If you want to know the secrets to growing big calathea orbifolias – well, this article will be your guiding light!
Having a lush and big calathea orbifolia can make it a focal point of any room in your home. Use these tips to ensure it stands out in all its giant glory!
Growing Big Calathea Orbifolia
1. Make Sure Your New Plant Comes from a Big Specimen
Before you go to a garden center to pick a plant, how about you look for one at your friend’s or family member’s house? Search for a specimen with the biggest leaves from which you can acquire your plant with the help of division or pups.
An already big calathea has a strong gene, and if you are going to propagate a new plant from it, then this guarantees that the new one will have the same, strong genes – meaning, you will have a large and bigger specimen, too!
2. The Humidity has to be Right
These plants are native to the rainforest habitat, so it is important that you mimic the same growing conditions for them in order to make them grow bigger and fuller.
The large leaves of calathea absorb moisture from the air, which plays a crucial role in the plant’s cellular functions. This allows the leaves to maintain rigidness and turgidity, ensuring they stay expansive and visually appealing.
Here are 10 Ways To Increase Humidity For Houseplants That Work
The excess moisture in the air is also important for the pores in the foliage to open, which promotes efficient transpiration and gas exchange. All this works in a perfect camaraderie to enhance nutrient uptake and distribution, making the plant fuller and bigger.
If you won’t provide humidity to this houseplant, you may notice edges of the leaves turning brown or crispy, which means a leaf that could become big and bold turn rather unsightly.
So, how can you achieve this? Well, by maintaining the right relative humidity around the plant, which is around 60 to 80%, if not this, it should at least be 50% or above.
3. Is the Plant Getting the Right “Type” of Sunlight?
Sunlight is crucial for every plant’s survival and growth, but a common mistake is not understanding the specific type of light each plant requires.
Calathea doesn’t like to stay in prolonged direct sunlight, which can scorch its large leaf surface area. What you need to do is to expose the plant to bright shade all day long. This will promote bigger foliage development without causing burns.
Note: Keep the plant away from direct afternoon sun exposure.
4. Plant Growth Regulators
Besides maintaining proper fertilization, you can try growth regulators like gibberlic acid. It can promote cell elongation in your calathea orbifolia, which will result in larger leaves. Two of the best brands that you can go for are Miracle-Gro and Green Light.
Note: Start with a lower concentration than recommended and observe the plant’s response.
