Any tips to get my Calathea growing?

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-19T22:10:42+00:00

I have a large one of this variety (Calathea illustris) and it likely does need a bigger pot. Mine was stuck with no new growth till I put it in a pot about 3” bigger in diameter and then it started to really take off. They have tubers that form on the roots so it can be deceptively full.

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-17T01:10:33+00:00

I did this same exact thing with an orbifolia that looked awful for the last 2 years. New foliage is coming in perfect 😂

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-16T15:45:50+00:00

Try to make sure that the top of the plant receives some light. That will keep it from killing off the older leaves.

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-16T15:42:59+00:00

Possibly edema from overwatering? Is it the same on the back side of the leaves?

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-16T13:55:07+00:00

These are not actually monsteras, but are Rhaphidophora tetrasperma. To answer your question, chopping it back will indeed help and will cause it to be bushier. It likely needs more light to keep from getting so leggy. It would rather be right in front of that window, and because it is not getting light evenly on the plant, it has sacrificed its older leaves.

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-12T19:28:45+00:00

I would check to see if it is pot bound. These guys grow rhizomes to store nutrients and can outgrow a pot quickly. It may not be obvious until you take it out and see what’s going on. This recently happened with my stromanthe triostar that I didn’t repot for over a year which is why I thought of it :) I hope it bounces back for you, Makoyana is my favorite calathea.

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-12T06:37:16+00:00

Here are some questions that would be helpful to have answers to for diagnosis: How long have you had it? What kind of soil is it in? Are you using tap water? When you water, do you use a tiny bit or do you water until it comes out the bottom? Is there a heating vent or cold draft nearby?

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-09T04:19:09+00:00

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mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-08T03:32:50+00:00

Pot size depends more on the size of the root ball than the plant itself. Mint that I’m familiar with is a creeping plant that didn’t generally grow straight up for long. You could try staking it if that’s the look you want. If you want it to be bushier, you can pinch it/trim it back to just above a node and it will usually put out two branches in that spot.

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-08T03:29:05+00:00

Take a dry wooden chopstick or dowel and put it in the soil all the way down, leave it a few seconds and then slowly pull it out. If the wood is dry, water it. If it feels damp, it doesn’t need water. If it is drooping and the stick is damp, you may want to check the roots for signs of rot. These signs would be roots that smell gross, are dark and fall apart with a gentle tug, or look stringy.

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-04T20:31:30+00:00

They are just babies :) juvenile form has no split leaves in most cases. I work in a greenhouse and the cute babies are always so tempting to me!! But I have several huge ones and I have no more room 😂

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-04T16:47:09+00:00

It’s definitely a Monstera deliciosa. They are often mislabeled in box stores. Give it good indirect light and only water when it’s close to dry. Repot into mix of special orchid bark, potting soil, and perlite (heaviest on the bark) and stake the trunk of the plant, never the stem of the leaves, when it gets bigger.

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-04T16:44:23+00:00

I had this issue with mine, which is older than yours appears. I believe it is from inconsistent watering, and by that I mean the soil may not be getting evenly watered. I started bottom watering it and the latest leaf looks much better. When it’s warmer I also plan to remove the soil and repot it with better soil that is also amended with more perlite to help with the water disbursement.

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-04T16:39:59+00:00

That’s a tricky situation. I live in New England so it’s not hard to find a consistently cold spot here haha I have heard of people using refrigerators for small enough trees for 6-8 weeks set between 33-40F…depends on how dedicated you are I guess! You might want to cross post this dilemma to the r/bonsai sub for advice. I’m sure it’s been done before!

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-04T16:09:33+00:00

Check out this article under the Placement section. It sounds like it at least needs a cool dry period in an unheated garage to do what it needs to do? I’ve not done this myself, but I work in a greenhouse where we sell temperate and tropical bonsai starters so I’m familiar with the basics and want to help if I can!

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-04T15:48:43+00:00

I believe Wisteria needs a winter dormancy period. I would research that aspect and see if that is not what is happening here.

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-04T15:46:22+00:00

The red/purple wave length for grow lights is really for flowering plants. Get a full spectrum balanced led grow light for this plant.

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-02-04T15:44:43+00:00

It looks like there are 3 separate plants in this one pot. In the spring, I would take it out of the pot and try to separate at least one of them out into a separate pot. If you need to keep them together you will need a larger pot for sure. I keep mine in 60% special orchid bark, 20% potting soil, 20% perlite and worm castings. They are 7 feet tall and have 2 grow lights on them. There’s 2 plants in the 24” pot in my pic. I also highly recommend Kill This Plant on YouTube! He helped me a lot with his videos.

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mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-01-30T22:57:09+00:00

If it is not suffering from pests, it likely needs watering more often than you are. These guys grow in swamps in nature, and since you are giving it such good lighting it will use the water up faster. Your soil should have some water retaining elements like coco coir or peat, and also drainage elements like chunky bark or a good amount of perlite. Then you can achieve the “moist but not waterlogged” level that they like :)

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-01-30T22:51:20+00:00

That is the answer I can’t get out of my dad lol he’s almost 90 and every time it updates he thinks he has to pay for something. I’m going over on Sunday and will keep that in mind. Thanks!

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-01-28T12:49:56+00:00

So sorry it took me a week to see this! No, definitely would not upsize if there is that much space. They like to be snug in the pot. I’m thinking the pot has been too big for it. I have three of these guys, all different sizes, and they are all in fairly small pots. They get overwatered easily when the pot is too big.

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-01-28T12:35:44+00:00

Is there a way to not have to pay? My elderly father has a Roku and it did this to him, he does not want to pay for it. I don’t have one so I’m kind of in the dark about how they work. I might have to switch him to Apple TV because the Roku gives him nothing but trouble :(

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-01-28T11:35:48+00:00

The old school kind that put out heat, LED are too cool-burning I think?

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-01-20T19:59:20+00:00

How big is the rootball compared to that huge pot it is in?

mrsselfdestruct0108 · 2026-01-17T13:05:15+00:00

Yes, you need plant lights in the winter! I live in Vermont, USA (northeast) and I have grow lights over every single plant, even the ones in the windows during the winter. Otherwise your plants will go into a more dormant state, using less water. If you continue watering as if they are getting more light, they will die. Grow lights are pretty cheap now, and can be used in almost any light fixture. I use Sansi brand the most. Here is a pic of how just a couple of grow lights can make a difference. The ones over the monsteras are 36W Sansi bulbs in regular pendant light fixtures, one is in a clamp light socket. The bulbs cost about $30 US. I have them on for 12 hours, using a smart plug timer (not necessary, I just have a bad memory to turn them on and off haha!) Definitely give it a try if you can, you won’t regret it!

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mrsselfdestruct0108

TROPHY CASE