how this happened, and I think I’ll repurchase one and try again! Thank you!👍🏽😄

[@KrissiCreates]

I'm shocked !! I'm on track and have all the equipment you spoke of !! Well, not the big Humidifier, but a great smaller one . Great tips and info on Calathea's. New sub here !! Going to do a marathon to watch your video's !! Plant on !!

[@Dwynfal]

Very helpful, thanks! I'm still struggling with calatheas but I've found that, in general, the ones with very thin leaves are harder to keep than those with thicker somewhat waxy leaves... Rubifarba may be the exception there, mine does bounce back if I go a day too long on the watering. They can be divas, that's for sure !!!

[@barbll000]

I love calatheas and have a few. I love that you said that one of them is a diva LOL. Some of them are easy care and others are fussy/difficult. So I'm learning what they like and don't like and where in the house to place them to make them the happiest. it doesn't help that we've literally had no sun so far this year and just rain so I can't rely on any regular indirect light from a window. I saw the humidifier you recommend (6L) and I had it on my wish list. I purchase it today and note that Amazon has a $15 off coupon to click on. So bonus!!

[@Ucceah]

there's a simple trick to keeping your calatheas healthy: get a few aquariums! they help to maintain humidity, and if you do your water changes proper, you have an ample supply of well rested, soft water, naturally enriched with nitrates and other organic nutrients.

[@Atomicqueen9]

Or if you don't like the look of aquariums a pebble tray works great for humidity

[@Ucceah]

but that wont get people into fishkeeping, or fun rube goldberg solutions to simple problems, that out-complicate the initial problem by oders of magnitude. :D

[@danakrueger7833]

My very first plant was a prayer plant. Stupid thing would die and come back to life multiple times. Wish I had known then what know now...Love your videos.

[@michelekamenar5026]

So glad I have found your channel. I love your insights and hands on approach. Really accessible for beginner to intermediate plant hobbyists like myself. Cheers!

[@Kehy_ThisNameWasAlreadyTaken]

Lol as someone with LOTS of planted aquariums, this is all funny. Mine is looking great, because the humidity from the aquariums, and I'm actually using an aquarium light meant to grow plants on it (it's sharing with other things). I water mine with fish tank water, which happens to have trace amounts of nutrients as well, is already warm, and already has chlorine/chloramine removed Thinking of setting up an epiphyte/ living wall above my largest tank to take advantage of that humidity, and because more plants is better.

[@Mutterschnepfe]

Honestly I never had any problems with my calathea zebrina. It used to live in my bathroom close to a window facing east. Never had to worry about humidity because I created it every time I took a shower. It lived happily and even bloomed (tiny purple blossoms). Sadly it died when I moved and handed it to a friend who somehow killed it. Still miss this lovely, easy plant.

[@cherylwellham3786]

I just watched your video on tare Calatheas and was surprised when you were disappointed by the Calathea Lutea. I live in the tropics and these are common in suburban gardens. The photo you showed did not do it justice. They have grow to about 2- 3 metres and have the most beautiful leaves of soft green on the upper side and on the lower side soft silvery tones. When they sway in the breeze among the other darker plants they are simply stunning. Their flowers are just dark brown long stems that hang dow. Hence the common name of the Havana Cigar plant. These really are beautiful caltheas. Perhaps you could source a better photo. The rest if your video was informative and enjoyable. Thank you.

[@devanste50]

Hey love the videos n very good information thanks so much 👍🏾😃👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾🙋🏾‍♀️ so how often should I mist it.?

[@zawjahsultan]

I can’t really remember or afford to keep distilled water on hand for my Callies, using and collecting rain water has worked terrifically for me, ❤

[@caseyh8386]

I've taken your advice and ordered a humidity meter *before* ordering any plants. I also have a phalaenopsis orchid that was gifted to me last year so I'm interested to see how much humidity she's getting

[@kathleenlafferty3246]

Hey, Is it safe to live in/sleep in a space with 40-60% humidity. I'm looking at getting a humidifier, where I live in NZ in the bush, they are basically unheard of. Everyone here has a dehumidifer due to damp conditions causing lung issues and sickness :( I'm keen to hear Kaylee's thoughts. Love your channel and all your plants

[@lochlinbly6959]

its completely safe and will probably help if you have a dry nose or something

[@joannashelton3253]

according to my google research, brita filters remove no or almost no flouride from tap water. chlorine yes. luckily we have a reverse osmosis filter..toting distilled bottles isn’t happening...

[@alonelycollegestudent9937]

Good thing I live in South East Texas so it is very humid and warm. My calathea's and all my other tropical plants seem to be thriving

[@alcurtis93]

You can get one of those thermometers which come with sensors you can place in different locations and get all the values on one screen. Thermopro tp60s I think. Have to buy the second 2 transmitters separately I think. It comes with one My humidity is always very high as I live in an old house which isn't well insulated. I can easily be at 70% in winter when it's at its worst and yet I grow succulents. Go figure!