Losing Faith in Your Prayer Plant? How to Save Your Curling Leaves

Curling leaves prayer plant are one of the most distinctively unique household plants available. Their leaves are intricately patterned and this gives them a wonderfully original look.

Therefore, it can be incredibly frustrating when the leaves on a prayer plant begin to curl as this disrupts their wonderful patterns. 

Losing Faith in Your Prayer Plant How to Save Your Curling Leaves

Under-Watering Your Plant 

One reason why prayer plants begin to curl is due to a lack of hydration. However, you also need to exercise caution when watering your plant because you do not want to overwhelm it with water either.

In order to ascertain whether your plant needs more water, remove it from the pot and assess the moisture in the soil mix. If it feels exceptionally dry then you will need to water your prayer plant more regularly. 

The worst decision that you can make is to overload it with water, thus, you should only water your prayer plant lightly each day for a week.

This inherently moistens the soil without causing any unnecessary shock. The leaves should return to normal after approximately a week of watering.

You should then ensure that you continue to water your plant with regularity in order to prevent it from drying out again. Monitoring the moisture in the soil is the best way to ensure that you strike the right balance when watering your prayer plant. 

Temperature Fluctuations 

Any fluctuation in temperature will cause your prayer plant’s leaves to start to curl. These hotspots will occur whenever the plant has been placed too close to direct light.

Hotspots can also occur when your plant is placed near a heater. It may not be easy to spot a hotspot due to the way that heat disperses quickly across the room.

Therefore, you should ensure that you are keeping the room ventilated and avoid positioning your plant closer than 1 m from any radiator. 

Cold air isn’t brilliant for prayer plants either and will also cause their leaves to curl. Streams of cold air from the outside can be incredibly harmful to a prayer plant during the winter months. You should ensure that you have placed your plant in a draft proof area to resolve any issues.

You may also require a digital thermometer to measure your household temperature throughout the year and ensure that your plant remains in the ideal position for its growth. 

Related: How To Get Rid Of Thrips On Houseplants For Good? The Ultimate Guide

Lacking Humidity 

A lack of humidity yin the air can also cause the leaves to curl. Although the levels of humidity found within greenhouses is unattainable, misting the leaves on a regular basis will ensure that your plant receives the right amount of moisture.

You should mist the leaves a few times a week and can use a spray bottle to spritz them. Showering the leaves of your plant will help to increase humidity whilst removing any dust or insects that live within the plant itself.

It is best to spray the leaves of your plant regularly regardless of whether the leaves have begun to curl or not. 

Use A Humidifier 

A humidifier provides a longer term solution to humidity issues and is therefore the best investment to ensure that your prayer plant lives a long and prosperous life. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Do I Do If The Leaves Continue To Curl?

If you have followed all the tips outlined and are still not sure what is causing the leaves of your prayer plant to curl then it may be that your plant is reacting to the tap water.

If you live in an area where there is more chlorine in the water supply, this could be causing aggravation to your plant. Fluoride in the water can also build up around the roots of the prayer plant, stunning its growth. 

To resolve this, you can flush your plant through with purified water that has a lower level of fluoride and chlorine.

Remember that prayer plants naturally adopt a prayer position by curling their leaves overnight and unfolding them during the day and this rhythm can sometimes fall out of sync.

Therefore, your plant may be going through a natural process, and it is easy to mistake this for an issue. Monitoring your plant carefully will help you to assess whether the leaves are able to naturally uncurl or not. 

Conclusion

To conclude, the leaves of a prayer plant can begin to curl for a number of reasons ranging from a lack of watering to a lack of humidity in the area. You should be cautious about overwatering a prayer plant also.

The best way to ensure that your plant remains healthy with uncurled leaves during the daytime, is to strike the right balance when watering it.

Giving your plant a small amount of water every day will help to ensure that the surrounding soil remains moist. You should also avoid placing your prayer plant in direct light as this can cause the leaves to dry and curl. 

Like most houseplants, a prayer plant is sensitive to temperature and thus, you should avoid placing it near a heater or other source of heat supply as hotspots can cause the leaves of your prayer plant to curl up rapidly.

Placing your prayer plant in an appropriate location and consistently measuring the temperature of the room alongside the moisture in the soil will inevitably ensure that your plant grows within healthy and nurturing surroundings.

You should also position your plant in a draft proof area where it is exposed to indirect sunlight in order for it to continue to grow and thrive.

Editor’s Recommendations

How To Save An Overwatered Peace Lily From Dying? A Comprehensive Guide

Why Are My Calathea Leaves Curling, And, How To Fix It Fast?

Morel Mushrooms: Key Steps in Growing These Rare and Delicious Mushrooms

Morgan Daniels
Share

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *