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Ultimate Calathea Lutea Care Guide For Beginners

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Calathea Lutea plants require regular watering and bright, indirect sunlight. They grow best in warmer climates with high humidity. It would be best to plant these plants in soil with high levels of organic matter. Calathea Lutea does not need to be pruned. They are easy to repot and propagate.

Calathea Lutea are gorgeous tropical plants that you can keep both in and outdoors. If you want the luscious, tropical garden you’ve always dreamed of, we’re here to help by giving you everything you need to know about Calathea Lutea plants and their care.

Calathea Lutea

Calathea Lutea Watering Requirements

Calathea Lutea plants need to be watered regularly to facilitate their growth and allow them to thrive.

During its growing season, which takes place in warmer months like spring and summer, you should water your plant around once a week.

Of course, your watering schedule is often impacted by the amount of light your plant receives.

If your Calathea Lutea is kept in direct light or outdoors, you may need to water your plant more often. You can check whether or not your plant needs watering by testing the soil’s moisture around an inch or two beneath the surface.

If the soil is dry, that means that your plant is thirsty and needs some water.

Be careful not to overwater your plant. Calatheas should never be overwatered. Instead, their soil should be damp but never wet.

During the colder months, you can reduce the amount of water you give your plant.

Because Calatheas are dormant during winter, they are prone to root rot and therefore need less frequent watering to prevent overwatering.

You only need to water your plant around once every two weeks or when the soil is dry in the colder months.

Most Calathea plant owners only use distilled or filtered water for their plants because the fluoride and other harmful minerals from tap water have been known to damage the plant’s leaves and stunt its growth.

Calathea Lutea Plant

Calathea Lutea Soil Requirements

If you want your Calathea Lutea plant to grow to its full potential, you need to be aware of the type of soil you’re providing your plant. Calatheas need soil that is rich in organic matter, and that has good drainage.

Better drainage will help you to prevent water retention and avoid common problems like root rot, while organic matter will help to provide your plant with the minerals and nutrients that it needs to flourish.

Whether you’re buying soil or making it yourself, there are a few key elements to look out for.

The first element is, of course, organic matter. This can come in the form of worm castings or coconut fiber (coir) and is important for your plant’s overall growth.

Ideally, the soil should also contain ingredients like orchid bark and perlite. Orchid bark is known for being moisture-rich and can help aerate the soil for better drainage. Similarly, perlite can also help with the soil’s drainage.

Another beneficial element is charcoal, which is known to aid in nutrient absorption and overall root health.

The ideal pH for the Calathea Lutea plant ranges between 5.5 and 7.0 and is important for providing your plant with nutrient-rich soil. You can test the acidity of the soil using a pH meter.

Calathea Lutea Light Requirements

Calathea Lutea plants have big, beautiful leaves that enjoy soaking up the sun. But, because of their size, they tend to absorb more sunlight than other plants, which can cause problems when exposed to direct light for too long.

Calatheas grow best in soft or partial sunlight. They are primarily outdoor plants but can be grown indoors under the right conditions.

If you want to keep your plant indoors, you should ensure that you have bright overhead lighting.

Calatheas will grow toward their light source, which means that your plant will warp and grow at strange angles if they aren’t given proper lighting.

Alternately, you can keep this luscious plant outdoors. It’s important to note, though, that Calatheas should be planted in an area where they receive direct morning sunlight but where they also receive shaded or indirect sunlight once the sun has fully risen.

Too much direct sunlight will burn your plant’s leaves.

If you already own a light meter, you can test the area where you’re planning on putting your Calathea plant.

Your meter should read around 400 FCS or foot candles to ensure that your plant gets the ideal amount of light.

Calathea Lutea Temperature Requirements

Calathea Lutea is an exotic plant that originates in the more tropical regions of the world. It should come as no surprise, then, that this plant loves warmer weather.

The ideal temperature for a Calathea Lutea plant is between 65- and 80-degrees Fahrenheit.

Because it enjoys hotter temperatures, your plant should never be kept in an area below 60-degrees Fahrenheit.

We’ve already mentioned how Calatheas bloom in warmer weather, and they will continue to grow throughout the warmer months.

But, if you live in a state or region with higher temperatures, you will be able to leave your plant outdoors all year long, and it should flower throughout the year.

If your plant is indoors, you should ensure that you can provide your plant with a warm enough temperature (above 60-degrees Fahrenheit).

Similarly, if you live in a region where the weather changes drastically throughout the year, you can keep your plant outside during summer and spring, but you should bring your plant indoors during the colder months. 

If your plant is kept indoors during winter, be sure to give it enough bright light and keep up your watering schedule to help it thrive.

You can also keep Calathea Lutea plants indoors if you live in a colder climate if you can provide the right environment for your plant.

Calathea Lutea Plant Care Guide

Calathea Lutea Humidity Requirements

Like its preference for warmer weather, Calathea Lutea plants need a good amount of humidity to grow and bloom.

These tropical plants absorb moisture through the air, so they will need between 50 to 70% humidity in their environment for them to grow.

Without enough humidity, your plant’s leaves will begin to change color and fall off the plant entirely.

There are a few different ways to provide your Calathea with better humidity levels, including misting its leaves.

You will need to be careful not to mist the leaves too often, though, because this can expose your plant to different bacteria, pests, and fungi. These problems can potentially damage your plant.

You can also use a humidifier with a set moisture level between 50 and 70% if your plant is indoors. But, if your plant is outdoors, you should make sure to keep your plant nestled between a few other plants.

Plants tend to generate more moisture when they are around other plants. So, by giving your plant a few friends, you can help it maintain its ideal humidity levels.

Calathea Lutea Fertilizer Requirements

Calathea Lutea plants require a constant source of nutrients to flourish. This includes nutrients that can be provided by the right fertilizer.

To encourage growth, you will need to feed your plant with fertilizer around once a month during its growing season.

Because Calatheas are dormant during winter, you should stop fertilizing your plant during the colder months.

Similarly, if you have repotted your plant, you should stop feeding it with fertilizer for at least a month after repotting. Too much fertilizer can cause damage to your Calatheas roots and result in an unsuccessful repotting.

The best fertilizer for Calatheas will have equal parts nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium.

Before you can fertilize your plant, you will need to protect its roots. You can do this by watering your plant and ensuring that the top 3 inches of soil are damp.

Be careful not to overfeed your Calathea. This can result in damage to your plant and excess salt levels within the soil. If your Calatheas leaves show any sign of damage, you may need to rid the plant of any excess salt.

You can keep your Calathea healthy by providing it with clean, fresh soil. Remember to refrain from fertilizing your plant for at least four weeks after you have changed the soil.

Repotting Your Calathea Lutea Plant

Although Calathea Lutea plants are large, the repotting process is fairly straightforward. If your plant has been given the right growing conditions and has been growing well in its environment, it should need to be repotted around once every two years.

You can check if your plant is ready by examining the underside of its current pot. If you can see any of its roots peeking out from the pot’s drainage holes, that means that your Calathea has outgrown its pot and will need some extra room to keep on growing.

Before you repot your Calathea, you will need to make sure that it is in good condition.

Unhealthy or damaged plants won’t be able to take to their new environment, which can stop them from growing in their new home.

To repot your plant, you will need to buy a new pot that is around 1 to 2 inches bigger than its original pot.

This will give your plant enough room to grow comfortably without any problems.

The new pot should also have drainage holes on the bottom so that the soil can drain water away from the plant’s roots.

Repotting should always be done at the start of your Calathea’s growing season, preferably at the beginning of spring.

This will make it easier for your plant to adapt and give your Calathea a better chance of growing throughout the season.

  1. To repot your plant, you will need to lay it carefully on its side. Be careful not to let any of its leaves become damaged, though, as this can affect its growth.
  2. Slowly remove the plant from its original pot and remove as much of the excess soil from its roots as you can.
  3. In a new pot that has been filled with fresh soil, place your plant in the middle of the pot. Make sure that your Calathea isn’t going to tip over and that it is not leaning to the side.

Once you have placed your plant into its new pot, you need to provide it with optimal growing conditions and keep its soil damp. After a few weeks, your plant will begin to grow!

Pruning Your Calathea Lutea

Calathea Lutea plants are extremely easy to care for and don’t require any intervention when it comes to pruning.

The plant’s old leaves should change color and naturally fall off the plant. You may need to prune diseased leaves to keep your plant healthy, but your plant should remain in relatively good health without any help.

If you provide the correct growing conditions for your Calathea, you can admire its growth without any interference.

Propagating Your Calathea Lutea

Before you start to take cuttings of your plant, it’s important to know that Calatheas propagate through division rather than stem cuttings.

There are a simple easy step that you will need to follow to properly propagate your plant. We’ve summarized this process into seven easy steps to help you on your way.

  1. Make sure to keep the soil damp and maintain a regular watering schedule for your plant before starting the propagation process. It would be best if you ideally did this at the beginning of spring or the start of your plant’s growing season
  2. Similar to repotting your plant, you will need to carefully remove your Calathea from its pot or the ground, being cautious not to damage any of its leaves
  3. Gently clean any excess soil off of the roots of the plant
  4. Carefully split up the plant’s individual root systems
  5. After examining the root clusters, snip a healthy cluster off of the plant using pruning shears. The cluster should still have the stem and leaves attached to it
  6. In a new pot with fresh soil, move your cluster into the pot. Ensure that the stem is stable and that it is not leaning
  7. Repot the original plant using our quick guide on repotting your Calathea Lutea

Once both the original and the new plant have been planted, it should take a few weeks before you can see any growth.

Remember not to fertilize your plants for at least a month after repotting them.

Common Calathea Lutea Problems

Although Calathea Lutea plants are hardy and robust, some plant owners still have a few common complaints.

These complaints are generally limited to yellowing leaves and various pests like mealybugs, scale bugs, fungal mosquitos, and spider mites.

Calathea Lutea Yellow Leaves

If your Calathea has yellow leaves, you may be overwatering your plant. This leads to leaf chlorosis, which is caused by a lack of chlorophyll in the leaves.

You can fix this problem by watering your plant less frequently and increasing the amount of fertilizer that you are feeding it. In some cases, you will need to let the soil dry almost completely before you begin to water your plant again.

Constant overwatering of your plant will lead to root rot and cause it to wither.

Mealybugs

Mealybugs are small, white insects that get into the soil and stems of your plants. They are normally quite noticeable and should be dealt with quickly to avoid severe damage to your plant.

To get rid of mealybugs, you should wash your plant’s leaves with water and soap to flush them out. You can treat your plant using a natural insecticide like neem oil to prevent reinfestation.

Scale bugs

Scale bugs often look like small brown bumps and can be found along the stems and on the leaves of your Calathea Lutea.

To get rid of these pests, you can use a cotton ball that has been doused in rubbing alcohol. Alternatively, you can use a pair of tweezers to pull them off of your plant.

Using the same method as with the mealybugs, you will need to wash the leaves of your plant and treat them with neem oil to get rid of any eggs that they may have left behind and keep them away for good.

Fungal Mosquitos

Fungal mosquitos are normally found in plants with soggy soil. You may notice them on the surface of the soil or along your plant’s stems.

To get rid of fungal mosquitos, you will need to stop watering your plant and let the soil dry up.

Getting rid of any excess moisture should drive these pests away, but if they keep coming back, you can use a 3% diluted hydrogen peroxide mixture in your plant’s soil.

Spider Mites

Lastly, spider mites are usually a common pest during the dry winter months. If the air around your plant lacks moisture or is too dry, you may begin to notice them in or around your plant’s pot.

By increasing the humidity levels around your Calathea Lutea, you should be able to get rid of spider mites fairly easily. The humidity should generally be above 50%.

Best Calathea Lutea Products

If you own a Calathea Lutea plant, there are a few products that you will want to invest in to help it reach its full potential.

The first product is a soil meter. This will help you to check whether or not the soil is wet, damp, or dry. Using a soil meter can help you to keep your plant watered properly.

Additionally, investing in a pH meter for your plant’s soil can help to ensure that your soil is at the optimal range for your Calathea Lutea (between 5.5 and 7.0).

You will also want to buy the correct soil for your Calathea. The soil should be nutrient-rich and should contain high levels of organic matter.

If you are keeping your plant indoors, investing in a light meter and humidifier will help you to keep your plant happy and provide enough light (400 FCs) and moisture (between 50 to 70% humidity) to facilitate its growth.

Lastly, you will need to provide your plant with a good liquid fertilizer that contains an equal ratio of phosphorous, nitrogen, and potassium.

While some of these products are optional, they will help you to keep your plant healthy and blooming for a long time to come.

Calathea Lutea Growing Tips

Although we’ve covered most of the care requirements to make sure that your Calathea Lutea flourishes, we’ve compiled a summarized list of all the tips and tricks that you need to know about this amazing tropical plant.

  • Calathea Lutea is generally considered a low-maintenance plant
  • These plants prefer partial shade or indirect sunlight to prosper. Although it can handle direct sunlight once it has been acclimated, you should always provide enough shade for your plant. Without shade, direct sun exposure can discolor or burn the leaves
  • Regular watering is required. You should water your plant at least once a week during warmer once and decrease the frequency to once every fortnight during winter
  • Make sure to provide your plant with soil that is rich in organic matter and nutrients. It should also be kept moist and should have good drainage
  • You should fertilize your Calathea on a regular basis. It will need to be fertilized once a month during its growing season and doesn’t require fertilization during winter
  • Calathea Lutea plants thrive in warm, humid climates

Where Can I Buy A Calathea Lutea?

Calathea Lutea plants can generally be sourced from your local nursery. Keep in mind that Calathea Lutea are tropical plants that thrive in warm, humid climates.

If you’re looking to buy a Calathea Lutea, you will need to be able to provide it with an optimal growing environment in order for it to thrive.

In some cases, you can also source Calathea Lutea plants from online plant sellers. You will need to be cautious when buying plants online, though, as some sellers may not have good knowledge of your particular plant.

Conclusion

Calathea Lutea plants are easy to care for if you can give them good amounts of soft light, regular watering, and plenty of nutrients to facilitate their growth.

These plants will look great in any garden and can give your home a natural, earthy feel when placed in a well-lit room with high levels of humidity.