1. Planting: The Calathea ‘Dottie’ does well with indirect bright light. Place your plant in front of a bright window, but be sure to keep it away from drafty areas.

When repotting or planting your plant, select a container that’s twice the width of the shipped container and one that has drainage holes. Use a well-draining container filled with potting mix, then place your plant and water to settle the roots. If your potting mix needs more drainage, we recommend mixing in perlite to help.

2. Watering: Calatheas can be quite particular when it comes to watering, so only water when around 75% of the soil is dry. You can test this by putting your finger in the soil to check its level of moisture. Too little or too much water will result in brown and yellowing leaves. In addition to watering, keep the environment humid (over 40% is ideal) by using a cool misting humidifier, or mist the plant a couple times a week.

FGT Tip: If your leaves are still yellowing and browning and you have ruled out too little or too much water, try using filtered water next time you water your plants.

3. Fertilizing: The main growing season of your Calathea plant is during the months of March to October. You will want to fertilize during these months with a balanced house plant fertilizer. Follow product instructions for more specifics.

4. Pruning: Little pruning is needed, but occasionally you will need to prune any dead or damaged leaves off. Simply trim the leaf at the base with a sharp pair of pruners.