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Spathiphyllum floribundum/Peace Lily

Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2004
by jaxs on April 29, 2004 05:59 AM
a few wks ago i repotted a big root-bound peace lily. since then the colour has renewed to a nice deep green, but the one flower died, & the leaves are always droopy and sad- some of them lay right down. im wondering if anyone knows what the problem could be. so far ive already considered overwatering, underwatering and drafts. Also does anyone know if peace lilies are comfortable planted outside?
by Jiffymouse on April 29, 2004 02:47 PM
[wayey] hi jax [wayey] welcome to the garden helper! glad you found us, and glad you joined us!

to answer your question, your peace lily would not do well outside. they freeze and sunburn very easily.

but, about your peace lily. how much bigger is the pot you put it in? is it possible that the soil isn't drying out between waterings? if that is the case, you might have the beginnings of root rot.

when you repot a plant, you really only want to go 1 size larger. all of us are tempted to put the plant into the pot we want it to "grow" into, but when we do this, it is very hard to regulate the watering schedule.

what i would do is take the lily out of the pot and examine the roots and the soil. if the soil feels wet, that is your problem in a nutshell. your pot is probably too big.

the roots should be whitish and firm. if they are mushy and brown, you have the beginnings of root rot. if this is the case, you have to decide if you want to save your plant.

to save a peace lily that has the beginnings of root rot, remove as much of the mush as you can without disturbing the healthy roots. you should be able to get to a healthy or semi healthy root ball that will have wet soil around it. try not to disturb that section because peace lilies don't like the main root ball messed with.

then pot the lily in fresh DRY soil in a pot no more than 1-2 inches larger than the surviving root ball. this pot MUST have good drainage. at this point, you should see the dry soil soaking some of the moisture away from the root ball. wait one day then water with 1/2 of the normal amount of water you would normally use. wait until the soil is beginning to dry again, and repeat. you should see an improvement in about a week. after you see the improvement, wait until the soil starts to dry again and then water well. continue the cycle of 2 light waterings to one full watering until you see new growth. then water when you see the plant begin to look sad. give it a good water each time only if the soil feels dry. otherwise, lightly sprinkle.
by jaxs on May 02, 2004 12:08 AM
thanx so much- i hadnt expected such a helpful reply. im going to attempt to go-ahead with your suggestions, as i did find the roots a lil mushy.
when i repotted the lily i thought the pot Was the next size up, but now i see that its maybe too roomy. i hope you're around later on so i can let u know how things go.
by Jiffymouse on May 02, 2004 12:17 AM
please do let me know how things go. i'm almost always around [Smile]

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