What should I do if I over or underwater my Calathea 'White Fusion'?
Careful observation of the plant will tell you if you have watering issues. If you overwater your plant you’ll notice: a. The leaves of the plant can appear yellow and are prone to yellow-brown patches at the tips of the leaves. b. If the situation is serious, severe drooping and curling of the leaves may be observed. This is due to the fact that overwatering can cause root rot and the plant is already having a hard time absorbing more water. If your Calathea 'White Fusion' is planted indoor, overwatering is all too easy to do with the plant as it cannot tolerate any standing water. The earlier you notice the overwatering the better. If you see standing water or some leaf change, stop watering! Allow the soil to air out over the course of 3-5 days. If you’re noticing signs of root rot, you’ll need to act fast. You’ll have to remove the plant from the pot or ground and then wash off the roots. Remove any dead or decaying roots while trying to keep as much intact as possible. Throw out all the old soil and clean out the pot then add in new soil. If you’re planting in your garden, remove the old soil and replant it in a new location. While overwatering is an issue, so is underwatering. The Calathea 'White Fusion' is very sensitive to drought conditions and will quickly decline if they don’t receive consistent watering. Signs of underwatering include: -Curled, pendulous, lifeless leaves; -Some leaves will gradually turn yellow from the bottom; -The edges of the leaves will turn brown. Underwatering tends to be easier to fix than overwatering. Simply increase how often you water the plant. If your plant is drying out quickly, the air might be too dry. Consider increasing the humidity so the soil stays moist for longer. You might also think about moving the plant to a different location if you notice it is getting too much sunlight or the spot is too hot in order to prevent extra evaporation.
How often should I water my Calathea 'White Fusion'?
Generally speaking, you should water the plant around once per week during spring. However, compared to spring you should increase the watering frequency during the summer but decrease that in winter. However, the timing might change based on a variety of factors such as humidity, temperature, soil type, and so on. To further determine the appropriate watering frequency for your Calathea 'White Fusion', you should use your finger or Soil Moisture Meter more often to check the soil condition, remember to keep the soil moist but not soggy. Water after the top 1.5-2 inches or so of soil has dried out and build the watering schedule for your Calathea 'White Fusion' by continually testing. Potted plants are more prone to being overwatered than their outdoor counterparts since it's easier for the water to become contained. Make sure you use a pot with proper drainage holes and well-draining soil. Make sure there’s no excess water in the plant tray before watering. If your Calathea 'White Fusion' is planted in the ground, rain will allow it to grow better. The Calathea 'White Fusion' usually needs about 1 inch of rain per week to maintain growth. If rainfall is low, you may need to do additional watering once a week to ensure proper plant growth. Humidity also plays a role in keeping the plants properly watered. Plant can grow in normal room humidity, but it prefers higher humidity if possible - generally around 40 to 60 percent. More humidity means the soil will stay wetter for longer. With indoor plants, you can increase the humidity by placing a small humidifier next to the plant. For outdoor plants, you can mist the plant throughout the day.
How can I water my Calathea 'White Fusion' properly?
There are plenty of viable ways to supply your Calathea 'White Fusion' with water. If you grow your plant in an indoor pot, for the Calathea 'White Fusion' in small pots, you can bring your potted plant to your kitchen sink. Then, use the faucet to add water to the container. By holding the pot in your hands, you should easily notice when the water begins to run through the pot’s drainage holes, at which point you can stop watering. The cold temperature will hurt the plants' root system, so please don't do this during winter or in cold climates. Most of the time, watering via your faucet is permissible for the Calathea 'White Fusion'. However, if the local tap water contains a high proportion of fluorine, chlorine or salts, you should consider using rainwater or lake water. Also, since the Calathea 'White Fusion' can respond well to overhead watering and watering directly into the soil, you can use a watering can, hose, or just about any tool you’d like to water it. For Calathea 'White Fusion'ed in the ground, when there is not enough rain, aim the hose at the root system and open the spout for more than 10 minutes to fully water. Tips: The Calathea 'White Fusion' is quite sensitive to the water you use. They are used to soft, acidic water found naturally. If you live in an area with hard water you can use an at-home water filter to remove any minerals and salts. To get rid of chemicals, you can let your tap water sit out for around 24 hours so that they dissipate. You can also purchase filtered water for your plants. Calathea 'White Fusion' likes water with 6.5 pH the best. Rainwater is a better choice than tap water, so you can store some rainwater when it's raining for your Calathea 'White Fusion'.
When should I water my Calathea 'White Fusion'?
Calathea 'White Fusion' needs the humid conditions tend to keep the plants moist. They do not dry out completely between waterings. However, if soggy is retained, it will tend to make its root system rotten. So people will always water after the top 1.5-2 inches or so of soil has dried out. The depth of testing is often related to the depth of the soil. When the soil depth is around 5 inches, it is recommended to test about 1.5 inches or so (about one-third of the soil depth), and more for larger pots. If you have a Soil Moisture Meter, then watering becomes easy by inserting the same position and when the soil meter is found to be around 3, then watering can be done. If it is still greater than 3 then you will need to wait a little longer until it dries out. Keeping it this way will allow you to avoid overwatering your plants.
Is pruning necessary for my Calathea 'White Fusion'?
It is helpful to lightly prune this plant periodically during the spring and summer. When performing this light pruning, you should search for leaves that have wilted, become discolored, show signs of disease, or have died completely. Remove dead or damaged leaves by cutting their petioles, or trimming off stems that have died. This will increase the light and ventilation of the plant and help it to grow. Some gardeners also choose to remove the flower buds of the Calathea 'White Fusion'. However, removing flower buds before they open is a strictly aesthetic decision that will emphasize the beauty of this plant’s showy leaves.
When should I prune my Calathea 'White Fusion'?
You can prune your Calathea 'White Fusion' any time you notice dead, diseased, or damaged leaves during the growing season. Once you notice such a leave, locate an unwanted leaf, then follow its stem all the way to the bottom of petiole. Removing dead stems will increase the light and ventilation of the plant and help it to grow. you can cut its stem just above the soil’s surface to remove it. Such pruning can take place as needed during spring and summer. Also, this plant can bloom any time between spring and fall, and some gardeners choose to remove flower buds before they have a chance to open. Removing unopened flower buds allows this plant to focus most of its growing energy on its beautiful leaves. However, pruning in this manner does not necessarily influence the plant’s overall health.
How do I prune my Calathea 'White Fusion'?
Pruning the Calathea 'White Fusion' is as easy as waiting until you notice dead or damaged leaves on your plant. When you recognize these leaves, equip yourself with a pair of sharp and sterile hand pruning shears. Hand pruning shears will work best as larger tools like loppers will not be well suited to the precise cuts you need to make. Once you have a proper set of pruning tools, locate an unwanted leaf, then follow its stem all the way to the bottom of petiole. Removing dead stems will increase the light and ventilation of the plant and help it to grow. Cut the stem just above where it exits the soil to remove it entirely. If you wish to stop this plant from flowering, you can use the same pruning shears to remove any buds before they open. Finally, you may prefer to just trim off dead or damaged portions of the plant, including deadheading spent flowers, to keep it looking its best. This can be done at any time of year. Diseased or damaged stems should be cut right at the soil line and removed completely. Blooms should be cut off just below the flower head.
What should I do after pruning my Calathea 'White Fusion'?
Since pruning for the Calathea 'White Fusion' should take place periodically throughout the season, what you do after pruning can vary. For instance, if you prune to remove selected leaves and stems from your Calathea 'White Fusion', you won’t need to do anything except continue your regular maintenance routine. At times, you may choose to remove healthier leaves and include them in a display of cut flowers and foliage. However, there is no crucial maintenance task to perform for this plant after typical pruning. The only thing to note is that when watering after pruning, you need to be careful not to touch the wound to prevent fungus from infecting the plant through the fresh wound. Placing Calathea 'White Fusion' in a well-ventilated location will also help the wounds to dry out and heal in time. The timely replenishment of Calathea 'White Fusion' after pruning will help the Calathea 'White Fusion' to recover as soon as possible.
Are there any important tips when pruning my Calathea 'White Fusion'?
For your major pruning, use sharp pruning sheers that will make clean cuts to avoid damaging your plants. As you are pruning your Calathea 'White Fusion', step back occasionally to check the appearance of the plant to make sure it has the shape you want and that you are pruning it symmetrically. If the overall growth of the plant is weak, the flowers need to be pruned back in time for flowering to be able to save nutrients for leaf growth and allow the plant to grow more vigorously.
How many hours of sunlight does Calathea 'White Fusion' need to grow?
Calathea 'White Fusion' requires about 3-6 hours of direct sunlight each day to thrive. However, it also needs some shade during the hottest parts of the day to prevent sun damage. Morning sunlight is ideal for Calathea 'White Fusion', but it can also tolerate some afternoon sun if the temperature is not too hot. To provide the perfect balance of sunlight, try planting Calathea 'White Fusion' in an area that gets partial sun, such as under a tree or on the east side of a building.
What will happen if Calathea 'White Fusion' doesn’t get enough sunlight?
If Calathea 'White Fusion' is exposed to too much direct sunlight, its leaves may turn yellow, dry out, or even burn. You may also notice that the plant wilts or becomes stunted. To prevent sun damage, make sure to give Calathea 'White Fusion' some shade during the hottest parts of the day. You can use a shade cloth or plant Calathea 'White Fusion' near taller plants that can provide some natural shade.
What will happen if Calathea 'White Fusion' gets too much sunlight?
If Calathea 'White Fusion' doesn't get enough sunlight, it may grow tall and lanky, with sparse foliage. The leaves may also turn yellow or pale green, indicating that the plant is not producing enough chlorophyll due to lack of sunlight. To remedy this, try moving Calathea 'White Fusion' to a sunnier spot, or prune nearby foliage to allow more light to reach the plant.
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