🌱 Calathea Makoyana 'medallion

Use an airy, moisture-retentive but free-draining mix (e.g., peat/coco-based houseplant mix amended with perlite and fine bark). Aim for consistently damp soil without stagnation; ensure a pot with drainage holes and never let the root zone sit in water.

Feed lightly in active growth (spring–summer) with a balanced liquid fertilizer at 1/4–1/2 label strength every 2–4 weeks; reduce strongly or stop in winter. Flush the pot with water periodically to limit salt buildup (Calathea are sensitive), and avoid overfeeding which can scorch roots and leaf margins.

In pots, a thin (0.5–1 cm) top-dressing of coco coir or fine bark helps reduce rapid surface drying and buffers humidity at the soil surface; keep mulch away from stems/crowns to prevent rot and fungus gnats.

Prune by removing yellowing or damaged leaves at the base with clean, sharp scissors; avoid cutting healthy leaf tissue unless trimming brown tips.