The Ultimate Guide To Watering Your Calathea
It’s normal to feel nervous when you first implement your new plant’s watering routine, and this can be especially true with the beautiful Calathea. The last thing anyone wants to do is cause this enchanting plant undue stress!
But breathe a sigh of relief, because our Ultimate Guide is exactly the resource you need to take the mystery out of the ever-mysterious Calathea’s care routine!
How to water your Calathea
Learn to Test the Soil by Touch
We know that the beautiful bed of moss that blankets your Calathea’s soil looks perfect the way it is- but don’t be afraid to lift it up! (You can pat it right back down after, and it will still look gorgeous.)
Using your finger to test the dryness of the top one to two inches of soil is a great way to determine the watering needs of your Calathea. In any environment, conditions are changeable: Winter turns to Spring; heaters are cranked then turned off entirely as seasons change. All of these things affect the watering needs of your plants, so going by touch can be preferable to simply following “Once a week”-style guidance.
You will learn to trust yourself as a plant parent, and cultivate your green thumb, by getting down and dirty with your plant.
Once or twice a week, probe your Calathea’s soil with your finger. If the top inch of soil feels like it is getting dry, go ahead and water your Calathea.
The Many Marvels of Misting
There’s so much to love about misting- and not only for those of us who can’t get enough of cute accessories!
Calatheas are native to humid jungles, so they love a good misting, and appreciate being misted every few days.
Consider using lukewarm water when misting, or even leaving a bowl of water out overnight before misting your plants with it. Allowing the water to rest will cause its harsh minerals to evaporate.
Another benefit of misting is that it gives you a way of interacting with your plant, without the risk of overwatering it- which is by far the most common plant parent mistake and can result in serious health issues for your plant, including the dreaded brown leaves that too often occur.
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Bottoms Up!
We all know that plants use their roots to drink, but did you know that those roots can function as straws, sucking up just the right amount of water to perk your Calathea up?
You can hydrate your Calathea by allowing it to soak. Remove your Calathea from its ceramic pot, but keep it in its plastic nursery planter.
Then, place your Calathea in a bowl or sink filled with three to four inches of lukewarm water. Let the Calathea soak for about 45 minutes before testing its soil by touch. (By now, you know exactly what to look for!)
If the soil feels moist, your plant is good to go! Allow it to drain entirely before replacing it in its ceramic pot.
Overwatered? Give it a rest!
Overwatering any plant can feel heartbreaking. But there are solutions, although recovery will take time. Here are two options for rehabbing your overwatered Calathea:
The True Beginner Method
Take your Calathea out of its ceramic pot, but leave it in its plastic nursery planter. If any water has collected in the ceramic pot, dump it now! Move your plant to a warm spot with medium to bright indirect light, and allow it to dry until moist before returning it to its ceramic pot.
The Practiced Plant Parent Method
Lay out newspapers in a spot that receives medium to bright indirect light. Once you have those set out, remove your Calathea from both its ceramic pot and its plastic nursery pot. Allow it to rest on the newspapers, roots and all!
The newspapers will likely soak, so replace them as they fully saturate, until your Calathea stops draining excess water. Then return your Calathea to its plastic nursery pot, and allow it to dry until moist before returning it to its ceramic pot.
And there you have it! If you’re a Calathea lover (and who isn’t!) these steps will serve you well. So go ahead- add a Calathea to your growing plant family with confidence!
Ready for more? Read our full guide on Calathea care, including tips for propagation, repotting, and more.
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