Orbifolia yellowing
My beloved Orbifolia is getting yellowing on its leaves. I just gave him a grow light, and he’s in a self watering terracotta pot. Any advice?
10ft to light, indirect
5” pot with drainage
Last watered 3 days ago
5
Best Answer
Calathea like high humidity and for their soil to stay consistently, evenly moist. They can also be quite sensitive to salts and other minerals from tap water. A terracotta pot isn't the best choice because it dries out too quickly. They're great for succulents and cacti, just not for tropical plants whose soil should never fully dry out.
As for the yellow spots: did they show up after you started using a grow light?
As for the yellow spots: did they show up after you started using a grow light?
@stephonicle thanks! No the spots started showing a few weeks ago. Just got the grow light on today. The terracotta pot is one that is self watering so it sits in a vessel of water and takes what it needs. But thinking a repot is imminent. He needs more support. What do you suggest?
@FlowerProwess even with a self-watering pot, the problem is still that terracotta is porous, so it's basically stealing moisture away from the roots. You'll also run into more issues where the lower half of the pot stays moist while the top half stays more dried out, which is the opposite of "evenly moist" that Calathea prefer. Terracotta also holds onto salt and minerals, which Calathea roots can be especially sensitive to (unless you're using exclusively distilled water). Bottom watering already causes more salt and mineral buildup in the soil because they're not getting flushed out each time you water.
I'd recommend a standard plastic nursery pot. Plastic is non-porous, but they're thin and also have the benefit of lots and lots of drainage holes. Since they're not the most attractive, you can do the cache pot setup and place it inside a more decorative glazed clay pot. Just be sure the plastic pot doesn't fit too snugly. There should be a 1-2" gap between the two pots to allow proper airflow to the soil. What soil mix are you currently using?
I'd recommend a standard plastic nursery pot. Plastic is non-porous, but they're thin and also have the benefit of lots and lots of drainage holes. Since they're not the most attractive, you can do the cache pot setup and place it inside a more decorative glazed clay pot. Just be sure the plastic pot doesn't fit too snugly. There should be a 1-2" gap between the two pots to allow proper airflow to the soil. What soil mix are you currently using?
@FlowerProwess I'd stay with the same size pot, unless you find excessive roots growing out the bottom or it's root bound. Using a pot that's too big can lead to overwatering issues 😉