How to grow Calathea ornata? Detailed guide to care methods and precautions

Calathea ornata is a herbaceous foliage plant native to Brazil in South America and the Central American region. Even though it comes from low and mid-latitude areas, Calathea ornata is a very shade-tolerant plant, making it ideal as a decorative, beautifying and greening plant indoors. Calathea ornata can be kept long-term in a sunny room, and placing it in a dimly lit room for several weeks in a row has little effect on its growth. So how should this kind of green plant be grown? Today TheNaturePlanet brings you the care methods and precautions for Calathea ornata.

I. Care methods for Calathea ornata

When it comes to care methods, the plant's growth habits inevitably come up. Only by understanding the growing environment it likes can you grow the plant well. Calathea ornata is a plant that loves warmth and rich soil. So what exactly are its care methods? Let's take a look together:

1. Temperature

Calathea ornata prefers a warm environment. The suitable growing temperature is 20°C—30°C, with the best daytime growing temperature being 18°C—21°C and 16°C—18°C at night. Above 10°C it can overwinter safely. So in summer, prevent high-temperature sun exposure and place Calathea ornata in a shady spot; in winter, pay attention to cold protection and move the plant to a warm indoor area.

2. Watering

The vigorous growth period of Calathea ornata is from March to October. Air humidity should be kept at 75%-85%. High air humidity is good for the leaves to unfurl, and as a foliage plant, the unfurling of the leaves is very important, so during the growing period it should be watered more and misted frequently. The best watering method is to mist the leaves in the morning, water the potting soil in the afternoon, and drench the whole plant in the evening.

3. Light

Calathea ornata is not tolerant of direct sunlight, so shade it well in summer. Let Calathea ornata receive diffused light.

4. Soil

Calathea ornata prefers fertile, loose soil and dislikes compacted soil and waterlogging. Generally, fertile humus soil and a porous coarse medium are used as the substrate.

5. Fertilizing

Fertilizing Calathea ornata should follow the principle of "small amounts, many times". During the peak growing season, apply a mixed fertilizer of peanut bran and compound fertilizer or decomposed compost once every 2 weeks.

II. Precautions for growing Calathea ornata

Now that you have read the care methods for Calathea ornata, what precautions are there during its care process? Let's take a look together with TheNaturePlanet:

1. Control the amount of watering according to the season

In summer, plants have a high demand for water, so you should water 3—4 times a day. In autumn and winter, as the temperature drops, the growth rate of Calathea ornata slows down, so the amount of watering should be reduced to once a day or once every 2—3 days, keeping the soil as dry as possible.

2. Avoid scorching the leaves

In summer, the sunlight is strong, and the leaves of Calathea ornata are easily scorched under direct sunlight, so the plant should be placed where there is no direct light. If you find that the leaves have been scorched, cut the leaves off immediately to prevent pathogenic bacteria from invading.

3. Reduce the concentration of fertilizer solution

Stop fertilizing during the winter dormant period and the hot summer period. At ordinary times, the concentration of fertilizer should not be too high, otherwise it will cause leaf scorch, and in severe cases the plant will die.

The above are the relevant care methods and precautions for Calathea ornata. You may want to refer to this article during the planting process. If your home happens to need a plant like this to beautify the environment, I believe Calathea ornata is one of your good choices!