I love calethas and do believe that they are worth all the dramatics. But we definitely have to keep them happy and that involves a fair amount of effort. And today we are going to chat about the most common dramatic way they act- the drooping.
Below I talk about the most common reasons that calethas start to droop and be dramatic. And also how you can work on fixing them!
Why Is My Caletha Drooping?!
Guide to sad caletha plants:
Reason 1: It’s Thirsty (But Not Too Thirsty, Because of Course)
Calatheas are known for being dramatic when they need water. If your plant is drooping, dry soil is suspect #1. These tropical plants love consistently moist (but not soggy) soil, and when they start to get thirsty, they’ll let you know in the most dramatic way possible. AKA by flopping over like they’ve given up on life.
How to fix it:
Water evenly until excess drains out, but don’t let it sit in standing water (they hate wet feet). Then stick your finger about an inch into the soil. If it’s dry, your plant is basically begging for a drink!!
And guys one of my best pieces of caletha advice is to use filtered or distilled water because tap water can be offensive to them because of the minerals in it.
Reason 2: You Overwatered It
If you just watered your Calathea recently and it’s still drooping, congrats! You may have overwatered it—because of course, Calatheas want moisture but also hate too much of it. Their roots are extremely sensitive to soggy soil, and when they get waterlogged, they throw an absolute fit.
Signs of overwatering:
- The soil feels wet or soggy instead of just moist.
- Leaves are turning yellow or curling, in addition to drooping.
- The base of the plant looks mushy or smells bad (never a good sign my friends).
How to fix it:
First up is an inspection: If you suspect root rot, trim any mushy, brown roots and repot in fresh soil. Let the soil dry out slightly before watering again. If the pot doesn’t have drainage holes, repot immediately into one that does. Seriously guys Calethas can only thrive with a drainage hole pot.
Reason 3: The Humidity is Off
Calatheas are tropical plants, which means they thrive in high humidity environment. So, if your home is dry like really dry your plant is probably freaking out and drooping in protest.
How to fix it:
The easiest and best fix is to place a humidifier in the room near your caletha. However, if that isn’t an option you can start to mist your plant once or twice a week but don’t overdo it or they can take on too much water.
Also, I do recommend you group plants together to create a mini rainforest vibe. You can also set up a pebble tray with water under the plant which is basically a plant spa treatment.
Reason 4: It’s Getting Too Much or Too Little Light
Calatheas don’t like direct sun (it scorches their leaves basically giving them sun burn) but also won’t tolerate a dark corner. If your plant is drooping, lighting might be the issue and thankfully you can easily identify if it is too much or too little light-
Too much light? Leaves might also look like a faded version of themselves or crispy on the edges.
Too little light? Your plant is stretching like it’s looking for light and the stems are weaker than usual.
How to fix it:
If your home is darker, consider a grow light to keep it happy and stop the drooping leaves. But at minimum place your Calathea in bright, indirect light (like near a north or east-facing window).
Reason 5: It’s Adjusting to a New Environment (aka, Being Overly Dramatic Again)
Did you just bring your Calathea home? Move it to a new spot? Change anything about its environment? Because uh oh… you’ve triggered a dramatic episode.
Calatheas hate change. Even a slight shift in lighting, humidity, or temperature can make them act like their whole world is ending. It’s normal for them to droop for a few days after a big move.
How to fix it:
Keep up with good watering and humidity habits to help it settle in. Being a 10/10 plant parent will help them adjust to the change better. But make sure to be patient with them.
And in general I would recommend trying to keep the calethas living situation as consistent as possible. That is how they will thrive the most that they can. Remember they are kind of divas but they are sooo worth it.
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