Am I taking care of my peace lily correctly??

Question

I have a small/medium sized peace lily at work. It looks to be doing well in my office. It sits on my filing cabinet in the corner so it never gets direct sunlight. It's bloomed a couple of times and gives off beautiful white flowers then I cut them off when they start browning. I used to water it everyday but noticed that right after I water it, the water immediately drains out. Too much water and too often???

The tips of some leaves have some browning and some of the bigger leaves toward the lower part of the plant are beginning to turn yellow. There are also newer smaller leaves that have grown at the base of the plant that are really green but are curling under. Could that also be because of the watering conditions??

I have started to water it every 3 to 4 days and the water doesn't drain out as quick as it used to. Am I taking care of my plant right? Any advice would be great. I would like for it to live a long time, Thanks

Answer 1

1Keep away from direct sunlight. Direct sun burns the leaves of the peace lily. Filtering the sun with a transparent curtain is acceptable, but the peace lily will grow best in the medium to low light of a north or west window.

Step2Watch for browning leaves. Leaves will brown if the peace lily is not getting enough humidity. Humidify the plant by misting the leaves with soft water and keeping the plant on a tray of pebbles. Misting also washes away red spider mites, which commonly infest peace lilies.

Step3Let the plant dry in between waterings. The plant will wilt if it needs water. When this happens, water as soon as possible and the plant will not be harmed. Note how long after a watering the leaves wilt, and water one day before wilting starts.

Step4Repot the peace lily every spring into the next size pot until the plant is in an 8- to 10-inch pot. The roots of a lily will fill their pot in 1 year, but do not usually require a pot larger than 10 inches.

Step5Look for tiny spider webs on the plant, which is a sign of red spider mites. Remove the leaves they are growing on and treat the plant with pesticide or a solution of mildly soapy water.

Step6Use caution with chemical fertilizer. Peace lilies will benefit from a fertilizer mix of 20-20-20, but too much, especially when applied to dry soil, will damage the roots. Fertilize the peace lily only in the spring and summer with a half or three-quarter dose. Also, always fertilize when the soil is moist.

I hope it helps.