What did I do to my Peace Lily?

Discussion in 'Houseplants' started by Tina, Jul 9, 2014.

  1. Tina

    Tina Young Pine

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    My container gardening failures continue :(
    I read and read about peace lily being the hardest house plant to kill, so went and bought one in March. Now the leaves are turning yellow and some black. The flower that was trying to open up turned completely black. What am I ding wrong? Its in the same container and soil that I bought it in. I used to water in once a month till April and then every alternate weeks. Starting June, I have been watering it every week. Do I still have a chance to save it? How should I take care of it?
    Thanks a bunch!

    [​IMG]
    ( photo / image / picture from Tina's Garden )

    [​IMG]
    ( photo / image / picture from Tina's Garden )
     
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  3. eclecticgarden

    eclecticgarden Seedling

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    Yellow streaks are a good indicator of too much sun. Peace lilies like indirect sunlight.
     
  4. Tina

    Tina Young Pine

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    Oh. I have been keeping it in the west facing window where it gets a lot of sun. I will move it then.
     
  5. Beeker

    Beeker In Flower

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    So far, I've discovered that indirect light is preferred and they hate drafts.
    I hope that helps.
     
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  6. Tina

    Tina Young Pine

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    It does help. Thanks a lot for responding.
     
  7. purpleinopp

    purpleinopp Young Pine Plants Contributor

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    Is it drying 4x more quickly than it was in March? Repotting would help. If the roots are out of room to keep growing, the foliage will suffer.
     
  8. Beeker

    Beeker In Flower

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    It is rather small still and doesn't look like it needs repotting yet.
    Is there a trick to repotting Peace Lilies? They seem to not take the move very well.
     
  9. Tina

    Tina Young Pine

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    When I stick my finger in the soil, it doesn't seem dry to me. I check that before watering these days. I moved it to an area where it doesn't get direct sunlight yesterday. I am hoping it will be happier there.
     
  10. Beeker

    Beeker In Flower

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    Smart move.
    I'm sure it will be.
    Keep us posted.
     
  11. purpleinopp

    purpleinopp Young Pine Plants Contributor

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    If it's not drying and the soil is dense, airless, the roots will rot. Roots need oxygen and moisture at the same time to function.
     
  12. Tina

    Tina Young Pine

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    Oh. I am not sure if it is airless. What should I do to provide oxygen? Report it to a larger one?
     
  13. Georgia Girl Beth

    Georgia Girl Beth Seedling

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    I received my Peace Lily when my stepfather passed away last August. I was frightened because the flowers immediately died and the leaves were yellowing. I read up on them almost sure that I was going to kill it! I moved it around my house thinking that it was getting too much sun. A website I saw said that they tend to let you know when they need water by drooping slightly and also said that if the soil is dry more than once a week, it may be time to re-pot it. I re-potted it and split the roots, sure I was mangling the poor plant, but I have them in two separate pots today and they are doing well. A lot of the larger leaves have yellowed or browned and been removed, but I have beautiful new growth at the base. I'm told that I may not have flowers for some years to come because the original plant tends to be grown in near perfect conditions in a greenhouse. I'm sure you will do well with it. You can do any worse than me!
     
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  14. purpleinopp

    purpleinopp Young Pine Plants Contributor

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    Sorry, Tina, never realized before you'd asked another question. Hopefully your plant is doing well!

    After reading various forums for years, I think it's safe to say PL is the most common plant with problems, or at least the most commonly asked-about one. One option is to change the soil to something much more chunky/porous/airy, like that sold for cacti, palms. Most soil mixes have organic ingredients (can decompose) in them. Over time, they do decompose, changing the pot ingredients from larger chunks to tiny particles of silt, actual 'dirt.' These particles lodge against each other, eliminating the tiny air pockets, and roots can literally suffocate, from lack of oxygen. When using stuff called potting soil, this can start to happen in a very short time, months, because it starts as primarily tiny particles. Starting with something much more chunky gives the planting much more longevity. Not packing soil tightly into pots helps a LOT also, regardless of type used.

    There are more reports of PL's doing well growing in water than pots. Either in still water, hydroponic system, hydroton balls. If I were to get another one, that's what I would do with it, probably the hydroton, which I think is about the same thing as standing water, but the little balls reportedly help keep the plant upright, not wobbly. Not qualified to elaborate on that, but I'm sure some here do that, and you should be able to find existing discussions, pics out there.

    GGB, sorry about your loss!
     
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  15. Tina

    Tina Young Pine

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    I just came back from a month long vacation. I had watered my peace lily before I left and moved the pot to a area where it receives indirect light. Sadly my plant now has more black (dried leaves) than before. I will try to change the soil and see if I can save it.

    I have always been very bad with house plants. I bought the PL as I read that its the easiest houseplant. Sadly not for me :(
     

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