exceptionally dry soil
Soil that is continually moist is best for your prayer plant. Make sure your plant is not being overwatered or overgrown. Keep a regular watering schedule and water when 25% of the soil is dry.
You might see weak, drooping, and perhaps even beginning to brown and curl leaves on your Prayer Plant if you unintentionally allow the soil to totally dry out. A thorough soak is necessary if the soil is very dry over the entire container.
How to soak-water your prayer plant is as follows:
- Without the saucer, put your plant in the sink or bathtub. Pour roughly 3 to 4 cups of water into your basin. Check to see if the water is warm.
- Give your plant at least 45 minutes to absorb water through the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot.
- After giving your plant a soak, feel the soil’s top to see if the water has gotten to the top 2-3 inches.
- Water your prayer plants softly from the top of the soil to help hasten soil saturation if not all of the soil feels soaked.
- Drain the sink or tub once the soil of your plant is evenly moist, and then leave it to rest while it completely drains. Put the plant back in its proper place on the saucer.
Another typical cause of your Prayer Plant’s leaves curling could be your tap water if it doesn’t stop after you’ve established a watering regimen. Salts, chlorine, minerals, and fluoride found in tap water can accumulate in your plant’s soil and cause the tips of its leaves to burn, turn brown, and curl up. Using a water filter system is one solution to this. If you don’t have a filtering system, you can reduce the chlorine in your water by letting it sit in an open container or sink overnight before using.
Verify that your plant is not near any drafts or air-conditioning vents. If the plant is too chilly or too dry from continuous warm airflow, the leaves will curl.
Being a tropical plant, your Prayer Plant will flourish in more humid conditions. By regularly spraying the leaves of your plant, using a pebble tray, or placing a humidifier close by, you can raise the humidity level in the area around it.
If you see leaves that are tightly curled, this can be typical. Curled leaves that gradually unfold into mature broad leaves are the first signs of new growth.
Why are the leaves on Maranta curving?
Depending on what is making your Prayer Plant’s leaves curl, you’ll need to take different actions to fix them. The most frequent causes of curled leaves on prayer plants are listed below. Before you take any action to address it, read on and identify the problem.
BAD WATERING ACTIVITIES
Maranta leaves that curl are most usually caused by either too much or not enough water. The simple explanation is that prayer plants can be unforgiving if they receive too much or too little water. I will go into proper watering in more detail in the part below. It is best to have the soil constantly moist but not damp in order to prevent these two circumstances from causing leaves to curl.
POOR QUALITY OF WATER
Curling leaves might also be caused by water quality. Since rainfall is the closest to what plants would receive in nature, I always advise using it to water potted plants. Additionally, it stays away from elements present in tap water like fluoride, chlorine, and salt that are harmful to plants. They may accumulate in the soil and cause the leaf tips to curl and turn brown.
If you are unable to gather rainwater, you can use aquarium water, distilled water, or (at the very least) wait a little before using tap water to let some of the pollutants evaporate. These actions will go a long way in assisting you in obtaining the glossy, flat leaves for which Prayer Plants are renowned.
If watering and water quality are not a problem, exposure to cold The loss of plant leaves could be caused by the plant becoming too cold. Marantas will react when exposed to cold air or drafts. Marantas don’t enjoy the cold because they’re from warm, humid climates. The ideal indoor temperature is normal, but keep open windows away from this plant.
PEST PROBLEMSPlant-eating insects may also be to blame for the curling of leaves. The most likely culprits for this appearance in the leaves are those that harm the plant’s cells by sucking nutrients from the leaf. To rule this out, carefully inspect your plant for scale, aphids, or any other pests. Neem oil is effective against all of these insects after a few applications, if you detect any.
DIRECT LIGHT OR HUMIDITY Finally, curling leaves can be caused by low humidity or excessive sunlight, although usually only in conjunction with other, more pronounced symptoms. You might also see regions of browning and brown, crispy edges on the leaves in these circumstances. Indirect lighting and higher-than-average humidity are favorable to prayer plants.
When plant leaves begin to curl, what does that mean?
Simply put, being overexposed to heat or light is one of the main causes of a plant’s leaves curling. Both of these are necessary for a plant to survive, however different plant kinds may require varying amounts.
“According to Richard Cheshire, the plant doctor at Patch, plants can experience heat stress from excessive exposure to direct sunlight or heat. To combat this, plants will curl their leaves in an effort to preserve moisture.
“To avoid this, relocate the plant out of direct sunshine or extreme heat and make sure to spray the leaves frequently.
How frequently should a prayer plant be watered?
Water once every 12 weeks, letting the soil half-dry in between applications. In brighter light, water more frequently, and in less-bright light, less frequently.
Marantas are susceptible to the effects of hard water. Use filtered water if possible, or let water sit out overnight before using.
Maranta leaves: do they uncurl?
The leaves of calathea plants prefer to wiggle. A healthy Calathea will turn its leaves slowly to catch the ambient sunlight; a sick Calathea will firmly coil its leaves to indicate concern. The leaves might even uncurl before your eyes once you’ve fixed the issue.
- Remove your plant from direct sunlight. Because they detest it, catheas’ leaves will get irreversibly damaged if they are exposed to it too often. While relocating them, make sure there is still ambient light available for them to absorb.
- The room’s temperature should be adjusted. The ideal temperature range for calatheas is 60 to 85 °F (16-29C). Don’t merely check the temperature of the room. Verify the environment’s temperature where your Calathea is located.
- Increase the environment’s humidity. The most frequent cause of curled Calathea leaves is low humidity. Read my post on raising humidity and use a digital hygrometer to measure the humidity (I couldn’t live without one of them).
- Alter your irrigation practices. The soil of your Calathea should always be moist, but it should never be submerged in water. To get the ideal equilibrium, closely monitor your watering practices.
- Use distilled water instead. Your Calathea cannot survive in hard water that contains salt or other minerals. Consider utilizing bottled water or rainwater for a healthier plant.
After completing these instructions, your Calathea should appear considerably brighter, more at ease, and healthier. Any leaves with irreversible damage should be delicately pruned away. Give your Calathea at least a week to adjust to the new circumstances, and keep a close eye on the plant to prevent more issues.
Let’s continue by taking a closer look at the five causes of Calathea leaves curling.