How to water

These plants love water and do not like to dry out completely. Feel the top soil: it can be slightly dry to a bit moist, but not wet, when watering it again. Squeeze a bit of soil between your fingers - if water seeps out it’s still wet. There are several ways to water your plant. Choose a way that suits you the best.

If the soil is wet - snooze this action, we will remind you again in 2 days.

Calathea watering 1

Water over the soil

  1. Pour water over the soil, using, for example, a watering can or put the plant directly under a tap

  2. Continue adding water to the pot until it starts to run out from the drainage holes

  3. If you have a tray under the pot when watering, make sure you remove all the collected water afterwards - never let your plant sit in water

  4. If you watered under a tap make sure that water has stopped running out from the bottom before putting it back

Even if Calathea, Maranta & Ctenanthe love water, they don’t like to have their roots standing in water, so make sure your plant is planted in a pot with holes. — Planta tip

Calathea watering 2

Bottom watering

  1. Fill the plant tray with water

  2. Make sure the soil is in contact with the water on the tray

  3. Wait for about 10 minutes

  4. Feel the soil to see if it absorbed enough water —> if the soil is moist throughout, remove any excess water from the tray

  5. If it’s still dry —> add more water to the tray

  6. Wait 20 more minutes before removing the excess

Note

Bottom watering will not wash away salts and other minerals from the soil, so make sure to also give water over the soil every now and then.

Water bath

  1. Fill a bucket or any other vessel with lukewarm water

  2. Lower the whole pot down in the water, stop where the stem of the plant starts. Make sure all of the soil is under water

  3. The water will now start to bubble - wait until it stopped

  4. Lift the pot up and let the excess drain off

  5. Put your plant back in the cachepot or on the tray

  6. After 1 hour, check that your plant isn’t standing in water, if it is it might get overwatered and rot

Calathea, Maranta & Ctenanthe love the perfect balance between wet and dry soil. They don’t like to dry out completely and they don’t want to be overwatered. — Planta tip