For
many, the end of summer is sad, as it marks the beginning of the coldest time of the year. For others, autumn is a real feast for its cool weather and color-changing trees. Annuals that live outdoors begin to prepare themselves for the rigors of winter, but what about houseplants? Well, being from other types of climates, we have to help them survive this seasonal change.
With Calatheas you have to be especially careful at this time of year because they are tropical plants that are not prepared for the abrupt drops in temperatures of these latitudes. This doesn't mean that you have to resign yourself to seeing your plants die in winter, because with a few changes in their routine they will remain beautiful all year round. Don't worry, with these top tips to take care of Calatheas in autumn and winter you can have everything ready for these dates.
Plants, Humans, and Seasons: Why We Need to Prepare for Winter
One of the things I appreciate most about having plants at home is that they make me feel more connected to the cycles of nature. This may sound a bit hippie, but the truth is that humans have our own cycles, known as circadian rhythms and that they are also affected (among other things) by the amount of light we perceive.
As you may have noticed, the length of the day changes throughout the year, depending on the seasons, and determines the way the biological clock programs the circadian rhythms of plants and people. The circadian rhythm has a direct impact on processes such as sleep rhythm, metabolism, mental disorders, obesity, among many others. It is the clock that tells us how and when the body should react, regulating it. It's like a virtual assistant that reminds each process of the right time to act.
When autumn arrives, it marks the beginning of the dark part of the year. The days get shorter, the nights longer and with it we enter a period of almost obligatory rest, which slowly prepares us to be able to endure the winter. With temperatures so low and with so little light, plants and animals are forced to slow down the pace of work and production during the winter. But this is only a moment of rest, in which you regain strength to be born again with strength during the spring.
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Wonders such as heating, the possibility of preserving food longer, the trade and exchange that allows us to have certain products even out of season, means of transportation and all the other privileges help us to stay alive and active during the winter. When you have plants you reconnect to a certain extent with these cycles, which we have forgotten to live in the modern rhythm of constant production without rest.
Preparing your plants for winter is a way of remembering these ancestral customs, that rhythm of life when we did not have the current resources that allow us to survive even when the environmental conditions are not the most optimal and that are the most appropriate and natural way to live. respecting the spontaneous processes of the body. It is also a reminder of the most natural rhythms, reaffirming our connection with the most atavistic and authentic processes of nature, so it will have a very positive impact on your psycho-emotional health.
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How does autumn-winter affect calatheas?
Calatheas are herbaceous perennials, meaning they maintain their green foliage throughout the year. These types of plants are characterized by not forming a permanent woody tissue and will be in continuous growth throughout the year if temperatures are warm enough. But don't let this confuse you, because they also have a cycle of growth and rest dictated by the seasons.
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Let's remember that Calatheas are plants that come from South America, where the seasons are not as marked as in the southern hemisphere, but there are more or less differentiated seasonal periods. While winter in those countries doesn't have such extreme temperatures, there is a change in the amount of light perceived and temperature; There are also times with more rainfall and other warmer months. Despite these changes, temperatures do not vary abruptly in these environments and there is no frost. For this reason, it is almost impossible to keep a Calathea alive outdoors if temperatures drop too low in autumn-winter in the region you live in, and it is better to keep them indoors.
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Inside the house, the environmental conditions are much more stable and it will be easier to keep them happy. Your Calathea will remain just as colorful and beautiful during the colder months of the year, but you have to take particular care to make it successfully adapt to the season. Don't worry, it's not complicated at all and these adjustments will allow your plant to not only survive the winter, but wake up radiant and happy for spring.
Always
remember that calatheas are plants that come from places with a tropical climate, so they have fairly stable humidity and temperature requirements. In short, they are not made to live on this side of the world, because abrupt changes in environmental conditions can affect them negatively, that is, it would kill them immediately. It's like taking a polar bear out and taking it to live in the Sahara Desert.
Thanks to all the
deities we live in full modernity and we have to be thankful that, even when the environmental conditions are not ideal for a beautiful Calathea to live outside, we have the means to live indoors all year round. But heating and water are not enough, because the secret to keeping them happy and radiant lies in the balance and stability of their conditions. Let's explain how to achieve this in more detail:
- Watering
As temperatures drop, watering should be spaced out and made a little less frequent. This is because when temperatures drop, the water will not evaporate as quickly from the substrate but will stay hydrated for longer. Always remember to check the texture and humidity of the substrate before watering and check that the drainage holes of the plant are not clogged. I always like to put a layer of pebbles or pieces of polystyrene at the bottom of the pot to forget about the risk of waterlogging.
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One of the typical mistakes with plants in winter is overwatering them. This doesn't mean you're going to use less water for watering. It is better to space the waterings well, but make them abundant, this way you guarantee that the plant always has the necessary water to live. Soak the substrate very well and let the water drain well. Remember to check that the excess water that drains the pot does not get bogged down, in case you have a decorative planter or a small plate to collect it. In this season, good drainage is crucial to ensure the survival of the plant.
- Humidity
Calatheas require moisture to stay fresh and beautiful. There are those who believe that since it is a cold season it is not necessary to spray them, but the truth is that when you are inside the house with the heating, the air around them will be excessively dry. Just as you have to use a special moisturizer for your skin during the winter, you need to pay extra attention to the humidity levels of your calathea. In addition, this is also convenient for you, as it will be beneficial for your respiratory system, skin and hair.
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The simplest way to maintain humidity levels is to purchase a humidifier and keep it running indoors. They are inexpensive and there are many handsome models that will also look good with your decoration. In case you don't want to buy one, you can use the old trick of trays with pebbles and some water to put each pot in. There are also water trays that are placed over the radiators and allow the water to evaporate. Another trick? Take your plants with you to the kitchen or bathroom. The steam from the shower and the water in this room will do them a lot of good. Don't forget to pulverize their leaves from time to time and group them together, so that together they form a united front against the lack of humidity.
- Calatheas
they get lush in the heat and prefer the warm but humid atmosphere of the tropical jungle, so their ideal environment can never be below 15° C (about 70° F). If frost is very frequent and extreme in your region, you can consider protecting them in a small greenhouse (you can find some on the web and there are even tutorials for making them at home) on the coldest days.
Although it seems logical to put them near a heat source so that they take advantage of the environment, you should avoid putting them too close to the radiator or heater, as these devices dry out the air too much and your poor plant will be dry and destroyed. On the other hand, remember to keep it away from doors and windows because icy drafts can kill them even when they are in perfect condition.
- Lighting
If your plant always lives indoors, you shouldn't have a major problem with lighting, especially since it receives it in a filtered form. If you live in an area where the amount of light is abruptly reduced during the winter, it is advisable to get a UV lamp. Don't be surprised if their leaves stay picked for more hours, remember that they react to the amount of light they perceive in the environment.
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Although it may seem tempting to put them in the sun a little bit to warm up and enjoy the natural warmth, don't leave them to receive direct rays, even if it's in a window. The leaves of Calatheas are delicate and will burn if they receive sun. You can put it in a place that receives more light, but filtered, so you will guarantee that its colors and shapes will be protected and happy.
- Fertilization
As temperatures drop, plants also decrease their nutrient needs, so you won't need to fertilize as often as you do in other seasons. This is a period when Calatheas will go to rest, but you need to prepare them to come back with a vengeance in the following season. That's why you should never skip the traditional last season ticket of the year.
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The last fertilizer of the year should be done in autumn, if possible with an extended-release product, such as tablets, granules or bars that are buried in the substrate and slowly dissolve with each watering. This will give it the nutrients it needs to face the winter, as well as prepare the plant to return with great enthusiasm to its growing season in spring and summer.
- Transplanting and pruning Transplanting
should be done in the spring, but there are plants that allow transplanting during the fall. In the case of Calatheas, it is better to refrain from moving them from pots and leave this delicate process for the beginning of summer, when they will be able to extend their roots with all confidence and will suffer less during this traumatic process. However, growth during these colder seasons is minimal so you won't need to transplant out of time.
As for pruning, you can prepare to remove the driest and oldest leaves, so that the plant avoids investing resources unnecessarily, staying more robust and prepared to continue growing in spring. This is even a way to prepare her for the next season. If you have fertilized it correctly, it will become even bushier and more beautiful in the growing season.
- With
cold weather, many of the dreaded pests disappear, but don't be overconfident because you can always be a victim of mealybugs and spider mites, as they don't take seasonal vacations. Another great winter enemy is fungus, because with such cold temperatures, humidity accumulates for longer. There are those who do a preventive fumigation in autumn to prevent annoying insects, and you also have to be very aware of the frequency of watering.
Remember that the secret is consistency and balance. As long as you don't overdo the watering frequencies, don't expose them to the outdoors or to drafts in windows and doors, your Calatheas should withstand these seasons perfectly. Keep the temperature inside the house balanced and keep an eye on the humidity levels, grouping them together or with a humidifier. This will ensure that the Calatheas remain the green haven all year round. While everyone else freezes, you can relax at home with your beautiful plants.