Calathea Medallion Care – Hey friend, have you ever tangled with the puzzling world of calathea medallion care? You know, that beautiful plant that can turn a bit drama queen if not treated right? First, it’s the leaves curling up like a shy child, then they start turning yellow, and before you know it, you’re staring at a drooping mess. Talk about a plant panic! But hold on, don’t let this agitation win you over. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a newbie, I’ve got some chilled solutions to turn that frown upside down. Stick with me, and we’ll get your calathea medallion glowing again. How’s that sound? Cool, huh?
In this guide, we’ll provide an overview of everything you need to know about caring for this type of plant. We’ll also give some troubleshooting tips in case you run into any problems down the road.
Bringing the Plant Home
Check your newly bought Calathea plant for pests such as spider mites, and if you don’t spot any, quarantine the plant for two weeks. Keep it a good distance away from other plants to prevent pest spread.
These plants are known to be fussy, so give your plant some time (a week or two) to adjust to its new environment before repotting it or adding fertilizer.
Calathea Medallion Light Requirements
For optimal growth, place your calathea in bright indirect light. It will still do well in lower light settings.
This means your plant should be getting indirect light throughout the day. The morning sun is great, but avoid afternoon sun, especially if it’s strong. Diffused cloudy day sunlight is OK, as well as winter afternoon sun provided it isn’t too powerful.
If your plant is getting too much light, the colors on the leaves will become lighter. You might also start seeing brown crispy edges form on the leaves from too much exposure to light.
If there isn’t enough light, growth will be stunted.
How often should you water a calathea medallion?
Although all calathea plants need a dependable watering routine to stay healthy, the Calathea medallion is especially thirsty and doesn’t do well when overwatered. How often you’ll need to water your plant depends on several factors, but as a general guide, you can expect to water it multiple times per week or every two weeks. To know for sure if it’s time to water your plant, check the top layer of soil by pokedown about half an inch with either your finger or a skewer (like checking dough when baking bread). If the soil feels moist, there’s no needto water yet; if it feels dry however, that means it’s time give water to your Calathea medallion!
Only water your plant when the top soil is dry to avoid overwatering.
Depending on the size of your plant, the type of soil used, amount of light it gets, type and size of pot, conditions in your home and time of year, you will need to water your calathea medallion more or less frequently. Even two plants with identical needs may differ based on their location – for example a plant in a brighter spot will require more watering than one that is shadier.
Which is better? A Terra Cotta pot or a Plastic one?
The type of pot your plant is in affects how often you need to water it. For example, soil in terra cotta pots dries out faster than soil in plastic pots.
For Calathea medallion, we recommend using plastic pots or any other pot that is less porous.
How to water Calathea Medallion and What Kind of Water to Use
Now that you know how frequently to water your plant, let’s discuss the best way to water it and what type of water is ideal for a calathea.
Thoroughly water your plant when watering it to ensure that your plant gets enough water. If you are watering from the top or bottom, make sure all the excess water drains away so that the roots don’t sit in water. Calatheas don’t like wet conditions, and this can lead to root rot if they sit in too much water for too long.
You can water your calathea from the bottom or the top, but make sure to switch things up every now and then. This will help flush any mineral buildups that come from fertilizing the plant in its soil.
When watering your Calatheas, be very choosy with the water you use. In most cases, tap water is not a good idea (though this depends on the quality of your local tap water). Utilizing tap water can cause chemical burns on leaves.
The best choices for type of water are distilled, filtered or rainwater.
Water your plants with room-temperature water.
Humidity and Temperature
For this plant to stay healthy, the air surrounding it should have a high humidity level; specifically, at least 50%. If you can achieve an even higher number, that would be ideal.
If you start seeing brown leaves or tips, the humidity might be low. To increase the humidity for your plant, try using an air humidifier, making a pebble tray, or adding more plants around it.
Though a temporary boost, misting your plant will increase the humidity; however, it likely won’t be enough to sustain your calathea medallion.
For best results, keep your Calathea medallion in temperatures ranging from 65 to 85 degrees.
Keep your plant in a stable temperature and out of any areas where there might be sudden gusts of wind.
In addition, keep them away from sources of heat (radiators)..
Pruning and Cleaning
You will only need to prune your calathea on occasion, removing dead leaves or any leaf that may be visually distracting (e.g., brown edges).
The large leaves make it easy to keep the plant clean. To wipe them, use a damp, soft cloth. If you want to use cleaning solution, mix a drop of dish soap with water in a bucket (this will also remove any pests or pest eggs). But before trying this method on the whole plant, test it out one leaf first. Not all dish soaps are created equal and some might not agree with your calathea medallion.
In addition to watering your plant, you can shower it as well. Gently rinse the plant with lukewarm water.
Fertilizing
Potted plants regularly need to be fertilized as they deplete the nutrients in the soil over time.
Although Calathea medallion needs fertilization throughout the growth season, it’s not a very greedy feeder. If you have fertilizer that is specific for Calathea plants, follow the instructions on how to appropriately apply it provided by the manufacturer.
Use less than the recommended amount of fertilizer if you’re using general houseplant fertilizer or foliage plant fertilizer. It’s best to go half the strength and use it less often than what is stated on the packaging; for example, if it says to apply weekly, only do so once or twice a month instead. With calatheas, it is easier to overfeed them rather then underfeeding them.
Flush excess mineral buildup from fertilizing by occasionally watering your plant from the top.
Repotting
Re-potting your plant every two years is necessary so that it has enough room to grow roots.
In other words, repot only when it’s necessary. Repotting is a very stressful experience for plants.
Your plant will need to be repotted when the roots become constrained – you’ll notice this when they start growing out of the drainage holes or above the soil.
If you need to transplant your calathea medallion to a larger pot, only use one that is slightly bigger than its current pot. If the new pot is too large, it will hold extra water which will lead to overwatering your plant.
In order to stunts your plant’s growth, you will need to trim the roots.
The best time to repot your plants is at the beginning of the growing season, which depending on where you live, could be spring.
Soil
To have a successful garden, you need good quality soil. Soil that drains well and retains moisture is ideal.
If you are using general potting soil, add perlite and peat moss (or similar) to the mix. This will help the soil retain moisture better as well as improve drainage.
With foliage plants, especially tropical ones, becoming more popular in household décor, you can find soil mixes at most gardening stores that are made specifically for these types of plants.
How To Propagate A Calathea Medallion
Remove your Calathea Medallion from its pot
To remove your plant from its pot without damaging the roots, first check to see if any roots are growing out of the drainage holes. If so, carefully untangle them so they don’t break off when you remove your plant. Then lift your plant out of its pot carefully avoiding tugging too much at the stems, which could damage them. And one thing to never do is pull at leaves as they can rip easily under resistance.
Remove the soil from the root system
The best way to divide your plant is by lightly running your fingers through the root system and slightly shaking the roots to separate them. Doing this will let you see where the plant naturally wants to be divided, allowing you to make a decision from there.
Separate your Calathea Medallion into sections
If you need to cut through the occasional root while doing this, that’s fine (just make sure to use pruning scissors). If your Calathea Medallion only has one central section, then you can slice this section in half to create two new plants. It’s crucial to be certain that each of these sections has a good number of mature roots so as to guarantee successful Calathea Medallion propagation.
Place your new plant in water or pot into fresh soil
After you’ve placed your mother plant back in its pot, add some fresh potting mix to fill in the space where your new plant used to be. Then, you’ll need to decide how to best care for your new Calathea Medallion. Should you grow it straight in soil or use an intermediary step of water?
New plants with already mature roots will do just fine in potting mix. However, if the plant’s roots are small or have suffered damage during propagation, then we recommend growing them in water until they mature a bit more. If you opt to grow your new plant in water, be sure to replace the stagnating water every few days.
Continue normal Calathea Medallion care
If you recently transplanted your cutting, then care for it as normal.
Is Calathea Medallion Poisonous? Safe for cats, dogs, humans?
list the ASPCA all prayer plants as non-toxic for both pets and humans. You can, therefore, grow this plant inside your home without worrying if you have small children or pets running around. Even though consumption of houseplants is not recommended, it is still safe to do so with this plant species.
Plant toxicity information, like all things, can change over time.
Pests, Common Issues and Other Frequently Asked Questions
Some common pests and problems affect Calatheas. By understanding which ones to lookout for, you can better take care of your plant.
Pests
Fungus gnats are unfortunately very common for those who own Calathea Medallion, as the plant requires moist soil at almost all times. Fungus gnats adore these conditions. However, yellow sticky traps will help lessen their population significantly. Additionally, some pesticides effectively exterminate them.
Spider mites are a common problem for Calathea plants. They thrive in high humidity, making your plant the perfect home for them. You may not notice them at first, but you’ll soon see their telltale webbing. The best way to get rid of them is to manually remove as many as possible and treat the plant with pesticides for a few weeks.
Though not as widespread, thrips are just as problematic. They’re difficult to spot and move quickly, jump away when you try to touch them. The larvae are white while the adults turn black; both appearing as small, thin insects. If you see silvery streaks on leaves, that’s a sure sign of thrips nearby. Be sure to act fast in order to keep them from spreading too far around your other plants.
Both mealybugs and aphids can be found.
Disseases
Many diseases which will attack your plant come from improper watering. For example, if the soil is kept too moist or there isn’t proper air circulation around the plant, fungus can develop.
Both overwatering and viral diseases can lead to root rot in indoor plants.
FAQ
Why are Calathea Medallion Leaves Yellow?
If you see the occasional yellow leaf but your plant is otherwise healthy, it’s an old leaf dying. If you notice more leaves turning yellow, it’s likely from over-watering or pests.
Calathea Medallion Leaves Curling?
If you see that the leaves on your plant are curling, it is most likely due to dehydration or low air humidity. However, pests such as spider mite can also cause leaves to curl, so be sure to check for any signs of pests.
Why are Calathea Medallion Leaves Browning?
The leaves may brown for several reasons: low humidity, tap water or fertilizer. Brown spots are usually a sign of pests.
Can You Grow Calathea Medallion Flowers Indoors?
Although it is possible for Calathea medallion to flower indoors, it is not probable. Most calathea varieties don’t bloom indoors (with the exception of calathea crocata) and that includes Calathea Medallion.
While this calathea plant is not as delicate as some, it still requires some extra care.
How Big Does Calathea Medallion Grow?
No taller than 36 inches, Calatheas are tropical plants that prefer humid conditions with low-light and moist soil. Some varieties only grow to 2 feet, while others stretch 40 to 60cm.
