What are the key points to note when growing Calathea makoyana?
Calathea makoyana has relatively shallow roots, so it is best to choose a wide, shallow pot; this way root growth is not hindered, and when the leaves spread out during the day the plant does not look top-heavy. The potting soil should be loose, breathable, well-draining, nutrient-rich and slightly acidic.
Calathea makoyana is generally repotted in spring when it is divided, once every 1 to 2 years; when repotting, add fresh potting soil, cut away dead roots and withered leaves, and replant to encourage growth.
Calathea makoyana has few pests and diseases, but if ventilation is poor and the air is dry, scale insects can still occur; spray with imidacloprid-series products for control.
How to grow Calathea makoyana: key points to note when growing Calathea makoyana
The Calathea makoyana leaf is a plant with dark green spots and brownish-red markings of the same shape on the underside. It can effectively remove ammonia pollution from the air. Below we look at how to grow Calathea makoyana and the key points to note when growing it.
I. How to grow Calathea makoyana
1. Growing environment. Calathea makoyana likes a hot, humid environment and is strongly shade-tolerant; a light level of 30% to 40% is suitable. It grows well in indoor indirect light and should be grown in loose, fertile, well-draining soil. In spring and autumn it can be kept in a bright indoor spot; in summer it should be kept in semi-shade, as overly strong light turns the leaves yellow and scorched and reduces its ornamental value. In winter, when light intensity drops, the pot can be moved near a south-facing window; at this time the growing environment should not be too shady. If it is kept in a dim spot for a long time, the leaves of Calathea makoyana lose their distinctive sheen.
2. Growing temperature and humidity
① Temperature. The optimum growing temperature for Calathea makoyana is around 22°C. When the summer temperature is above 35°C, the plant not only stops growing but the leaf color turns yellow and it loses its ornamental value. When the winter temperature is below 15°C, growth slows; below 10°C the leaves tend to curl; below 5°C it is prone to cold damage, and in severe cases the whole plant dies. Therefore in winter be sure to protect it from the cold and keep it warm, and room temperature should be kept above 13°C.
② Humidity. The suitable air humidity for Calathea makoyana is 70% to 75%, and when new leaves are emerging the humidity requirement is even higher. Therefore during the growing season water thoroughly to keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged. In summer spray the leaves 2 to 3 times a day and also sprinkle water on the surrounding floor to raise humidity and lower temperature, which helps its growth. In winter watering should be controlled; the potting soil just needs to be slightly moist. In northern winters, indoor air is dry; besides spraying and washing the leaves with clean water at about room temperature around midday, it is best to cover the plant with a plastic film tent at night to keep it warm and humid. To keep the leaves fresh, neat and radiant, gently wipe the leaves with clean water every half month.
3. Choosing a pot and fertilizing
① Choosing a pot. Calathea makoyana is a shallow-rooted plant, so the growing container should be a wide, shallow pot to allow the roots to extend and spread. The potting soil needs to be loose, fertile and well-draining. You can mix 6 parts peat soil (or leaf mold), 2 parts garden soil and 2 parts sand. A soilless medium can also be used, such as an even mix of perlite and vermiculite. It is usually repotted at the turn of spring and summer together with division propagation, once every 2 years.
② Fertilizing. During the peak growing season, apply a dilute liquid fertilizer once every half month. When fertilizing, be careful not to apply too much nitrogen fertilizer, to avoid poor growth such as fading of the leaf markings, thickening of the leaves and softening of the petioles. Generally the application ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium should be 1:1:1. For soilless cultivation, simply apply a complete-element inorganic nutrient solution 1 to 2 times a month during the growing period.
4. Propagation. Calathea makoyana is mostly propagated by division, carried out in spring in April to May together with repotting and soil changing. If division is done too early and the temperature is too low, the wounds heal slowly, rot easily occurs and the survival rate drops. When dividing, tip the mother plant out of the pot, remove the old soil, and use a sharp knife to cut every 3 to 4 buds into 1 plant; coat the cut surfaces with charcoal powder to prevent rot, pot them up immediately after cutting, water thoroughly, and place in semi-shade to recover; after 5 to 7 days they can be returned to normal care. When dividing, it is best to plant 3 to 5 plants per pot. If only one plant is planted per pot, more than 5 leaves must be retained and more roots kept, otherwise the survival of the plant and its growth and development after survival will be affected.
II. Key points to note when growing Calathea makoyana
Calathea makoyana likes high temperatures and moist air, and grows fastest above 20°C. In the low-temperature season from October each year to April of the following year, in the north it should be moved into a greenhouse to overwinter, and the wintering temperature should not be below 15°C, otherwise the leaf color darkens, the leaves curl and the leaf tips turn yellow; if the cold damage is slight, promptly changing the environmental conditions means it can still send out new leaves the following spring. If the cold damage is severe, the leaves die one after another, and even the whole plant may die.
When growing Calathea makoyana, if the indoor day-night temperature difference is large, you can sleeve the pot with plastic film or use a glass box to keep it warm and humid, and also wash the leaf surface with warm water once a month to maintain the leaf color. Each spring, after the temperature steadily rises to 20°C, it can be repotted once; when repotting, add fresh potting soil, cut away dead roots and withered leaves, and replant to encourage growth.
The above is the relevant introduction in this article; I believe after reading it you have a basic understanding of this. If needed, you can continue to follow No.1 Home Network to learn more information.
Introduction to Calathea makoyana: key points to note about Calathea makoyana
What kind of plant is Calathea makoyana? Calathea makoyana is an expert at removing ammonia pollution from the air; its formaldehyde-removal efficacy value is half that of spider plant, but it is still much higher than ordinary plants. Below we look at an introduction to Calathea makoyana and the key points to note about it.
Introduction to Calathea makoyana
Calathea makoyana is a perennial evergreen herb. It is 30 to 60 cm tall; the leaves are 15 to 20 cm long and 5 to 10 cm wide, ovate-elliptic, thin, leathery, with purple-red petioles. On the green leaf surface a metallic sheen faintly appears, bright and gorgeous; along both sides of the midrib are feather-like, dark green, long elliptic velvety patches arranged alternately left and right. The leaf underside is purple-red.
Calathea makoyana likes semi-shade, cannot tolerate direct sunlight, and is adapted to grow in a warm, humid environment. When growing it, give it a certain degree of shading and keep the temperature at around 12-29°C; in winter the temperature should be maintained at 16-18°C. It grows vigorously in spring and summer and needs relatively high air humidity, so misting can be carried out; it is not very demanding about soil, but requires it to be kept moderately moist. During the growing season, fertilize about once every 2 weeks; in winter the soil can be slightly dry and cool, and fertilizing frequency should be reduced. For propagation, division is mostly used, carried out in early summer; in addition, cuttings can also be used. The main pests include mealybugs, red spider mites, aphids, scale insects and so on.
How to grow Calathea makoyana
For potted Calathea makoyana, use a loose, fertile, well-draining, humus-rich, slightly acidic loam. Generally you can mix 3 parts leaf mold, 1 part peat or sawdust and 1 part sand, and add a small amount of bean cake as base fertilizer; avoid heavy garden soil. When potting, first place a 3 cm thick layer of coarse sand at the bottom of the pot as a drainage layer to help drainage.
During the growing period, give sufficient water; especially in summer and autumn, besides always keeping the potting soil moist, you must also frequently spray the leaves to cool and moisturize. It requires relatively high air humidity, preferably reaching 70% to 80%. Avoid dry air and drying potting soil, but it must not be waterlogged. After late autumn, water should be controlled to help it resist the cold and overwinter. In winter keep the environment dry; if too wet, the basal leaves turn yellow and scorched, affecting its ornamental value.
In the growing season from May to September, it should be placed in shade or semi-shade, maintaining a light transmission rate of 40%-60%, avoiding direct scorching sun. Too strong light or dry air easily causes scorched leaf margins and tips and dull, lusterless leaf markings; but the light should not be too weak either. If kept in a dark room for a long time, with low temperature and insufficient light, it will also grow weakly, which is unfavorable for leaf color formation and causes it to lose the distinctive metallic sheen of the leaf surface. In winter it can receive direct sunlight through glass.
Key points to note about Calathea makoyana
Calathea makoyana likes high temperatures and moist air, and grows fastest above 20°C. In the low-temperature season from October each year to April of the following year, in the north it should be moved into a greenhouse to overwinter, and the wintering temperature should not be below 15°C, otherwise the leaf color darkens, the leaves curl and the leaf tips turn yellow; if the cold damage is slight, promptly changing the environmental conditions means it can still send out new leaves the following spring. If the cold damage is severe, the leaves die one after another, and even the whole plant may die.
When growing Calathea makoyana, if the indoor day-night temperature difference is large, you can sleeve the pot with plastic film or use a glass box to keep it warm and humid, and also wash the leaf surface with warm water once a month to maintain the leaf color. Each spring, after the temperature steadily rises to 20°C, it can be repotted once; when repotting, add fresh potting soil, cut away dead roots and withered leaves, and replant to encourage growth.
The above is the relevant introduction in this article; I believe after reading it you have a basic understanding of this. If needed, you can continue to follow No.1 Home Network to learn more information.