Calathea dying - need help

[1337n3ss]

Hello everyone,

I purchased a large Calathea Medallion about six months ago in Lowes (that was my first mistake). Here is how it currently looks:

As you can see, most of its leaves are gone.

The plant came in a self-watering pot with a wick. I always made sure that there was at least some water there (perhaps this was my second mistake).

The plant just kept getting worse and worse, so I re-potted it in a self-made soil mix (perlite, coconut coir, horticultural charcoal, crushed egg shells, regular soil).

Furthermore, I was misting the plant 10+ times each day, but, unfortunately, the plant just kept getting worse and worse. So I purchased an essential oil diffuser to use as a small humidifier and placed it near the plant, but to no avail.

Is there anything else I can try or is my Calathea gone?

P.S. I always used filtered water and the plant was never placed in direct sunlight.

 

[cpp gardener]

They're reeeally picky about their environment. They want lots of humidity and almost constantly moist soil. They don't like dissolved salts in their water, so rainwater or distilled is best.

 

[1337n3ss]

Thank you for the reply. Yeah, they are definitely picky.

I will try to increase the humidity around the plant even more. I never watered it with tap water - only filtered (and sometimes distilled) water.

 

[oneeye]

Your plant has been in the same pot for six months. You have only given it water for all those months. If that was my plant I would very gently tap the plant out of the pot and gently remove some of the outer soil. Then using the same pot add a little new soil and replant the old soil and replant it back in the pot. .

 

[1337n3ss]

As mentioned in my original post, I re-potted this plant in a different soil/pot. I did this approximately three weeks ago because I was suspecting that the plant was suffering from root rot.