Calathea has yellow leaves: how to save?

When a Coriander (Calathea) gets yellow leaves, the cause is usually a lack of care. In order to save them from dying, a number of countermeasures must be taken, which are described in detail here.

causes

The causes of yellow leaves are usually due to human error, which mainly affects care and the right site conditions, but also pest infestations:

• wrong watering
• too low humidity
• bad lighting conditions
• temperature fluctuations
• too much fertilizer
• pests

rescue measures

Because the cause is not always clearly identifiable, when rescuing a calathea all possible factors are taken into account, checked and corrected according to the plant requirements become.

site check

The ideal location is vital for Korbmaranten. Yellow leaves are often due to suboptimal conditions at the location, which is why these must be checked first and changes made if necessary:

• direct sunlight: Place the plant at least 1 meter away from the window, avoid south-facing windows, protect with curtains, roller blinds, awnings, blinds
• insufficiently high humidity: Set up an air humidifier or water bowl next to the plant and protect it from dry heating air
• Temperature fluctuations: Avoid draughts, protect plants near window openings
• too low temperature: offer at least 16 degrees Celsius ambient temperature; do not shower with cold water

nursing exam

The calathea is considered a very robust and easy-care plant. However, it reacts with yellow leaves if its owners mean well and/or make mistakes in care. In order to save a yellow-leaved osiera, you should check the following care attributes to help the plant recover. In some cases, targeted countermeasures are required:

irrigation

The calathea needs a slightly moist soil at all times, without being completely soaked, because this leads to yellow leaves, just like soil that is too dry.

If the surface of the earth can be dented easily or is even muddy, it has too much water. She should pot them up and free them from the wet earth. Then it should be placed in fresh, dry substrate and only slightly watered again after a few days.

If the surface of the soil can be pressed in less than two centimeters with a finger, the soil is dry. The longer this condition has existed, the more important it is that it gets plenty of water quickly. The best way to do this is to unpot the plant and soak the roots in a bucket of water until there are no more air bubbles. Then it should be placed in a fresh, loose substrate and ideally watered less frequently, but more vigorously.

fertilizer problems

The calathea prefers a slightly acidic soil environment has a pH of about 6.5. If you fertilize too often or with the wrong fertilizer, so that the soil becomes too acidic, the leaves of the calathea will yellow quickly. If too much fertilizer has been used, the plant can usually only be saved by removing it from the over-fertilized soil removed, carefully washed the roots and placed back in fresh, nutrient-rich substrate is planted. In the future, liquid fertilizer should be applied no more than once a month during the growing season. Fertilization should be stopped from late summer or early autumn.

pests

If there is a disease or a pest infestation, this can be recognized fairly precisely and allows targeted control measures.

Yellow leaves on a calathea are caused in over 90 percent of all cases by voracious spider mites, which suck nutrients from the leaves. The tiny, one millimeter small parasites can be seen on the undersides of the leaves. They owe their name to the sticky, white webs that they stretch over the leaves and stems. Fast action is required here in order to be able to save the plant. This works best with a canola oil treatment, prepared and used as follows:

• Mix 1 part canola oil and 4 parts water
• add a few squirts of dish soap (to build tension and hold the liquid on leaves and parasites)
• Fill the mixture into a spray container and spray the plant until dripping wet, especially the undersides of the leaves
• repeat every other day for a week
• Cut off damaged, yellow leaves
• Finally, give the plant a lukewarm shower to avoid sticking from dish soap and rapeseed oil

frequently asked Questions

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