Calathea Rufibarba

1. Planting: Calathea Rufibarba needs bright, indirect light in order to thrive. Place your plant in front of a bright window but be sure to keep it out of direct sunlight and away from drafty areas. When you're repotting or planting your plant, select a container that's twice the width of the shipped container and one that has drainage holes. Use a well-draining container potting mix to place your plant and water to settle the roots. If your potting mix needs more drainage we recommend mixing in perlite to help.

2. Watering: Calatheas can be quite particular when it comes to watering, so try to be consistent and only water when around 75% of the soil is dry. You can test this by putting your finger in the soil to check its level of moisture. Too little or too much water will result in brown and yellowing leaves.

In addition to watering, keep the environment humid (over 40% is ideal) by using a cool misting humidifier or mist the plant a couple times a week.

FGT Tip: If your leaves are still yellowing and browning and you have ruled out too little or too much water try using filtered water next time you water your plants.

3. Fertilizing: The main growing season of your calathea plant is during the months of March-October. You will want to fertilize during these months with a balanced houseplant fertilizer. Follow product instructions for more specifics.

4. Pruning: Little pruning is needed but occasionally you will need to prune any dead or damaged leaves off. Simply trim the leaf at the base with a sharp pair of pruners.