Anyone know about Prayer plant

I have one but it is not doing do well I have it in a west window is that wrong to much lite can this be saved

These plants can be tricky, I have a houseplant book that rates the plants from easy to difficult, and it says the prayer plant is not for beginners.

I have lost two of them, both times to what I expect was overwatering. I think that they need a very loose fast draining mix with lots of perlite and bark bits etc, and you need to let them get a little dry before watering. When I say this I don't mean to let it sit there dry for days, but to check it regularly and water as soon as it gets to that almost dry point. Also, bright light but no direct sun unless it is gentle morning sun. Mine is actually in a low light window, it gets a little direct morning sun and then the rest of the day can best be described as medium indirect light, and it is doing really really well, it even just bloomed for me in those conditions. Most important though is the fast draining soil and not overwatering.

Sometimes for me it takes some trial and error with certain varieties until you get the hang of it....good luck!

I have never had much luck with Maranta's. Even though I have hundreds of house plants for some reason this one has been difficult for me! I think your plant is getting to much sunlight!! These plants like shade and no direct sun. Your plant doesn't look too far gone so I'm sure you can save it. There are two Maranta's listed in Plant Files, you can read up on them here:

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54735/

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1208/

Marantas grow great around here...............but we are on the coast with high humidity...........they don't like wet feet but they do enjoy humidity...............before she croaks, why don't you put a bakery plastic lid over her.........and see what happens.............and be sure to repot her in fresh light soil...............once again.........1/2 perlite and 1/2 AV soil-less mix.............

They also resent mineral build-up in the soil. Leaching the soil every once in a while would help. Mine would go from spindly and sickly to lush and magnificent with a change of soil. I got a temporary reprieve if I leached. It received very bright indirect and a small amount of direct moring light. It's gone now. It was too tempting to my two cats so I put it outside in the greenhouse where it died a cold death during the winter. My DH lowered the thermostat in my greenhouse this past winter without telling me — didn't want to haul so many propane tanks.

HAd early day I am going to change my soil thanks for the infor
Kim

I agree that they don't like to be overwatered.

I have my prayer plant in regular Miracle Gro plant soil and only water it when the soil is dry, but not so dry that the plant wilts. I also keep mine in a plastic pot, and it's been doing very well in that. I've kept mine in a south window, then an east window, and it seemed happiest in the east window. I've actually had good luck with mine. It's even flowerered for me numerous times this summer.

Aren't the flowers cute? They remind me of little violets.

I have my prayer right next to one of those little table water fountains. The plug in type, not the type that runs on batteries (you'll go thru way too many batteries!) I keep it running 24/7, and this seems to have made the difference in my success with prayers. They just thrive on humidity. I also mist it once or twice a day, or whenever I think of it.

Randi

I have 2...one in a hanging basket...it hates to ever get dry...and one in a terrarium, that is flourishing.

I have one that I've had for a couple years and it's actually a really easy going little thing. Mine is the "kerchoviana' variety - no red lines. It's in a big pot for it's size in, beneath a west facing window so that it gets light but not sun and it complains about the low humidity by getting dry brown ends on the leaves if i don't water it enough. I fertilize mine a balnced liquid fertilizer ever now and then. I also give it really big haircuts several times a year and get a big flush a new growth each time afterward. The leaves start to look shabby after a awhile. I don't know if this would be a good idea for your variety though.

I notice the shabby leaves too, and think that the whole plant gets shabby looking after a while if you don't cut it back regularly. The leaves also accumulate alot of dust and should be gently rinsed from time to time.