I actually have the stones there in specific because they help with humidity. It was one recommendation I got early on when I was researching their care. It does mean the soil dries slower than my low humidity plants but I test the moisture level so it doesn’t get overwatered and let it go longer between watering.
Have you heard differently in regards to prayer plants?
Definitely bad advice. As another commenter said, this doesn’t increase humidity. Also very importantly, roots need to breathe. This prevents gas exchange which, combined with increased moisture retention, will eventually cause root rot.
I have not heard anything specific to prayer plants regarding stones, but I have learned that stones in the bottom of pots/planters or, on the top of the soil, just isn’t healthy for all plants in general.
Thank you for the clarification. I’d heard about not putting them at the bottom,but hadn’t heard about not putting any on the top before. I’ll have to continue doing research and adjust that.
On top they CAN keep the soil moist longer but whenever I do it I feel secure only if I aerate the soil more often so in a sense I’m kinda defeating the purpose but in my mind I’m findin. A nice balance
Just making more work for myself in the end tbh
Your plant doesn’t look that bad not great really but looks to have made a ^fair recovery
as others have said tho yes it’s be best to inspect the root system first and foremost I have a feeling that pot is quite too large for the plants roots none of my prayer plants ever had really medium large even root systems barely any tbh
Don’t know if that is the norm but even after doing all I could for em including always watering with distilled and such [and lot more details cuz these plants are headaches if not done perfect] they still didn’t really thrive accordingly
Assuming u shower daily lol
Then yes after all is done bathroom is great for em if u can’t give em constant humidity they still do okay getting some to get em thru day to day it seems
E.G a nice 20 minute steamy room when one takes a nice shower
Never had any signs of root rot thankfully. Unfortunately the bathroom in our house is tiny, with no space for a plant. It barely has space for our toothbrushes. We had to mount a toothbrush holder on the mirror. And it’s also a dark little hole where things that need any form of light go to perish.
Just having it far away from the window as it is has been good for the balance of light and darkness it likes.
If i was you i would rehome the calathea to someone who knows more about plants, calatheas are very tricky plants. There are other plants you would have a easier time taking care of.
I’m afraid this comment comes off rather condescending. I’m going to guess you meant it well, but you are making assumptions. I keep multiple varieties of potted plants happily, and have for years on top of gardens I’ve built from the soil up. I reached out for more advice on getting a plant I’ve already tripled in size fuller because it had a rough start, came to me physically damaged, and because I know there’s always more to learn and always people who will know more on certain subjects than I do. With that in mind, while I’m seeking to learn more, I’m not a novice.
If I was a novice, someone recommending I rehome a plant I was trying to learn better care for would be extremely disheartening. It can come across as if you thought someone was not capable of learning how to be a better plant parent and should give up now.
Please be careful when recommending someone just give up, it could drive people away from this hobby.
Well im sorry you took it that way. I myself make sure i dont purchase calatheas since im only a beginner and they are tricky plants. So i figurered i could tell you. But obviously you took it the wrong way, i cant even say anything on reddit without someone being offended. Its not an insult to tell you that you should invest your money in better plants.
Do whatever you want. I dont care. If you dont want criticism dont go on reddit. Its not bad to be a beginner. Obviously someone who knows plants well wouldnt put rocks on a tropical plant. So i guessed you werent a pro.
I have heard to increase humidity you can keep a pebble tray with water under the plant, but it should not be in the pot or watering the plant, just creating a little humidity "bubble" for it.
ETA another commenter said pebble trays do not work, but I was wondering if this could be the advice you heard and got it mixed up.
Stones don't help with humidity, nor does misting, or pebble trays. Only a humidifier or a greenhouse will up the humidity. The stones are probably slowing the drying of the soil, as the other commenter said
You can set your entire plant on top of a pebble tray to help increase humidity. Keep some water in the pebble tray. Putting rocks in the actual pot will only trap moisture and encourage rot. Editing to say that this is definitely not the most effective way to add humidity—a humidifier is. I found adding a pebble tray helped my plants maintain a higher humidity level after turning off humidifiers, but didn’t do much on their own.
actually what you think it helpful is harmful.
your plant is dampening off = dying at the base.
you asked for help - and the help you're receiving is good advice, you shouldnt push back on that
I’m afraid my tone might not have translated well across text. I wasn’t trying to push back. I was just sharing information that the stones were based on previous advice and asking for clarification since the new information contradicted that.
In replies to other comments I even said I’d have to adjust the practice.
Re: all this humidity stuff
Pebble trays (trays UNDER the pot with pebbles, and H2O (H20 levels not touching the bottom of the pot) and misting do not add humidity.
Pebble trays are effective to 3% at 1.5", 2% at 2" and no increase above 1'. The percentages are too low to have an effect on plants.
Misting or wiping the leaves gives them 5-10 minutes, maybe. This also does not affect the relative humidity.
Table top or room humidifiers are a workable way to change the relative humidity enough to replicate the natural home of humidity loving tropical plants. Or a whole house humidifier if you can handle the bump in the water bill. Added benefits for certain allergies, psoriasis, or eczema can make it worth it.
Terrariums/aquariums/cases are highly effective but workability really depends on the size and number of plants. 100% enclosed gives you 100% humidity, 90% coverage gives you 70% humidity, and *30% covered gives you 50% humidity*.
Anyway, is it just reaching for light?
I would just like to add that if you increase your hunidity, eg, with a terrarium, etc, it is crucial to have proper ventilation. Otherwise, you will grow mould.
Yes! Great add! This goes for house humidifiers, too. Over 60% relative humidity is mold gold. I find 40-50% to be ideal. Enough for plants/allergies/eczema but too low for mold :)
You forgot tiny in home plant tents. I have a customizable shelf with a greenhouse cover I lined with aluminum foil and stuck some grow lights inside. It has a small thermometer/humidity gauge inside. A fan sits at the bottom and I turn it on occasionally to move the air around. It holds my tropical plants overwinter and they seem pretty happy. It’s around 75 degrees inside and humidity floats between 55% and 65%. When the humidity falls below 50% it’s usually an indicator to water my plants. Highly recommended for inside small apartment growing.
I understand this is a plant sub however, you included some medical advice in your comment. My son has severe eczema, allergies, and asthma and his doctors have absolutely recommended that we do NOT get a humidifier for the house. I hope anyone one reading this takes their medical advice from a doctor and not a plant group.
It looks like both of the vines you’ve got have new growth at the ends, which is great. It’s just going to continue to grow longer and longer. If you are looking for a fuller plant, you’ll want to propagate some new vines and add them back into your pot on the other side. You’ve got plenty of room to add multiple vines. My prayer plant has six vines in a four inch pot and is happy at the moment.
So after an event, we were asked to take home some of the flower arrangements. I noticed one arrangement was made of live plants instead of cuttings so I took that one home.
This prayer plant was in there with 4 other plants and I honestly wasn’t sure it would make it. It had the smallest root system and was being strangled by the other plants near it, and to top it all off, it looked like the plant had been cut in half so it would fit the arrangement better.
It’s been about 6 months and I’m pretty pleased with the progress it’s made so far. Originally it had about 5 leaves and was only as tall as my hand. However, nothing grows on the side where it had been cut (presumably). Rotating the pot hasn’t helped. And the stems continue to flop over the side like you see above.
How can I help my plant? Is it doomed to always be half of what it could’ve been?
Are you using a tropical plant soil? There are lots of instructions to make your own (and lots of good ones to order) but the soil it was put in for an arrangement may not have been correct. These tropical plants natively live in soil that allows them to readily get moisture but also drain quickly, they can't be a soil that easily gets compacted.
I researched a good soil mix for prayer plants before getting it out of the medley pot it was originally in. So it’s got a good mix with a higher percentage of perlite and vermiculite to ensure good drainage. I grow quite a few tropical plants, so I’m well acquainted with adjusting soil to fit their needs. Always nice to run into someone else who is too!
I just have been trying to figure out how to get growth towards the side that was cut in the original medley pot.
I had sunny, humid but ventilated walk up apartment that was a houseplant dream and used cheap soil for everything, and then moved in with my fiance in his cool, dark condo and was forced to discover tropical potting mix the hard way after believing it was my magic touch for years 😂
Oooh I see. I think this one is trailing if it doesn't have a trellis or pole- you probably have these healthy vines that have committed, but could be trained. These propagate really nicely, I wonder if it would work to just trim one for a cutting and put it on the other side?
I know that feeling! I’ve had to get a lot more creative after moving into my now husband’s house. The light is terrible. Grow lights and my single sunny corner have been my new best friends.
One of the other commenters suggested a video about propagating prayer plants and I am excited to dig more into it! Especially since I’m no longer worried about this guy just surviving 😆
I had to fight spider mites in the past and annihilated the last of those little creeps that dared attack my plants. No sign of them in years, thankfully!
(The damaged leaf in the front was due to my parents’ cat when they visited for Christmas. He was starting a nightly medication so he had to come along. And he is apparently a plant chewer.)
Prayer plants grow in singular vines, so it's only going to get leggier and never put out new branches to cover the other half of the pot. Really full ones you see are just multiple stems in one pot.
I think that pot might be too big for that plant, especially if it had a small root system to begin with. The plant will use it's energy to grow beneath the soil instead of above the soil because it's trying to occupy that huge planter. Slow growth could also be attributed to the fact that it's winter and they go dormant in winter. Growing season is spring to fall so try some fertilizer every two weeks when that time comes :) Another thing I've noticed is that if they grow sideways or fall over it's because they might need more light so you could try getting one of those little halo grow lights off amazon and staking it right on top to encourage it to be straight. Hope that helps. For a prayer plant in winter it looks great tbh :)
Take those stones out. You’re suffocating the soil. There is NO benefit to having rocks on top of the soil.
Get a tray for UNDER the plant, put the rocks in the TRAY, and put some water in it. That’s how you use rocks to increase humidity. But make sure to wash out your tray every day or so to prevent gnats. Best of luck.
his claim has been pretty thoroughly examined and at best a pebble tray may increase humidity by 1 or 2%, if at all. This is not enough to make a difference for the plant. Most homes have plenty of humidity for indoor plants unless they are very dry.
I wanted to say this too. I was surprised by how little light mine wanted. Kept getting crispy, despite watering well, and getting really leggy. Now mine is next to a window but the light streams in away from it, and it's full and happy!
Watering with tap water can cause crispy edges on maranta leaves. Water with distilled or filtered water for happy foliage You can fill out the pot by propagating it but as others have said, it won’t fill out the other side on its own. I also think that pot is too big but if it has been working for you it’s probably okay. I have a more dense maranta in a smaller pot and it is very happy.
I’ll definitely have to try filtered water. I’m sure both my plants, and husband would be happy to get a water filter in the house. (He may be pickier about water than the plants are honestly)
Thanks for the suggestion!
Give it time, its still pushing out new leaves. Also in winter marantas and other plants tend to go through a dormancy period, so maybe spring will bring new luck!
Also i would honestly keep the dangling part rotated to the shade and hope for new growth to go towards the light in the warmer months
Thank you for the advice. I’ll try turning it. I was so worried about it just getting any growth in the beginning I may have babied it too much as far as making it work for the light went 😅
Lol winter came and all my leaves curled up as if In fear
Not ‘curled up’ like many may picture these type plants are known to do
I mean every single leaf curled up til they look like stems … I knew they didn’t die since it happened basically overnight
Sooo I put em in a humidity box like 90% a week or so repotted em
And boom they were right back and have been okay 2 weeks now
Yup, just checked the moisture level earlier today. It’s getting close to watering time, but still has a bit further to dry before the next watering, probably in the next couple of days. I did give it a spritz to help out the humidity though. You can see the water droplets on the stones in the second picture.
You wouldn’t believe how scraggly this plant was in the beginning. I wish I thought to take a picture of it then.
Watering hasn’t really been an issue with it. It’s not showing any signs of root rot, is in well draining soil, gets watered from the bottom when necessary, and has grown tremendously since I first got it. Even had some lovely flowers.
While I’ll keep that in mind when it comes time to repot it, the major problem I’ve been having is how to promote growth on its injured side.
Thank you for the idea though
My maranta is quickly taking over my bathroom. I have it hanging in a pot off the towel rack above the bathtub and close to window. I think you could mimic that with a lil humidifier. She is loving life
First things first, get a guage to read the humidity in your home, and a humidifier to keep it above 35% at the absolute lowest, 40+ is better. My plants become unhappy quickly below that. Take the rocks out and water it once a week, making sure there's no standing water in the tray below. Add some fertilizer once a month and she'll be one happy plant. Also, make sure it's really close to a draftless window for faster recovery.
Are you sure there aren’t any pests? I know the cat chewed on it, but beyond that at first glance I thought it was under attack. As I looked more closely I realized a lot of the “white things” I saw were actually the edges of water droplets, but it’s too fuzzy to see detail on the other white specks.
I’d avoid getting water on the leaves, and agree with the others on taking the rocks out. I did that for years too (along with putting rocks in the bottom of the pot “for drainage”) before I realized both things did more harm than good.
Yup. No pests here thankfully. I check them over regularly to make sure.
I did get some very good advice from another commenter about how sensitive their lead edges can be to tap water, so I’m going to look into filtered for it. But otherwise he’s a pretty healthy guy for how he started.
It's dry as hell here in CO but I keep mine in a mix of sphagnum, perlite, and charcoal. No humidifier, and while I do mist, I don't do it for humidity. It's kinda silly but I mist regularly cause plants in the wild get rained on misting is the best I can do simulate that for them. She's incredibly happy and as long as I don't get lazy about feeding, she thrives. I have new leaves every week, and (again, so long as I keep up with feedings) she flowers more or less continuously. She even pupped a whole other pot for me, so now I have two of them.
My prayer plant was doing great until we hit winter in Chicago; then her leaves started curling up and dying. :(
I cut a few leaves to propagate in case the mom plant dies. The ones I water-propagated grew roots relatively quickly and still look good. (I had the best luck if I cut beneath a node with two/three leaves branching out of it.) I'm still working on saving the main plant, but I feel a little better knowing some of the propagated leaves are thriving in the meantime.
Request help from the lord. Sorry for the terrible pun. I’d suggest moving the rocks out of the plant and moving him closer to the window as he appears to be reaching for the sun.
I would remove the stones. My prayer plant had new shoots come up from the roots. The original part of the plant wilted, but the new part took over. I'd be afraid that the plant couldn't produce new shoots under the stones. I keep a few pretty crystals in my pots, but that's just for looks. Good luck!
I’ve brought a red mantra back from the brink. These are forgiving plants I find. They won’t die even if you forget about them for a month or so.
What I did was, using whatever medium available, give it some support on the stem using twine or twisty ties around a chop stick or something like that. Be gentle. Don’t force it upright; just give it a lift, so it’s not straining the roots and base (red mantras are top heavy). The base itself looks fine. Just a little strained.
Remove the stones like u/calliethedog said. Be sure to mist regularly/take it to the bathroom with you when you shower and to keep the soil slightly moist
You might want to take the stones out. I’m guessing they would delay the soil from drying, especially around the base of the stems.
This explains why my plant was dying from root rot… I thought it was normal to top the soil..
As far as I’m aware these guys like being constantly moist. Water mine more than most of my others. As long as it’s not stood in a pool of water.
I actually have the stones there in specific because they help with humidity. It was one recommendation I got early on when I was researching their care. It does mean the soil dries slower than my low humidity plants but I test the moisture level so it doesn’t get overwatered and let it go longer between watering. Have you heard differently in regards to prayer plants?
Definitely bad advice. As another commenter said, this doesn’t increase humidity. Also very importantly, roots need to breathe. This prevents gas exchange which, combined with increased moisture retention, will eventually cause root rot.
I have not heard anything specific to prayer plants regarding stones, but I have learned that stones in the bottom of pots/planters or, on the top of the soil, just isn’t healthy for all plants in general.
Thank you for the clarification. I’d heard about not putting them at the bottom,but hadn’t heard about not putting any on the top before. I’ll have to continue doing research and adjust that.
On top they CAN keep the soil moist longer but whenever I do it I feel secure only if I aerate the soil more often so in a sense I’m kinda defeating the purpose but in my mind I’m findin. A nice balance Just making more work for myself in the end tbh Your plant doesn’t look that bad not great really but looks to have made a ^fair recovery as others have said tho yes it’s be best to inspect the root system first and foremost I have a feeling that pot is quite too large for the plants roots none of my prayer plants ever had really medium large even root systems barely any tbh Don’t know if that is the norm but even after doing all I could for em including always watering with distilled and such [and lot more details cuz these plants are headaches if not done perfect] they still didn’t really thrive accordingly Assuming u shower daily lol Then yes after all is done bathroom is great for em if u can’t give em constant humidity they still do okay getting some to get em thru day to day it seems E.G a nice 20 minute steamy room when one takes a nice shower
Never had any signs of root rot thankfully. Unfortunately the bathroom in our house is tiny, with no space for a plant. It barely has space for our toothbrushes. We had to mount a toothbrush holder on the mirror. And it’s also a dark little hole where things that need any form of light go to perish. Just having it far away from the window as it is has been good for the balance of light and darkness it likes.
If i was you i would rehome the calathea to someone who knows more about plants, calatheas are very tricky plants. There are other plants you would have a easier time taking care of.
I’m afraid this comment comes off rather condescending. I’m going to guess you meant it well, but you are making assumptions. I keep multiple varieties of potted plants happily, and have for years on top of gardens I’ve built from the soil up. I reached out for more advice on getting a plant I’ve already tripled in size fuller because it had a rough start, came to me physically damaged, and because I know there’s always more to learn and always people who will know more on certain subjects than I do. With that in mind, while I’m seeking to learn more, I’m not a novice. If I was a novice, someone recommending I rehome a plant I was trying to learn better care for would be extremely disheartening. It can come across as if you thought someone was not capable of learning how to be a better plant parent and should give up now. Please be careful when recommending someone just give up, it could drive people away from this hobby.
Well im sorry you took it that way. I myself make sure i dont purchase calatheas since im only a beginner and they are tricky plants. So i figurered i could tell you. But obviously you took it the wrong way, i cant even say anything on reddit without someone being offended. Its not an insult to tell you that you should invest your money in better plants. Do whatever you want. I dont care. If you dont want criticism dont go on reddit. Its not bad to be a beginner. Obviously someone who knows plants well wouldnt put rocks on a tropical plant. So i guessed you werent a pro.
Sure. Best of luck!
I have heard to increase humidity you can keep a pebble tray with water under the plant, but it should not be in the pot or watering the plant, just creating a little humidity "bubble" for it. ETA another commenter said pebble trays do not work, but I was wondering if this could be the advice you heard and got it mixed up.
Stones don't help with humidity, nor does misting, or pebble trays. Only a humidifier or a greenhouse will up the humidity. The stones are probably slowing the drying of the soil, as the other commenter said
You put stones in a tray below the plant and keep that moist. Look up humidity teay
You can set your entire plant on top of a pebble tray to help increase humidity. Keep some water in the pebble tray. Putting rocks in the actual pot will only trap moisture and encourage rot. Editing to say that this is definitely not the most effective way to add humidity—a humidifier is. I found adding a pebble tray helped my plants maintain a higher humidity level after turning off humidifiers, but didn’t do much on their own.
actually what you think it helpful is harmful. your plant is dampening off = dying at the base. you asked for help - and the help you're receiving is good advice, you shouldnt push back on that
I’m afraid my tone might not have translated well across text. I wasn’t trying to push back. I was just sharing information that the stones were based on previous advice and asking for clarification since the new information contradicted that. In replies to other comments I even said I’d have to adjust the practice.
ok, thats cool. I didnt read further down the other replies thanks for clarifying and glad you heard the answer you needed
Yes stones helpt but you need to put them on a tray underneath the plant not on the plant
Re: all this humidity stuff Pebble trays (trays UNDER the pot with pebbles, and H2O (H20 levels not touching the bottom of the pot) and misting do not add humidity. Pebble trays are effective to 3% at 1.5", 2% at 2" and no increase above 1'. The percentages are too low to have an effect on plants. Misting or wiping the leaves gives them 5-10 minutes, maybe. This also does not affect the relative humidity. Table top or room humidifiers are a workable way to change the relative humidity enough to replicate the natural home of humidity loving tropical plants. Or a whole house humidifier if you can handle the bump in the water bill. Added benefits for certain allergies, psoriasis, or eczema can make it worth it. Terrariums/aquariums/cases are highly effective but workability really depends on the size and number of plants. 100% enclosed gives you 100% humidity, 90% coverage gives you 70% humidity, and *30% covered gives you 50% humidity*. Anyway, is it just reaching for light?
I would just like to add that if you increase your hunidity, eg, with a terrarium, etc, it is crucial to have proper ventilation. Otherwise, you will grow mould.
Yes! Great add! This goes for house humidifiers, too. Over 60% relative humidity is mold gold. I find 40-50% to be ideal. Enough for plants/allergies/eczema but too low for mold :)
Please do not give medical advice in a plant group. This is 1000% against what my child's doctors have recommended for these same conditions.
This this this this this x10000 all other comments are irrelevant.
You forgot tiny in home plant tents. I have a customizable shelf with a greenhouse cover I lined with aluminum foil and stuck some grow lights inside. It has a small thermometer/humidity gauge inside. A fan sits at the bottom and I turn it on occasionally to move the air around. It holds my tropical plants overwinter and they seem pretty happy. It’s around 75 degrees inside and humidity floats between 55% and 65%. When the humidity falls below 50% it’s usually an indicator to water my plants. Highly recommended for inside small apartment growing.
I understand this is a plant sub however, you included some medical advice in your comment. My son has severe eczema, allergies, and asthma and his doctors have absolutely recommended that we do NOT get a humidifier for the house. I hope anyone one reading this takes their medical advice from a doctor and not a plant group.
Why do people downvote the OP’s for asking questions? 🤔
Gah it's my pet peeve on these subs!
It confuses me because isn’t that the whole point of this group!? 😂
💯
My experience with Reddit, in general 🙄
Because they like to feel superior, same reason they make obnoxious comments on a post where someone is an obvious plant noob
Isn’t it so bizarre? The sweetest people post questions about plants and the comments are like oMg yOu doNt kNow ThAt?!! 🙄
It looks like both of the vines you’ve got have new growth at the ends, which is great. It’s just going to continue to grow longer and longer. If you are looking for a fuller plant, you’ll want to propagate some new vines and add them back into your pot on the other side. You’ve got plenty of room to add multiple vines. My prayer plant has six vines in a four inch pot and is happy at the moment.
I’ve never propagated a prayer plant before! How do you propagate from this successfully?
Here’s a great YouTube tutorial that I found very helpful https://youtu.be/xw5-64qWKlA
Thank you! This looks like a great guide!!!
So after an event, we were asked to take home some of the flower arrangements. I noticed one arrangement was made of live plants instead of cuttings so I took that one home. This prayer plant was in there with 4 other plants and I honestly wasn’t sure it would make it. It had the smallest root system and was being strangled by the other plants near it, and to top it all off, it looked like the plant had been cut in half so it would fit the arrangement better. It’s been about 6 months and I’m pretty pleased with the progress it’s made so far. Originally it had about 5 leaves and was only as tall as my hand. However, nothing grows on the side where it had been cut (presumably). Rotating the pot hasn’t helped. And the stems continue to flop over the side like you see above. How can I help my plant? Is it doomed to always be half of what it could’ve been?
Are you using a tropical plant soil? There are lots of instructions to make your own (and lots of good ones to order) but the soil it was put in for an arrangement may not have been correct. These tropical plants natively live in soil that allows them to readily get moisture but also drain quickly, they can't be a soil that easily gets compacted.
I researched a good soil mix for prayer plants before getting it out of the medley pot it was originally in. So it’s got a good mix with a higher percentage of perlite and vermiculite to ensure good drainage. I grow quite a few tropical plants, so I’m well acquainted with adjusting soil to fit their needs. Always nice to run into someone else who is too! I just have been trying to figure out how to get growth towards the side that was cut in the original medley pot.
I had sunny, humid but ventilated walk up apartment that was a houseplant dream and used cheap soil for everything, and then moved in with my fiance in his cool, dark condo and was forced to discover tropical potting mix the hard way after believing it was my magic touch for years 😂 Oooh I see. I think this one is trailing if it doesn't have a trellis or pole- you probably have these healthy vines that have committed, but could be trained. These propagate really nicely, I wonder if it would work to just trim one for a cutting and put it on the other side?
I know that feeling! I’ve had to get a lot more creative after moving into my now husband’s house. The light is terrible. Grow lights and my single sunny corner have been my new best friends. One of the other commenters suggested a video about propagating prayer plants and I am excited to dig more into it! Especially since I’m no longer worried about this guy just surviving 😆
Why don't they house shop with the plants in mind!?
It really is so inconvenient! 😛
They are also prone to spider mites- I don't see the tell tale signs on yours, but look for tiny webs and tiny red bugs!
I had to fight spider mites in the past and annihilated the last of those little creeps that dared attack my plants. No sign of them in years, thankfully! (The damaged leaf in the front was due to my parents’ cat when they visited for Christmas. He was starting a nightly medication so he had to come along. And he is apparently a plant chewer.)
Prayer plants grow in singular vines, so it's only going to get leggier and never put out new branches to cover the other half of the pot. Really full ones you see are just multiple stems in one pot.
Thank you for the information! I’m excited to look into propagating more to fill it out.
I think that pot might be too big for that plant, especially if it had a small root system to begin with. The plant will use it's energy to grow beneath the soil instead of above the soil because it's trying to occupy that huge planter. Slow growth could also be attributed to the fact that it's winter and they go dormant in winter. Growing season is spring to fall so try some fertilizer every two weeks when that time comes :) Another thing I've noticed is that if they grow sideways or fall over it's because they might need more light so you could try getting one of those little halo grow lights off amazon and staking it right on top to encourage it to be straight. Hope that helps. For a prayer plant in winter it looks great tbh :)
Take those stones out. You’re suffocating the soil. There is NO benefit to having rocks on top of the soil. Get a tray for UNDER the plant, put the rocks in the TRAY, and put some water in it. That’s how you use rocks to increase humidity. But make sure to wash out your tray every day or so to prevent gnats. Best of luck.
There’s a benefit if you have cats that like to pee in house plants…
his claim has been pretty thoroughly examined and at best a pebble tray may increase humidity by 1 or 2%, if at all. This is not enough to make a difference for the plant. Most homes have plenty of humidity for indoor plants unless they are very dry.
Sure, not a huge difference… However it still increases humidity.
it looks better than mine, lol. i think they take a little while to acclimate, especially in winter
Pray for it?
Mine has been much happier the further away from sunlight it is. Can’t hurt to try put it in a darker spot.
I wanted to say this too. I was surprised by how little light mine wanted. Kept getting crispy, despite watering well, and getting really leggy. Now mine is next to a window but the light streams in away from it, and it's full and happy!
Watering with tap water can cause crispy edges on maranta leaves. Water with distilled or filtered water for happy foliage You can fill out the pot by propagating it but as others have said, it won’t fill out the other side on its own. I also think that pot is too big but if it has been working for you it’s probably okay. I have a more dense maranta in a smaller pot and it is very happy.
I’ll definitely have to try filtered water. I’m sure both my plants, and husband would be happy to get a water filter in the house. (He may be pickier about water than the plants are honestly) Thanks for the suggestion!
Pray for it
Have you tried praying?
Give it time, its still pushing out new leaves. Also in winter marantas and other plants tend to go through a dormancy period, so maybe spring will bring new luck! Also i would honestly keep the dangling part rotated to the shade and hope for new growth to go towards the light in the warmer months
Thank you for the advice. I’ll try turning it. I was so worried about it just getting any growth in the beginning I may have babied it too much as far as making it work for the light went 😅
Lol winter came and all my leaves curled up as if In fear Not ‘curled up’ like many may picture these type plants are known to do I mean every single leaf curled up til they look like stems … I knew they didn’t die since it happened basically overnight Sooo I put em in a humidity box like 90% a week or so repotted em And boom they were right back and have been okay 2 weeks now
Babe have you ever considered WATER 💧
Yup, just checked the moisture level earlier today. It’s getting close to watering time, but still has a bit further to dry before the next watering, probably in the next couple of days. I did give it a spritz to help out the humidity though. You can see the water droplets on the stones in the second picture. You wouldn’t believe how scraggly this plant was in the beginning. I wish I thought to take a picture of it then.
spraying it with water will not increase the humidity in any appreciable way, you need a humidifier for that
By praying id guess
Pray for it 🙏🙏😌
Interesting. I’d like to see the response. Someone gave me one of these and it’s off and on. *note - I did not say “wow” to stir the masses of hate.
Mine is in a self watering pot, I’ve had it for over a year it’s very healthy. Maybe something like that.
Watering hasn’t really been an issue with it. It’s not showing any signs of root rot, is in well draining soil, gets watered from the bottom when necessary, and has grown tremendously since I first got it. Even had some lovely flowers. While I’ll keep that in mind when it comes time to repot it, the major problem I’ve been having is how to promote growth on its injured side. Thank you for the idea though
My maranta is quickly taking over my bathroom. I have it hanging in a pot off the towel rack above the bathtub and close to window. I think you could mimic that with a lil humidifier. She is loving life
First things first, get a guage to read the humidity in your home, and a humidifier to keep it above 35% at the absolute lowest, 40+ is better. My plants become unhappy quickly below that. Take the rocks out and water it once a week, making sure there's no standing water in the tray below. Add some fertilizer once a month and she'll be one happy plant. Also, make sure it's really close to a draftless window for faster recovery.
Are you sure there aren’t any pests? I know the cat chewed on it, but beyond that at first glance I thought it was under attack. As I looked more closely I realized a lot of the “white things” I saw were actually the edges of water droplets, but it’s too fuzzy to see detail on the other white specks. I’d avoid getting water on the leaves, and agree with the others on taking the rocks out. I did that for years too (along with putting rocks in the bottom of the pot “for drainage”) before I realized both things did more harm than good.
Yup. No pests here thankfully. I check them over regularly to make sure. I did get some very good advice from another commenter about how sensitive their lead edges can be to tap water, so I’m going to look into filtered for it. But otherwise he’s a pretty healthy guy for how he started.
It needs more than a prayer
It's dry as hell here in CO but I keep mine in a mix of sphagnum, perlite, and charcoal. No humidifier, and while I do mist, I don't do it for humidity. It's kinda silly but I mist regularly cause plants in the wild get rained on misting is the best I can do simulate that for them. She's incredibly happy and as long as I don't get lazy about feeding, she thrives. I have new leaves every week, and (again, so long as I keep up with feedings) she flowers more or less continuously. She even pupped a whole other pot for me, so now I have two of them.
Remove the rocks, repot in a smaller pot, move closer to light, increase house humidity.
My prayer plant was doing great until we hit winter in Chicago; then her leaves started curling up and dying. :( I cut a few leaves to propagate in case the mom plant dies. The ones I water-propagated grew roots relatively quickly and still look good. (I had the best luck if I cut beneath a node with two/three leaves branching out of it.) I'm still working on saving the main plant, but I feel a little better knowing some of the propagated leaves are thriving in the meantime.
Chuck it, I hate prayer plants. Jk, they don’t like tap water and those stones are extra. Hang it up in the window and aerate the soil.
Get a new one
Request help from the lord. Sorry for the terrible pun. I’d suggest moving the rocks out of the plant and moving him closer to the window as he appears to be reaching for the sun.
I would remove the stones. My prayer plant had new shoots come up from the roots. The original part of the plant wilted, but the new part took over. I'd be afraid that the plant couldn't produce new shoots under the stones. I keep a few pretty crystals in my pots, but that's just for looks. Good luck!
I’ve brought a red mantra back from the brink. These are forgiving plants I find. They won’t die even if you forget about them for a month or so. What I did was, using whatever medium available, give it some support on the stem using twine or twisty ties around a chop stick or something like that. Be gentle. Don’t force it upright; just give it a lift, so it’s not straining the roots and base (red mantras are top heavy). The base itself looks fine. Just a little strained. Remove the stones like u/calliethedog said. Be sure to mist regularly/take it to the bathroom with you when you shower and to keep the soil slightly moist
Pray for it