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Peace Lily

(25 Posts)
Ngaio1 Tue 23-Mar-21 21:15:42

As a rule, I have no trouble with plants. However I recently bought a Peace |Lily. It was very dry and so I stood it in a dish of water for a couple of hours.. Since then it has become more droopy and dejected. What have I done wrong?

Anniebach Tue 23-Mar-21 21:28:05

I have had success with many, many plants but failed 3 times with a Peace Lily, I shall watch this thread in the hope I may learn

Blossoming Tue 23-Mar-21 21:33:40

I wonder if the roots are compacted and unable to draw in water. Perhaps repotting would help.

Curlywhirly Tue 23-Mar-21 21:39:19

I don't always have success with houseplants, but have managed quite well with Peace Lilies. In my experience they are a very thirsty plant and if I forget to water one and it droops, I plunge it in a bowl of water and leave it there for several hours, or even overnight. Up to now, it has worked and I now have several, all thriving. I repot them every spring.

Nandalot Tue 23-Mar-21 21:52:07

Ye, I am the same, Curlywhirly, i am hopeless with house plants but always have success with Peace Lilies. I always mean to water it regularly but usually forget so water it when the leaves droop. Perhaps benign neglect is the answer.

Auntieflo Tue 23-Mar-21 21:56:32

I bought a Peace Lily, some 18 months or so ago.
It was one of those poor neglected things, but in a pretty pot, so I took it home and revived it. At first it flowered, but since then has sulked and although growing lots of new leaves, it will not flower.
I'm sure I have mentioned this before, and maybe it was Phoenix , who also had success with hers that answered me.
Any hints and tips gratefully received. Thanks.

Callistemon Tue 23-Mar-21 22:12:16

The roots grow very quickly and they can soon become potbound so does it need repotting? We have split them before now; the only time we lost one was when we forgot it and left it outside in the winter.

They don't like direct sunlight so a north or east facing window is best.

Calendargirl Wed 24-Mar-21 07:26:08

Mine has also looked droopy and sad lately, despite watering.DH re-planted it at the weekend, split it up. Didn’t seem to be much root there at all. Will see how it goes.

It was originally from a peace lily I gave to DIL one Easter. She is hopeless with plants, but hers seems fine!

Franbern Wed 24-Mar-21 09:04:18

I do like having Peace Lilies in my Living room,. They are one of the best of house plants for ensuring keeping the environment in the home clean and pleasant. I now have three - and all are thriving - by looks of the new leaves they ar all producing, but not flowering. Two of these came from tiny little plants sent to me in Mothers Day baskets of flowers - and are now a good size, the third was sent to me by my youngest daughters (twins) as a house warming pressie. This spent the first 8-9 months producing masses of flowers. The last one died away and none have come back.

Ngaio1 Thu 25-Mar-21 20:37:31

Thank you for the hints. Tomorrow I shall tip it out of the pot and see if it needs repotting.

Kestrel Thu 22-Apr-21 11:12:12

I always water mine from the top and let the water drain out into the sink so it doesn't get waterlogged - maybe it's too wet?

hazel93 Thu 22-Apr-21 11:29:36

As they are tropical think rain forest !
No direct sunlight but spray the leaves 2- 3 times a week with water, keep them in compost with grit, never over water.
Keep mine in pots with a tray of pebbles underneath which I mist daily.
Hope that helps.

Kate1949 Thu 22-Apr-21 18:18:40

I have never kept a house plant successfully in my life. However, a friend bought me a peace lily for my 50th birthday and it's a happy soul. I'm now 71 and the plant is still flourishing. I have no idea how or why. I water it when I remember
I don't do anything else to it apart from taking dead leaves off when I notice them. The friend who bought it died not long after and I sometimes think she is keeping her eye on the plant!

Mapleleaf Thu 22-Apr-21 18:32:44

Yes, they are very thirsty plants and soon droop. However, they also dislike sitting in water, so ensure that when you give them a drink, excess water is poured away. In addition, as already mentioned, they can become pot bound, so benefit from repotting into a pot the next size up every so often if you find they still droop after watering and after checking their roots aren't sitting in excess water. They benefit from a feed occasionally, too, and also misting the leaves helps them, too.

Grandmafrench Thu 22-Apr-21 18:49:35

I always have a number in the house. They are attractive, very good at cleaning the air and I don't think they take much work.
Keep out of direct sunlight and extremes of temperature.

*A plant that needs to be dried out between waterings. When watering or feeding, I do this in a sink or outside so that once the compost is properly soaked they never sit in water. It's not a plant that you water little and often - lots of house plants don't thrive like that.* It could be pot bound - if it is when it's dry it will easily come out of the pot for you to inspect and either re-pot or divide.

*So much for my advice * !! My book of plants tells me that the compost should always be moist and sitting them in a dish of pebbles and misting the leaves is ideal. Well - that's honestly never worked for me - I've lost a couple of plants whose roots have rotted in the compost, so.........

annodomini Thu 22-Apr-21 20:16:03

My DGD gave me a peace lily for my 80th birthday. Its leaves are nice and glossy, but it has only produced one white bract in almost six months. I wonder what I have done wrong.

Dooncaha Sun 25-Apr-21 11:38:04

Is it a little peaced off ?

AuntyD Sun 25-Apr-21 22:16:17

I have no luck with those. Possibly not the right light levels (we're in a terraced house and window space is limited) or maybe I just don't 'get' them but have given up. Plenty more plants to enjoy!

CanadianGran Mon 26-Apr-21 05:10:37

I had to look it up, and realize I have had one for quite a few years, just didn't know what it was called.

A friend had it for years, and was moving away so gave it to me. I held it for 7 years, and gave it back to her when she moved back to town. Then she did a major renovation to her house, and gave it back to me and insisted I keep it! It lives quite happily by the front door with no direct light and watered when it begins to droop. And it does provide flowers about every 6 months. When it looks a bit dusty I will put it in the shower or in a summer rain.

CanadianGran Mon 26-Apr-21 05:14:04

Also just read that they are sensitive to chlorine. If your water is chlorinated, let the water sit overnight to evaporate the chemicals.

Liz46 Mon 26-Apr-21 05:27:51

We don’t have a water butt so put a wide bowl in an out of sight spot of the garden to collect rainwater for house plants. I transfer the rainwater to an old squash bottle.

JaneJudge Mon 26-Apr-21 07:12:00

They do like a sunny room and being put out in the rain and fresh air occasionally, I have found

JaneJudge Mon 26-Apr-21 07:12:28

Dooncaha

Is it a little peaced off ?

v good grin

Iam64 Mon 26-Apr-21 07:52:15

Peace Lily’s are very thirsty. They also like a steamy atmosphere. Mine live in the bathroom.

Franbern Fri 11-Jun-21 10:57:10

Just coming on here to say that all three of my Peace Lilies have responded well to my TLC and are now producing flowers. So pleased, I have been adding a feed to the watering I give them every couple of weeks, giving their leaves a pleasant spray every so often, and trying to use the water from my condenser tumble dryer, rather than that straight from my tap. And, keeping them out of direct sunlight. Whatever, it is, all of them have responded well.