No houseplant collection is complete without a Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum). Although they are very common, there is a reason for this!
They are very low maintenance, will survive very low light indoors, and they often will tell you when they need water! And as a bonus, I don't know of any other plant that will bloom in low light like this plant can.
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Table of Contents
Growing Peace Lily
Light
Peace lilies prefer bright indirect light. You'll want to keep too much direct sun away from these plants because the leaves will easily burn with too much harsh sun.
Morning sun, however, is gentle enough in most cases as long as it is not for too long. Northern exposure and Eastern exposure windows are wonderful for these plants.
I've even grown Peace Lilies in an office with just overhead lighting and no windows at all. They will even bloom for you sometimes in these conditions!
Peace lilies are one of the few plants that I would ever recommend for an office or room with no windows, provided that you have artificial light on for several hours of the day.
If you do provide your peace lily with appropriate light though, it should reward you with plenty of flowers.
Sometimes, you will find that they even have a slight fragrance!
If flowers are not your goal though, and you are happy with the beautiful glossy leaves, you can get away with less light. Just monitor your plant and you will know if it is happy or not.
Temperature
Peace lilies like it warmer, so if you are comfortable, your peace lily is probably comfortable too!
Try to stick with a temperature range of 65F-85F for best results.
Watering
These plants definitely enjoy being on the moister side when it comes to their potting soil.
If you let it dry out too much, you will quickly see the entire plant start to wilt and collapse. If you notice this, be sure to give it a very thorough watering.
When this happens to mine, I take it to my kitchen sink and give it a very thorough soaking. Your plant will quickly recover.
That being said, try not to let it get to the point where it
wilts from needing water. If you wait
too long, your plant may die. And if
you repeat the wilting/recovering process too much, you will weaken your plant
over time.
If you find that your plant has gone bone dry and you try watering your plant and the water seems to go straight through quickly and doesn't absorb much, you'll have a little work to do.
Sometimes when potting mixes get super dry, they become difficult to re-wet.
In these cases, you may need to water your pot several times in a row until you can feel that the pot is heavier and that the soil has actually absorbed water instead of just streaming through.
Otherwise, if you don't do this, you may find that your plant will wilt again from the soil going dry very soon afterwards.
Repotting
I have an entire blog post that shows with pictures how I repotted one of my peace lilies.
Peace lilies grow pretty quickly and can develop pretty vigorous root systems. Be sure not to miss my blog post on repotting a peace lily with step by step instructions.
There is one very critical step in repotting that you want to make sure you don't miss.
And if you're looking for an amazing potting mix for peace lilies, check out the Rainforest Soil Blend from Oh Happy Plants. Their mixes are AMAZING! And you will get 10% off automatically at checkout for any products when you use my link.
Fertilizing
Like all of my houseplants, I like to fertilize dilutely at every watering starting in late Winter and continuing through early Fall. I purchase most of my fertilizers on Amazon.
My favorite fertilizer to use is Dyna-Gro Grow. It is a premium fertilizer that contains all micro and macro nutrients that plants need to thrive. I use this fertilizer on all of my tropical foliage plant and great success!
Simply add ¼ teaspoon per gallon of water.
CLEANING PEACE LILY LEAVES
There are several different varieties of peace lilies with varying sizes of leaves, ranging from small and narrow, to large and broad.
Some varieties have pretty large leaves, and all of them will attract quite a bit of dust!
For optimal health and growth of any plant, you should take care of those dusty leaves.
You can either use a damp sponge or damp paper towel to wipe any dusty leaves off.
Another way, perhaps quicker, would be to place your plant in the sink or in the shower, and wash off any dusty leaves, while simultaneously give your plant a nice thorough watering!
If your plant is blooming, don't be surprised if you see a lot of white dust or powder on the leaves. Don't mistaken this for pests. It is simply pollen, and they produce a lot!
PROPAGATING PEACE LILY
The best way to propagate peace lily is to simply divide the plant at the roots when it is time to repot.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are you having problems with your peace lily? Here are some common problems with solutions to help you out!
Why am I getting brown tips?
Brown tips in peace lilies are normally caused by extremes in moisture. This occurs especially if you let your plant dry out so much that it wilts.
If you do this repeatedly, you will find that it will develop brown tips.
On the opposite end, if you keep it wet for too long, you may also get brown tips.
If you haven't repotted your plant in a very long time and it is severely root bound, the roots are in such tight quarters that even when you water, it may not thoroughly moisten the entire root system and dry tips may result.
Brown tips in peace lilies can also result from too many fertilizer salts. This can be the case if you've had your plant in the same pot for many years and you can physically see crusty buildup (either from hard water and/or fertilizer.)
Why is my peace lily drooping, wilting, or having limp leaves?
This can be caused by either your plant going completely dry for a while OR from your plant staying wet for a long time.
When you notice that your plant has wilted and started to collapse, immediately use your finger to check the soil.
If the soil is bone dry, immediately give it a deep, thorough watering. It will recover within a few to several hours.
On the other hand, if the plant has wilted and you feel the soil and it is moist, it probably means that your plant sat in water for too long and has suffered root rot.
If you notice this, promptly discard any extra water that it may be sitting in and let the soil dry out. If you smell the soil and it smells rancid or rotten, your plant may have suffered root rot.
Keep an eye on your plant for a while and see if it recovers.
If it doesn't recover much after a few days, your plant probably suffered root rot.
At this point, if the plant is still salvageable, repot it. Take the plant out of its pot, remove any loose soil and dead roots, and repot.
Be extra careful if you have your plant in a plastic pot with drainage holes, but it is slipped into a decorative pot with no drainage hole. It is all too easy to allow your plant to sit in water if you have this set up. Slip the inner pot out and discard any standing water.
There are more factors to consider than what I just mentioned. Be sure to check out my detailed blog post on 11 different causes for your peace lily drooping.
Why is my peace lily yellowing?
There are numerous factors that can cause yellow leaves on your plant.
Yellow leaves can result from excessively dry soil, and also from being wet for too long. Just stick your finger in the soil to determine which.
Yellow leaves can also be caused if your peace lily is sitting in too much direct sun. In this case, the entire plant will have yellowish leaves and not just one or two. Simply move it to a location that has less direct sun.
To read more about yellowing plant leaves and the various causes, refer to my blog post on tips to fix plants with yellow leaves.
Why are the flowers turning green or brown?
This is completely normal! No flower will last forever.
The pure white flowers will eventually fade and the spathe will often turn green like in the photo above, and then turn brown.
You can cut the whole flower stem off at that point.
PEACE LILY TOXICITY
Peace lily is toxic to cats and dogs because of calcium oxalate according to the ASPCA.
That's all folks! I hope this post has been helpful. As common as peace lilies are, they are beautiful houseplants and there should be at least ONE in your houseplant collection!
PLEASE DO NOT USE POTTING MIX! Spathiphyllum and MOST plants find potting mix too wet!
Instead, please buy the following products: * Coconut fibre/husk, * Sphagnum Moss (small bag 100-200g), * Coconut Coir Peat (15L), * Peat Moss (250-500g), * Vermiculite, * Perlite, * Charcoal, * Pumice or any other light weight small stones (scoria also perfect and roots love it!).
But what soil should I buy? PLEASE only buy EITHER "Succulent / Cactus" mix which should contain very little bark -OR- a "Seed Raising / Propagation" soil mix which will be very light weight and consist of just soil and light organic matter.
Get a bucket, add 500ml cold water (distilled, filtered or tap). Add another 250ml on top of Peat Moss to mix all three together.
Add the following ratio:
* 30% Coconut Coir Peat (crush or sit in water, source of moisture for roots).
* 10% Sphagnum Moss (chop it up so mixes better, source of moisture for roots).
* 30% Peat Moss (nice and slightly acidic, aerates soil - OPTIONAL).
* 10% Vermiculite (rinsed first, aerates soil).
* 10% Perlite (rinsed first, aerates soil).
* 10% Pumice / Scoria / Mafia Stone, Diatomaceous Earth, Zeolite, or any aggregate (rinsed first, aerates soil), etc.
* and a couple handfuls of light-weight delicate charcoal (crushed into chunks approx. 5mm to 10mm to 30mm).
= TOTAL 100%!
You can store this mix for several months in a bucket or plastic tub in your garage, shed, near your back door, etc. until you need it.
<>
In bottom of the pot I place 2-3mm layer of Coconut Husk Fibre to prevent soil escaping (and slugs getting into the pot).
I use 70% of the above "mega mix" with 30% of the above seed raising propagation soil mix (Search for Scott's Osmocote Seed Raising Propagation mix I think it is called? Dark green bag! Will give you an idea).
- Coir Peat retains moisture but doesn't remain 'wet'.
- Sphagnum moss will retain more moisture, but if mixed well, will ensure mix is not 'wet'.
- Peat moss will make the mix nice and light weight, acidic and and aerated.
- Vermiculite, Perlite, Pumice, Scoria, Mafia stone, Diatomaceous earth, Zerolite and other course aggregate will provide better drainage!! Must rinse so fine dust is removed - avoid 'mud' clogging up roots!
- Charcoal will keep bacteria, smells and microbes in check. Seems to make the plants happier!
ALL my XL, medium and small peace lillies are exploding with flowers! They love this mix. I feed them monthly with a Seaweed tonic, and Seasol for first 4 weeks after transplanting.
Optionally, give them Chicken poor mulch (WhoFlungDung is excellent!), which also prevents Perlite / Vermiculite floating to top when watered, plus feeds Peace Lillies!!
@Raffaele, hi no the plant looks heathy apart from that, it’s my first peace Lily I have had it since June 21i have had 3 grow so far and I have cut them out because I wasn’t sure they dried out, what dose new flowers look like? I haven’t got any to show you but I could send you a photo of the plant if you could tell me how to many thanks Sue
@Sue Bailey, Simply upload the photo to Mediafire or any free file hosting.
Then paste the link here.
Please add Coconut coir and Moss to retain moisture, and along with perlite, vermiculite and any other aggregate to encourage drainage! Potting mix soil is not ideal for these plants that normally grow with organic material that **retains moisture** 😀
Buy some chicken poo mulch and distribute on your plants. Leave plants in a shaded area for a week if you don't like the smell inside 😛
@Sue Bailey, Could also be humidity or drafts. Could be getting direct sunlight. Could have inadequate soil? Could be pot-bound? Could require some seaweed fertiliser and nutrients. OR could require some potassium (K) from fertiliser (stick with organic and pellets if possible).
@Raffaele, I have a problem similar to this one. I have had my Peace Lily for many years and have repotted it several times. It has always been beautiful. Now , with no changes whatsoever in its care it is getting VERY thin. The “stalks” / “stems” are getting very long, the leaves are much smaller and MUCH less dense. This plants has been SO FULL for so many years and now it is “see through”. It truly reminds me of an older man going bald.
Do I cut all the stems down to nothing? I just do not want to lose him after all this time!
I appreciate your time and your help !
Hi Patsy! What size pot is it in now? Is it root bound again, perhaps? I wouldn't cut it all down. If you can send me some photos, it would help and also please describe your care conditions. Use the contact form on my site, and when I reply, you can attach the photos.
@Patsy White, G'day Patsy, please look for some organic fertiliser (I prefer pellets that degrade better than the balls) that is high in *BOTH* Potassium and Phosphorus - essential for flowers, roots and stem growth.
These chemicals are to do with the NPK ratio (sometimes also NPKS - including Sulphur which is very important!). PLEASE go to your nursery and see what they have with *LOW* N (nitrogen), and *higher* levels of P (phosphorus) & K (potassium).
Apply and cover with layer of soil or mulch. Give them two weeks and they will be amazing! Otherwise, stick the plants in a shaded corner in the garden and apply some chicken mulch (WhoFlungDung is excellent in Aus).
Good luck! 😀
Hi Cherie! Nothing detrimental will happen! If you just leave them, they'll eventually dry up and turn brown. So you'll need to cut it off at that point to keep the plant looking tidy.
@Cherie Williams, G'day Cherie, your plant will send more of its energy to the stalk and flower in order to keep them alive. Cut the entire stalk and flower off ASAP, in order for more energy to go towards flowering, or production of more stems, leaves or roots. Easy! 😀
Hi need help of my 3 peace lily, i repotted last 4 days ago, they up to now, they're seems not really happy, their leaves keep on drooping. what should i do to revive, hope i get a feedback .. thanks
Did you loosen the roots when you repotted? Was the plant really root bound? When peace lilies droop, it's almost always from the potting mix going completely dry or from staying too wet. Feel your soil. If it feels really dry, give it a really good soak. Don't be afraid to water.
@April, Add some Seasol fertiliser, which is a seaweed tonic plus contains fertiliser that focuses on developing the roots. Make sure the soil is LIGHT and fluffy. Do NOT push the soil down! Air in the soil is okay - just ensure you give it a tap and then heavy water.
Also, remove it from it's location and place in darker area with more reflected light, no heat and no direct light.
I know this is an old post, but hopefully helps someone else!
I’ve discovered another reason for yellowing/dying leaves. I’ve been growing at least one spathyphillum, sometimes more, in my house for 40 years. After ruling out all of the “usual suspects” that may causing the death of my peace lily leaves, I discovered fungus gnats. I thought these flyers were fruit flies at first but they’re bigger than that. It’s hard to kill a heart leaf philodendron but they got into them too. I’ve been putting stones on the soil where the knots drop their larvae and treating the plants with water treated with mosquito monks. Apparently this will take a few months. I’m hoping my largest spath can be saved. . . And I can finally be rid of these tiny pests. . . If you have any other suggestions. . . . I’d be happy to hear from you!
Susanne
My mom has this giant peace lily that has been with the family for more than 10 years already. Recently, we place it inside the house. It did fine for a while. But after a few weeks, it began to wilt. We took it outside and now the wilting has gotten worst. When I watered it I realize that the cat has been using our poor peace lily as her toilet! Is there any hope for our poor peace lily? What should we do? Sitting on the ground, it's over 4 feet high and the leaves are as big as a construction spade. Please help. Thanks you!!
Oh gosh! I'm sorry to hear that. If it is warm outside where you are, I would take it outside and flush the soil with plain water several times in a row and try and get all the cat urine out. The next step, if it is not improving, would be to repot it. Remove any damaged roots and the old soil, and add fresh potting mix. Good luck!!
Hi Raffaele! Thanks so much for this helpful post. I’m having a lot of trouble with my peace lily—I’ve tried everything but it’s still got brown/yellow tips. I think I’m not overwatering, since every time I check the soil it’s usually dry, but a lot of the lower leaves are turning brown completely or have very large brown tips.
Perhaps you're keeping the potting mix too dry? Peace lilies like to stay more on the moist side. As soon as the surface is dry, it's best to water at that point (but not allowing the plant to sit in water at any time). Hope this helps!
Hi Charlene, thank you for the great article and tips. I'm terrible with plants and have a peace lily from my husband's grandmother's funeral last year. She was very dear to us and I'd like to try and salvage the plant. I definitely made the mistake of under/over watering and now the poor thing has only a few small leaves that don't look like they are faring too well. Could I please email you a pic and see if you have any recommendations for saving the plant? Not sure if I need to repot it or what at this point. It looks so fragile that I'm afraid I'll do more damage if I mess with it any. Thank you!
Hi Judy! Please use the contact form on my website to email me, and when I respond, you can attach some photos. Also, please tell me in the email what all your conditions are. Where your plant is located, how you water, etc. - Raffaele
HELP!? My peace lily got too big for its pot so I spilt it in two and repotted. They had very long roots, and now both suffering from shock and just don't seem to be pulling out of it. I wonder if I should repot them, cutting off some of the long roots and ensure that they aren't potted too deep. Will that help or create more shock?
Hi Nina. Can you send me some photos so I can take a look? Did you break up the root ball when you repotted? If you email me using the contact form on my website, after I respond back, you can attach photos.
Thank you for the information! I have a peace lily from my brother's funeral that has been a total drama queen (or... I've both over-and-under watered it multiple times over two years). After repotting it and monitoring the moisture more carefully, it hasn't lost anymore leaves, but isn't very full now. There are a lot of bare stems, and the few leaves left don't look healthy.
Is it possible to cut it all down to nubs and let it grow back stronger?
Hi Rachel, I'm so sorry to hear about your brother. I would at least leave some leaves on the plant. With good consistent care, the plant should start to grow back and at that point maybe you can remove the rest of the ugly leaves. Be sure to water well and fertilize during the growing season to encourage better growth. Hope this helps!
I'm so sorry to hear that 🙁 And yes, absolutely. Please use the contact form on my website to send me a message. When I reply, you can attach the photos and I will help. I have a peace lily as well from when my father died.
I love your post! Thank you! I do have a quick question- I have a piece Lilly that is about 8.5 years old and when it was given to my sister it was very large and full and beautiful. My sister is not the best at taking care of plants and over the years the plant has slowly deteriorated and I am trying to help her save it. I reported the plant because it had not ever been reported and I found that the plants only had minimal root systems and that the roots are very thin and scraggly. so I am assuming that the roots have rotted off over the years. I used a combination of new soil and the good soil when I reported it but I still potted it in quite a large pot due to the leaves being quite large. It seems to be doing better for awhile but now it seems to be falling over all the time and the leaves are turning brown and crispy in large sections. This is a plant that was given to my sister when our father passed away and I would really like to save it for her. Any suggestions or guidance would be greatly appreciated!
@Raffaele, I have A house plant, I think it is similar situation and I repoted. But all but the top two leaves remain yellow brown. Should I cut those off to give this plant a chance to re grow new leaves. I repoted Recently to larger pot to try and help. What about fertilizer?
Hi Gina! You can cut those two leaves off for sure if they're unsightly. I like to fertilize throughout the growing season (later Winter through early Fall).
I am so afraid of repotting my peace lily because I'm not good with plants it was given to me my best friend mom passed away last year and she was very special to me and I named the plant after her so this why I don't want to kill my plate. Its sitting in my living room not in direct sunlight, so should I move it some place else please help.
PLEASE DO NOT USE POTTING MIX! Spathiphyllum and MOST plants find potting mix too wet!
Instead, please buy the following products: * Coconut fibre/husk, * Sphagnum Moss (small bag 100-200g), * Coconut Coir Peat (15L), * Peat Moss (250-500g), * Vermiculite, * Perlite, * Charcoal, * Pumice or any other light weight small stones (scoria also perfect and roots love it!).
But what soil should I buy? PLEASE only buy EITHER "Succulent / Cactus" mix which should contain very little bark -OR- a "Seed Raising / Propagation" soil mix which will be very light weight and consist of just soil and light organic matter.
Get a bucket, add 500ml cold water (distilled, filtered or tap). Add another 250ml on top of Peat Moss to mix all three together.
Add the following ratio:
* 30% Coconut Coir Peat (crush or sit in water, source of moisture for roots).
* 10% Sphagnum Moss (chop it up so mixes better, source of moisture for roots).
* 30% Peat Moss (nice and slightly acidic, aerates soil - OPTIONAL).
* 10% Vermiculite (rinsed first, aerates soil).
* 10% Perlite (rinsed first, aerates soil).
* 10% Pumice / Scoria / Mafia Stone, Diatomaceous Earth, Zeolite, or any aggregate (rinsed first, aerates soil), etc.
* and a couple handfuls of light-weight delicate charcoal (crushed into chunks approx. 5mm to 10mm to 30mm).
= TOTAL 100%!
You can store this mix for several months in a bucket or plastic tub in your garage, shed, near your back door, etc. until you need it.
<>
In bottom of the pot I place 2-3mm layer of Coconut Husk Fibre to prevent soil escaping (and slugs getting into the pot).
I use 70% of the above "mega mix" with 30% of the above seed raising propagation soil mix (Search for Scott's Osmocote Seed Raising Propagation mix I think it is called? Dark green bag! Will give you an idea).
- Coir Peat retains moisture but doesn't remain 'wet'.
- Sphagnum moss will retain more moisture, but if mixed well, will ensure mix is not 'wet'.
- Peat moss will make the mix nice and light weight, acidic and and aerated.
- Vermiculite, Perlite, Pumice, Scoria, Mafia stone, Diatomaceous earth, Zerolite and other course aggregate will provide better drainage!! Must rinse so fine dust is removed - avoid 'mud' clogging up roots!
- Charcoal will keep bacteria, smells and microbes in check. Seems to make the plants happier!
ALL my XL, medium and small peace lillies are exploding with flowers! They love this mix. I feed them monthly with a Seaweed tonic, and Seasol for first 4 weeks after transplanting.
Optionally, give them Chicken poor mulch (WhoFlungDung is excellent!), which also prevents Perlite / Vermiculite floating to top when watered, plus feeds Peace Lillies!!
Good luck! Ssshh! Don't tell anyone my secrets!
Thanks for sharing. I absolutely loved your Article.
Why are my new flowers turning brown and dying off before they get chance to grow?
Hmmmmm....Have you checked your soil moisture? Have you noticed anything else unusual about your plant?
@Raffaele, hi no the plant looks heathy apart from that, it’s my first peace Lily I have had it since June 21i have had 3 grow so far and I have cut them out because I wasn’t sure they dried out, what dose new flowers look like? I haven’t got any to show you but I could send you a photo of the plant if you could tell me how to many thanks Sue
@Sue Bailey, Simply upload the photo to Mediafire or any free file hosting.
Then paste the link here.
Please add Coconut coir and Moss to retain moisture, and along with perlite, vermiculite and any other aggregate to encourage drainage! Potting mix soil is not ideal for these plants that normally grow with organic material that **retains moisture** 😀
Buy some chicken poo mulch and distribute on your plants. Leave plants in a shaded area for a week if you don't like the smell inside 😛
@Sue Bailey, Could also be humidity or drafts. Could be getting direct sunlight. Could have inadequate soil? Could be pot-bound? Could require some seaweed fertiliser and nutrients. OR could require some potassium (K) from fertiliser (stick with organic and pellets if possible).
@Raffaele, I have a problem similar to this one. I have had my Peace Lily for many years and have repotted it several times. It has always been beautiful. Now , with no changes whatsoever in its care it is getting VERY thin. The “stalks” / “stems” are getting very long, the leaves are much smaller and MUCH less dense. This plants has been SO FULL for so many years and now it is “see through”. It truly reminds me of an older man going bald.
Do I cut all the stems down to nothing? I just do not want to lose him after all this time!
I appreciate your time and your help !
Hi Patsy! What size pot is it in now? Is it root bound again, perhaps? I wouldn't cut it all down. If you can send me some photos, it would help and also please describe your care conditions. Use the contact form on my site, and when I reply, you can attach the photos.
@Patsy White, G'day Patsy, please look for some organic fertiliser (I prefer pellets that degrade better than the balls) that is high in *BOTH* Potassium and Phosphorus - essential for flowers, roots and stem growth.
These chemicals are to do with the NPK ratio (sometimes also NPKS - including Sulphur which is very important!). PLEASE go to your nursery and see what they have with *LOW* N (nitrogen), and *higher* levels of P (phosphorus) & K (potassium).
Apply and cover with layer of soil or mulch. Give them two weeks and they will be amazing! Otherwise, stick the plants in a shaded corner in the garden and apply some chicken mulch (WhoFlungDung is excellent in Aus).
Good luck! 😀
What will happen if I don’t cut off the flowers if my peace Lilly when they turn green?
Hi Cherie! Nothing detrimental will happen! If you just leave them, they'll eventually dry up and turn brown. So you'll need to cut it off at that point to keep the plant looking tidy.
@Cherie Williams, G'day Cherie, your plant will send more of its energy to the stalk and flower in order to keep them alive. Cut the entire stalk and flower off ASAP, in order for more energy to go towards flowering, or production of more stems, leaves or roots. Easy! 😀
Hi need help of my 3 peace lily, i repotted last 4 days ago, they up to now, they're seems not really happy, their leaves keep on drooping. what should i do to revive, hope i get a feedback .. thanks
Did you loosen the roots when you repotted? Was the plant really root bound? When peace lilies droop, it's almost always from the potting mix going completely dry or from staying too wet. Feel your soil. If it feels really dry, give it a really good soak. Don't be afraid to water.
@April, Add some Seasol fertiliser, which is a seaweed tonic plus contains fertiliser that focuses on developing the roots. Make sure the soil is LIGHT and fluffy. Do NOT push the soil down! Air in the soil is okay - just ensure you give it a tap and then heavy water.
Also, remove it from it's location and place in darker area with more reflected light, no heat and no direct light.
I know this is an old post, but hopefully helps someone else!
I’ve discovered another reason for yellowing/dying leaves. I’ve been growing at least one spathyphillum, sometimes more, in my house for 40 years. After ruling out all of the “usual suspects” that may causing the death of my peace lily leaves, I discovered fungus gnats. I thought these flyers were fruit flies at first but they’re bigger than that. It’s hard to kill a heart leaf philodendron but they got into them too. I’ve been putting stones on the soil where the knots drop their larvae and treating the plants with water treated with mosquito monks. Apparently this will take a few months. I’m hoping my largest spath can be saved. . . And I can finally be rid of these tiny pests. . . If you have any other suggestions. . . . I’d be happy to hear from you!
Susanne
Hi Suzanne! Fungus gnats are definitely a nuisance! I would highly recommend reading my fungus gnat post: https://www.ohiotropics.com/2021/01/31/killing-fungus-gnats-houseplants/
Good luck and I hope my recommendations help you!
My mom has this giant peace lily that has been with the family for more than 10 years already. Recently, we place it inside the house. It did fine for a while. But after a few weeks, it began to wilt. We took it outside and now the wilting has gotten worst. When I watered it I realize that the cat has been using our poor peace lily as her toilet! Is there any hope for our poor peace lily? What should we do? Sitting on the ground, it's over 4 feet high and the leaves are as big as a construction spade. Please help. Thanks you!!
Oh gosh! I'm sorry to hear that. If it is warm outside where you are, I would take it outside and flush the soil with plain water several times in a row and try and get all the cat urine out. The next step, if it is not improving, would be to repot it. Remove any damaged roots and the old soil, and add fresh potting mix. Good luck!!
Hi Raffaele! Thanks so much for this helpful post. I’m having a lot of trouble with my peace lily—I’ve tried everything but it’s still got brown/yellow tips. I think I’m not overwatering, since every time I check the soil it’s usually dry, but a lot of the lower leaves are turning brown completely or have very large brown tips.
Any advice is appreciated and thank you again!
Perhaps you're keeping the potting mix too dry? Peace lilies like to stay more on the moist side. As soon as the surface is dry, it's best to water at that point (but not allowing the plant to sit in water at any time). Hope this helps!
Hi Charlene, thank you for the great article and tips. I'm terrible with plants and have a peace lily from my husband's grandmother's funeral last year. She was very dear to us and I'd like to try and salvage the plant. I definitely made the mistake of under/over watering and now the poor thing has only a few small leaves that don't look like they are faring too well. Could I please email you a pic and see if you have any recommendations for saving the plant? Not sure if I need to repot it or what at this point. It looks so fragile that I'm afraid I'll do more damage if I mess with it any. Thank you!
Hi Judy! Please use the contact form on my website to email me, and when I respond, you can attach some photos. Also, please tell me in the email what all your conditions are. Where your plant is located, how you water, etc. - Raffaele
HELP!? My peace lily got too big for its pot so I spilt it in two and repotted. They had very long roots, and now both suffering from shock and just don't seem to be pulling out of it. I wonder if I should repot them, cutting off some of the long roots and ensure that they aren't potted too deep. Will that help or create more shock?
Hi Nina. Can you send me some photos so I can take a look? Did you break up the root ball when you repotted? If you email me using the contact form on my website, after I respond back, you can attach photos.
Thank you for the information! I have a peace lily from my brother's funeral that has been a total drama queen (or... I've both over-and-under watered it multiple times over two years). After repotting it and monitoring the moisture more carefully, it hasn't lost anymore leaves, but isn't very full now. There are a lot of bare stems, and the few leaves left don't look healthy.
Is it possible to cut it all down to nubs and let it grow back stronger?
Hi Rachel, I'm so sorry to hear about your brother. I would at least leave some leaves on the plant. With good consistent care, the plant should start to grow back and at that point maybe you can remove the rest of the ugly leaves. Be sure to water well and fertilize during the growing season to encourage better growth. Hope this helps!
The peace Lily we got for our 17 year olds daughter funeral is dying. Is there anyway I can send a picture and see if we can save it?? ??
I'm so sorry to hear that 🙁 And yes, absolutely. Please use the contact form on my website to send me a message. When I reply, you can attach the photos and I will help. I have a peace lily as well from when my father died.
Hi why my peace lily without flowers.thankyou
The most common reason is not enough light.
I love your post! Thank you! I do have a quick question- I have a piece Lilly that is about 8.5 years old and when it was given to my sister it was very large and full and beautiful. My sister is not the best at taking care of plants and over the years the plant has slowly deteriorated and I am trying to help her save it. I reported the plant because it had not ever been reported and I found that the plants only had minimal root systems and that the roots are very thin and scraggly. so I am assuming that the roots have rotted off over the years. I used a combination of new soil and the good soil when I reported it but I still potted it in quite a large pot due to the leaves being quite large. It seems to be doing better for awhile but now it seems to be falling over all the time and the leaves are turning brown and crispy in large sections. This is a plant that was given to my sister when our father passed away and I would really like to save it for her. Any suggestions or guidance would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Stephanie! I just got your email as well. I will reply to that.
@Raffaele, I have A house plant, I think it is similar situation and I repoted. But all but the top two leaves remain yellow brown. Should I cut those off to give this plant a chance to re grow new leaves. I repoted Recently to larger pot to try and help. What about fertilizer?
Hi Gina! You can cut those two leaves off for sure if they're unsightly. I like to fertilize throughout the growing season (later Winter through early Fall).
I am so afraid of repotting my peace lily because I'm not good with plants it was given to me my best friend mom passed away last year and she was very special to me and I named the plant after her so this why I don't want to kill my plate. Its sitting in my living room not in direct sunlight, so should I move it some place else please help.
Hi Charlene, just follow the instructions in the blog post as far as location and care in general and you will be ok! As far as repotting, here is my blog post where I show how I repotted a peace lily: https://www.ohiotropics.com/2018/09/05/how-to-repot-a-plant-that-is-root-bound/