Houseplant expert explains how to look after a Peace Lily
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The peace lily is one of the most popular houseplants for bathrooms as well as most rooms in the home. They can survive in low light and are easy to care for, producing beaming white flowers and glossy green leaves. However, they do have specific care requirements which need to be met in order to let the plant thrive, and potentially flower again. More often than not, peace lilies won’t flower once the spathe has disappeared, but there are ways owners can encourage it to.
Peace lilies typically bloom in spring and may bloom twice a year, resulting in several months of flowers.
According to experts at GardeningKnowHow, owners have a good chance at getting a peace lily to flower if they look at giving it the “correct” cultivation.
1. Soil
This includes potting it in well-draining potting soil, rich in organic matter. It also needs to be watered two to three times a week, depending on the season, making sure to water it less during the winter months.
Blending potting mixes with texture is common for peace lilies especially ones with perlite and coir.
Don’t forget to repot your peace lily every couple of years either, as they will outgrow their home and struggle to thrive in small pots.
Some brands offer a generic houseplant potting mix, but a specific peat-free mix for peace lilies can also be purchased online.
2. Water
The pros said: “It is best to use distilled water, as these plants can be sensitive to some minerals and chemicals found in tap water.”
Natalie Devereux, product specialist at Serenata Flowers, also advised peace lily owners to avoid tap water.
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Owners also shouldn’t water on a “schedule” during the winter months as this could lead to overwatering and then eventually root rot.
In winter, make sure to bring the water up to room temperature before watering to avoid causing “shock” to the houseplant.
To water a peace lily, make sure the top couple of inches of soil are dry before going in with more water. Also, avoid allowing the plant to sit in water as this will contribute to root rot.
If you notice the plant is wilting, it most likely needs more water as this is a typical sign of dehydration.
However, if the leaves are drooping and turning yellow, hold back on the watering as this is a sign it has been overwatered.
3. Feeding
Another way to encourage a peace lily to flower is to use a houseplant fertiliser every couple of months, or as often as it instructs.
This can help to provide the plants with lots of nutrients, and the best time to apply it is when the houseplant is in active growth.
If you choose to feed it more often, make sure to use a very diluted fertiliser to avoid overfeeding. Too much feed can create brown spots on the leaves.
4. Light
The experts at GardeningKnowHow added: “Keep the plant in a low light situation out of direct sunlight but bright enough you could read a book.
“Gradually move the plant to brighter light if it is in a very dark room. This could spur a non-blooming peace lily to flower just by the future of more candles of light.”
Also make sure the houseplant isn’t exposed to direct sunlight as this could burn and scorch its leaves, drying out the flowers.
Don’t worry if the houseplant hasn’t bloomed at all within the first year it was purchased. Getting the right conditions for blooming indoors can be tricky so following all of the above steps will encourage it.
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