---
title: "Hi friends! 🪴 I bought this Maranta almost a month ago and it was…"
description: "Hi friends! 🪴 I bought this Maranta almost a month ago and it was looking a bit sad a few days later. I noticed the roots growing around the pot with no…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/MHDCEEvjSYaZAT8jdVgR2w/Mz6NZaDoQ4C-B3MCyiWb5w"
community: "Prayer Plant Allies"
author: "Shay"
published: "2024-02-20T19:31:35.399567Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/1lpJANwWsapJPqiC8LtMZaKNJ1yIl7ry9Ghp632PEMo/lU-BRAo7TgOvpvjIRDRvFA.webp?size=large"
---

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# Hi friends! 🪴 I bought this Maranta almost a month ago and it was…

_Posted by Shay on 2024-02-20_

Hi friends! 🪴  
I bought this Maranta almost a month ago and it was looking a bit sad a few days later. I noticed the roots growing around the pot with no drainage, so I repotted it in a bigger pot with a drainage hole. It has been in this pot for about 2 weeks now.  
It is looking a lot better, but still not the best. I am in a college dorm, so lighting is tough. After a few weeks, a new pot, and many scorched leaves, I’ve found my plant has looked happiest completely across the room from the window.  
It has new leaves that are starting to grow, but it still won’t grow upwards like it was when I bought it.  
Any tips?

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/1lpJANwWsapJPqiC8LtMZaKNJ1yIl7ry9Ghp632PEMo/lU-BRAo7TgOvpvjIRDRvFA.webp?size=large)

## 16 comments

### PrincessE commented on 2024-02-21

Hi Shay,  
I read an article that says the prayer plant soil likes to be consistently moist, but not soggy and it loves humidity. Is it thirsty?

#### Shay replied on 2024-02-21

Hi! I watered it just before making this post, thanks for the advice!!

### Lindsey commented on 2024-02-21

They are actually trailing plants, so it won’t grow upward, but will crawl and trail. Here’s what mine looks like. As long as he has some indirect light, he should be fine in your dorm. The scorched leaves can often be due to 1) not using purified/distilled water, 2) not enough humidity, or a combo of both. If you’re using tap water, I’d start there and try purified/distilled/rainwater. He looks overall healthy and it looks like he’s growing new leaves, so that’s a good sign! 🙏🏼🌿

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/M8-KNZUl6sORS7QRjRAUh4Qlx3qxOBPAVcVq-j4ESqw/6Ra47IS5TYmDGFxmVGuF8A.webp?size=large)

#### Shay replied on 2024-02-21

Your plant is beautiful!! Thanks for sharing, I appreciate the help! :)

#### Nic Van D replied on 2024-04-20

😍

### Sockembots commented on 2024-02-21

On the watering train — definitely agree with Lindsey above about avoiding tap water in general. But I can’t be buying purified or distilled or the apartus to distill my tap water, and I don’t have a great way to collect rain water in my apartment complex. I know others have strong feelings against this buuuut I just use tap water that has at least sat out over night uncovered, preferably for a couple days. It’s “distilled” but it doesn’t get rid of all the crap in tap water. I’ve been doing it for a while now and for the types of plants I have, including several different prayer plants, it’s been working fine and they been thriving! Might be a cost effective and easy way to “treat” water and help your plant in your dorm.

#### Shay replied on 2024-02-21

Awesome! Thanks for the advice. I live in an area where the tap water is pretty hard (over 10.5😬), but none of my other plants have seemed to have a problem with it.  
Maybe I’ll leave some water sit out from my Brita filter and try that next time.  
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts!!

P.S. Your cat is adorable!😛😻

#### Plant Father replied on 2024-02-21

letting tap water sit does basically nothing but let it warm up to room temperature. a small amount of chlorine may evaporate but most public water supplies are treated with chloramines instead and fluoride which will not evaporate. i would recommend filtering your tap water instead and treating it with an aquarium water conditioner to break down any remaining chlorines

#### Nic Van D replied on 2024-04-20

A brita pitcher or something similar would work as well

#### Nic Van D replied on 2024-04-20

Whoops I replied to the wrong comment. A Brita pitcher or other brand of pitcher with a filter would work.

### Plant Father commented on 2024-02-21

how often do you water? it looks like it might be over watered. the topsoil should be totally dry before watering again

#### Shay replied on 2024-02-21

I honestly can’t tell you how often I water right now. I water whenever the soil looks/feels dry. Watered for the first time in about a week yesterday.

#### Plant Father replied on 2024-02-22

make sure to check the topsoil before watering, and that it’s in appropriate lighting, and it will likely recover. two weeks isn’t very long at all for a plant

### Nic Van D commented on 2024-04-20

My guess is it’s a humidity issue. They crawl on the bottom on of the forest floor so they don’t get direct sunlight. With these plants it’s about mastering the watering, light and humidity. Once you find a spot it likes don’t move it lol! Try putting it on a pebble try with water for more humidity. You can buy rocks and a little plastic tray at dollar tree if you wanna do it on the cheap. :) Good luck!

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/EfCdlw_ylsoTHLJZYgTq5uB8Jfs2xWcvSSZRTH1cC9c/pTgf7dlRSQeGMmUTojtm-Q.webp?size=large)

#### Shay replied on 2024-04-21

Thank you so much!! My plant is looking amazing since I posted this and got so many responses.  
Unfortunately, I do live in a dorm and I have only a few weeks until I need to move out.  
Just to add to all of that drama…my parents just bought a new house and are moving next weekend, so now my (9) plants all have to adjust to a completely different environment over the summer before I move back to school.  
I really appreciate the pebble tray tip…I think my prayer plant will take the move the hardest😅

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/1lpJANwWsapJPqiC8LtMZaKNJ1yIl7ry9Ghp632PEMo/NNaCp29XSdSus1c-xuKMhw.webp?size=large)

#### Nic Van D replied on 2024-04-22

Good luck with the move!

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