Update I put it in a saucer with about 2 in of water based off of other calathea care recommendations and it’s opening up I know
Not to leave it in there for too long but it seems to be drinking up the water, could it have been under watered? Despite the moisture meter?

Progress?

I fell in love with them for that but they get finnicky luckily I was able to figure out why my one guy was curling, but yea unfortunately these forums have gotten quieter, the bottom left is a type of maranta which is like the sister plant same plant family marantacae

I haven’t grown this plant until recently, one just died, couldn’t figure out why, and I don’t kill a lot of plants. I am trying another one, and it seems to be very particular, trying to figure out what it wants, nearly lost it, so I moved it and now am watering it more, seems to have a very narrow range of what it finds acceptable. It has made some new leaf buds, we’ll see how I do.

I'm also pretty darn good with indoor plants, though these sound like something I should steer away from, especially since I tend to keep my house a bit cool during the winter.

I don’t know about temps but it does seem to want bright light, but no TOO bright, and lots of moisture. I haven’t had a lot of luck with Boston ferns either, I am more of a less is more waterer I guess.

they curl the leaves like that when they don't get enough water. they definitely like a lot of water. if it doesn't get enough and it curls like this several times it weakens the plant.

watering it from the bottom is a good idea: stand the pot in 1" of water, if after 10 min all the water is gone, repeat it with more water. but after it gets enough, make sure there is no standing water: when too wet for a long time it might rot.

also when there is not enough roots (dried up and/or rotted) it can't get enough water ever, so will curl up the leaves.

it should be kept slightly moist at all times.

Thanks everyone yes I have found just like j Williams that they have a very narrow range of what is acceptable humidity really seems to be the key for me and mine they prefer humidity above 56 percent if it hits 56 percent the curling starts also I put it in an inch of water and it drank it up repeated it and it didn’t used the moisture meter that is reading more moist and that’s when it opened back up also cutting off some dead leaves helped I find watering from the bottom and and then giving it a shallow drink on top works best also the fact that I have two calatheas and one maranta all on pebble trays right next to each other helps if they weren’t so darn rewardingly pretty I probably wouldn’t bother but it’s so worth it

This is my poor pathetic plant, I am guessing the bronzing is too much sun, but it has also been throwing out leaf shoots, so it is confusing about what I should do with it. The brown leaves were probably from under watering, but it was in a bathroom with a lot of humidity.

the brown edges on leaves develop from 'bad water': fluoride in water or water softener would cause that.

Well good news is it’s still producing new shoots the humidity since it’s in a bathroom shouldn’t be that much of a problem but I agree with petrushka the browning is usually sunburn or water additives I only water mine with distilled or filtered room temp water you can also collect rain water or leave normal tap water out for 24 hours they are very sensitive to water additives and too much direct sun can burn the leaves but that looks more like water additive damage to me

They also can always benefit from a “humidity tray” (pebble tray with water that does not cover the rocks completely so the plant isn’t sitting in water) during the winter months

I have moved it out of the bathroom, oddly seems to be doing better. It doesn’t have a lot of soil, so it has been challenging to give it enough water, plus I am always wary of overwatering.

Definitely monitor it’s humidity levels it out of the bathroom and yes I have the same problem I’m so wary of overwatering misting helps them without overwatering also a moisture meter changed my life now I don’t have to guess I know what the soil is reading moisture wise

I just brought one of these home from the nursery. I think they are so pretty. Mine is a 'Peacock' variety. I have stayed away from them because they sound like more work than I normally have to give them. I was going to get easy low light plants, but I didn't like any of the choices, so I got what I like and now I'm going to have to try to keep it going.

The humidity issue - has anyone tried to grow one of these by just misting them? I'm not going to use a humidifier and I'd rather not set up a pebble tray. All my windows have recessed radiators under them.

Light - bright light - I have an Eastern and Western exposure but no way to really put the plant right in front of the window and the East window has some shrubs screening part of it and a mature tree that is southeast to my window, so I don't get all the light an unobstructed window would have.

My West window is the best light but most places I could put it would have direct sunlight. Is that a problem in the winter too? And late in the day sun is not strong, right? Or should I really avoid direct sun and back it up 5-10ft from the window?