I grow a ton of Calatheas and Marantas but mine have an advantage of being planted in the ground. They just do not make good long term houseplants. There are probably several factors affecting your plant, and when they affect it "all at once", it can lead to big problems. #1--most Calathea are not high light plants. This is a good rule of thumb to follow for light: if a plant has leaves that have red or maroon undersides, its a shade or low light plant. The red coloration is a genetic adaptation of rainforest plants that thrive in moderate to deep shade. The pigment is made up of specialized cells adapted to catching what is called "green light"...this is light that filters through the canopy layer, hits the ground and bounces back up. These plants with red undersides are specifically adapted to catching and utilizing green light. So putting your plant right in an unobstructed South facing window might have been a little too much light all at once. #2--almost all the Maranta and most of the Calathea have a sensitivity to not only chlorine but also mainly to fluoride in the water. Since most municipal water supplies are both chlorinated and have added fluoride for the kids teeth, you shouldn't use it for plants like these. Your water may also contain added ammonia, which forms what are called "chloramines" which are also bad for plants. All this will cause leaf troubles like the crispy edge. Using pure spring water, distilled or purified water is a good start. #3--Humidity is a key factor for these plants and misting and a pebble tray may still be inadequate, especially in a home in a Northern zone when it gets to be winter and you turn the heat on. Air conditioning is bad enough in summer, drying out the air but the heater is killer in winter. If you can stand it, you might have better results if you purchased a cheepo cool mist vaporizer from Walmart and ran it on a timer to cycle on and off in the close proximity of any plants you have that require higher humidity. You could group all your needy plants together maybe and hit them all at once. #4--5 fertilizer sticks is just way too much for a houseplant that is already stressed.And Calathea and Maranta can be resentful of too much fertilizer. Since you have trouble keeping your plant adequately watered in the first place, it would be much better to err on the side of underfertilizing and just use some 1/4 to 1/2 strength water soluble maybe once a month. #5--if you had white bugs AND webs, you probably had a mixed infestation of mealies and mites. The webs are from the mites, mealies don't build webs. But mealies do infest the soil and also lay eggs in the soil. Calathea and Maranta are rhizomatous plants, and mealies can attack the plant below the soil level. To be certain they are gone you may need to use a systemic pesticide that goes into the soil, like Bayer, on a regular basis. Your plant sounds like it is trying valiantly to make a comeback and you sound like you did your research pretty well. Just give it time.

Thank you, Audrey. Snidely (sorry, I'm having a problem transitioning to Elmer), even if I were to find an affordable, tick-free location (highly unlikely), I wouldn't do it. I'd be leaving my kids and my friends, and left with . . . what? A chronic health problem, for one thing. Yes, the prospect of never being reinfected is a pleasant thought, but stress is unhealthy, and for this homebody it would be stressful to leave everyone and the old farm where I raised my children and spent my happiest years. Yaya, it sounds like you and I are in the same boat. Thanks for responding. I spent some time reading Buhner's Lyme book today, and also discovered his website. It's worth checking out. So many authors' websites are stingy with information because they want you to buy the book, but Buhner is extravagantly generous. I'm glad I have the books though; his research is extensive, and he provides a great deal of information about each of the herbs he recommends. I want to know as much as I can before I take something.

Hi, Patty. Just catching up on the forum. Everyone has offered wonderful and understanding suggestions, but I'll add some of my thoughts and garden info in case they're helpful. My last garden was at least 4x the size of my current one. (I just checked the city map.) I live on a 5,400 square foot lot, but the house, garage, deck and oversized driveway probably swallow 3/4 of the lot. Like you, at my last residence, I grew countless bulbs, perennials and shrubs (many of which were roses) that I wished to keep. Before leaving, I made a list of all I wanted to move and begged favors from any gardening friend who would help dig. The most precious plants I dug myself. I acquired a gazillion nursery pots in advance in addition to a pile of potting soil. This reduced the bed creation and planting pressure. Like you, I took cuttings and hoped for the best. With traveling OGRs like Gallicas and such, I sliced stolons and tagged the canes to be dug and moved later. I've been trying to decide whether or not to share this on the forum, but I will since it's best to be prepared. My former garden is gone. It lasted through several years and two owners who enjoyed it, but the current owners ripped out everything. Yes, everything. With that said, I want to emphasize that the latest owners of my old house are executives that seem to have purchased the home for its proximity to downtown. They did not buy it for its historical value or its garden. I think there's a very, very good chance that your property will attract buyers who appreciate 100-year-old farmhouses and heirloom plants. Your place has that kind of magnetism. You could even offer to take a tour with the new owners to identify everything. I made that offer with my last garden. :-) Even though my current garden is a postage stamp, I manage to grow about 70 roses. I grow them in ground and in pots. I grow them over and under, vertically and horizontally. I am eliminating all my grass. The remains are disappearing this summer. All that's left are either seating or bed areas. Someday, I'll post photos of my multi-layered, hodge-podge green space. It's amazing what can be crammed into microscopic patches of dirt with a shoehorn. I'm both a collector and designer, so I'm highly motivated to smash plants into any crack in the composition. That's my abridged story. However, I've saved the most important piece for last. After a few years, I began to positively celebrate my small garden. I've learned to hone my values, to make choices and feel content with the results...and I live a more balanced life. The upkeep of my last garden was almost overwhelming at times. My current beds are a tangle of bohemian chaos, so who can see the weeds during periods of neglect? I culled out my highest maintenance roses and enjoy the ones I have more than ever. There are plants for all seasons, and each one is a special event. Really and truly, Patty. After the period of adjustment, I've never looked back. Ever. Best wishes for your sale, purchase and move! Carol

thank you for bringing such joy to this forum and others (here's the link to your reusable toilet paper story)