How to Repot a Calathea

Repot your calathea when it becomes top heavy in its container or when its roots grow out of the hole at the bottom. Use a pot one size larger than the original to prevent excess soil from soaking up water and causing waterlogging. Use a shallow pot, as calathea roots grow close to the surface.

Turn the pot upside down with one hand on the soil surface and the other supporting the main stems. Tap the bottom of the pot to loosen the root ball. Examine the roots and cut away any dead or rotting roots with a pair of scissors or a sharp knife. Cut back any roots that are growing round and round the pot by 50 percent, and tease apart any roots that are tightly woven together.

Place a paper coffee filter of tissue over the holes in the bottom of the new pot. This prevents the soil from washing out of the pot before it has settled. Do not put pebbles or pieces of broken pot in the container as they simply take up space.

Put your calathea in the new container at the same level that it was in its original container. Fill the pot with potting compost made up of 2 parts peat moss, 1 part loam and 1 part sand or perlite. Tap the container to settle the soil and fill in any gaps. Leave at least half an inch between the soil and the rim of the pot.

Water your newly repotted calathea thoroughly and place it on a dish of damp pebbles to raise humidity levels. Do not fertilize until new growth is visible.