Repotting my Peace Lily

13 years ago

Hi,

I'm a newbie here. I bought a peace lily two years ago at Wal Mart. It was $3 and very pathetic looking. At the time, I wasn't very good with house plants, and I wasn't sure how long it would last. I didn't know much about caring for it.

I had it in my kitchen about 6 feet from the window at first, and then last summer I moved it out to my screened-in patio. The patio is covered but gets sun all afternoon and into the evening. I live close to the coast of NC and it's very humid here. I kept an eye on it and watered it when it drooped. I moved it back in for the winter and have left it inside this year so far.

It's never really had a lot of blooms. Usually just one at a time, though right now it has 2 blooms, but the leaves are such a brilliant green, I've never really minded.

I usually water it maybe once a week, or week and a half. It gets a shot of fertilizer about 75% of the time when I water it. I was away for 2 weeks in January and my husband moved it into a dark corner, and some of the bottom leaves turned brown, but I just plucked them off and now it's currently sitting in front of my living room window. It's on the floor and gets the evening sun, though a lot of times the blind is closed, so it's just getting filtered sun.

It's currently in a 12" or 14" pot. I don't remember exactly. The plant itself is as big as the pot, and sitting on the floor, it comes up to my waist. It's really healthy and looks amazing.

So, my questions is, when should I repot it, and how often? I know it's been at least a year since it was repoted, though I'm not exactly sure when I last did.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

socks
13 years ago
Is there open soil around the plant, or has it completely filled the pot? If there is soil, you are probably ok and don't need to repot. If you really think you might need to, take the plant outside, lay it on its side and see if you can slide it out a bit to see if it is root bound--full of roots and roots curling around the bottom. If it is rootbound, then you can repot to a larger pot.

Sometimes if the soil level in a potted plant has gotten a little low from being swished out at watering time, I top off with fresh soil, sometimes even removing an inch or so of the old soil. Don't know if this is recommended or not, but I do it.

That's just my two cents...there are others here who know more than I do. Glad to hear you are enjoying the plant so much. Why don't you get something else now since you are getting such pleasure from this one plant?
exoticrainforest
13 years ago
This link may be useful. In nature the Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) grows in bright light and commonly in water.

Here is a link that might be useful: How species lilies grow in nature
Related Professionals
Maple Valley Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Beavercreek Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Seabrook Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Wheeling Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Tempe Landscape Contractors · Farmington Landscape Contractors · Goodlettsville Landscape Contractors · Lewisville Landscape Contractors · Middletown Landscape Contractors · New Baltimore Landscape Contractors · Porterville Landscape Contractors · West Haverstraw Landscape Contractors · Whitehall Landscape Contractors · New Carrollton Landscape Contractors · Lomita Interior Designers & Decorators
rhynno
13 years ago
Mine always sulks for about two weeks after repotting. It gets limper than usual, outer edges of some leaves turn brown etc but after that it usually perks up and blooms like crazy.

I was told to use how often you have to water as an indicator for when u have to repot (I.e. If you have to water every day then u should repot). I don't agree, I have to water every day even two weeks after repotting and mine's in a pot without drainage holes (just a reservoir for auto watering)! If I don't water, the plant sulks and wilts. I'd love to water less often but I just can't seem to get away with it :(.

I've repotted mine twice in the last 6 to 8 months because it grows so fast. The first time the roots were about two feet out of the pot and the second time the roots took up most the pot. I agree with the advice above to slide it out and peek at the roots to get an idea if you have to repot.

Mine might be different than yours though (it's in a 20" pot (I think?) and big enough that I expect it'll eat small children one day, either that or call me Seymor and ask me to feed it :S)it seems like a larger variety than most I've seen.

I hope that that helps, good luck!

Ryan