How to Grow and Care for Peace Lily Plants

A beloved houseplant, peace lilies are renowned for their easy care. The peace lily is hardy, forgiving, and will even let you know when it is thirsty: Just look for the telltale droop. The name is a bit of a misnomer: Peace lilies are not true lilies (plant family Liliaceae), but a member of the Araceae family that also includes colocasia, or elephant ear.

Otherwise, in terms of growing and care, peace — as in calm and tranquility — is pretty much what you get. So how do you grow peace lilies indoors? It should be easy. The steps involved are pretty basic. So even if you are new to indoor gardening, you won’t encounter any problems in growing this plant.

Here are the steps:

1. Prepare The Pot with Soil
First, get a pot to accommodate the peace lily plant. Avoid using a pot that’s too large. This can retain moisture in the soil and will cause the roots to rot. Use a potting soil that’s well-draining. Then pour just enough soil into the pot.

2. Plant the Seeds or Use a Cutting
You can choose to grow the peace lilies from seeds. However, it will take longer for the seeds to germinate. Sometimes, it will take years before the plant will start to develop. So when it comes to growing peace lilies indoors, it is best to start with a peace lily plant cutting that has grown a root ball.

Dig a small hole in the soil enough for the plant’s root ball to fit. Place the plant into the planting hole then cover with soil. Fill in enough potting soil around the root ball. Then use your fingers to firm the potting soil gently.

3. Water the New Plant Lightly
Lightly water the plant in order to settle the soil. Add more potting soil if needed. Avoid overwatering the new plant. Peace lilies are the type of plant that cannot tolerate too much water. In fact, it can thrive even with less water but will die when overwatered.

4. Place the Potted Plant in a Shady Area
Place your new peace lily plant in a shady area. The ideal area is about 6 – 8 feet away from the window. Leave it there for a couple of days. Make sure you check it from time to time. Do not worry if it will look a bit bedraggled during the first few days. It’s normal for the leaves to wilt slightly. They will look better after a few more days.
How to Care for Peace Lilies?
Peace lilies are among the easiest houseplants to grow since they require less care. However, you need to constantly check your plant and provide the necessary care that it needs especially on the first few days of planting. Here are some tips on how to care for peace lilies:

1. Avoid Direct Exposure to Sunlight
Take note that peace lilies would prefer to grow in areas with light partial shade. In fact, they are known to thrive in rooms that have no windows. These plants don’t like to be exposed to too much light. Otherwise, its leaves will start to turn yellow and will eventually die.

2. Do Not Overwater
One of the most common problems that people make when growing peace lilies is overwatering. Peace lilies can’t survive too much moisture so you have to avoid giving it too much water.

So how often should you water the peace lily? An important peace lily plant care tip to keep in mind is to wait for the plant to droop slightly before you water it. Usually, the plant will sag a little bit if it needs water. That’s a sign that the plant is thirsty so it’s time to water it.

Generally, the peace lily plant needs to be watered once a week. This is to keep the soil moist, especially during summer. To water, gently spray the leaves with soft or distilled water. During winter, water the plant less often.

3. Grow In An Ideal Temperature Setting
Peace lily plants are a popular choice for an indoor plant since they can thrive well in indoor temperatures. The ideal temperature is between 65 and 85°F and the climate should be humid. Peace lilies won’t be able to survive in temperature that’s less than 45°F. So make sure you place it in an area that’s far from your home air conditioning system.

4. Fertilize Occasionally
Unlike other houseplants, peace lilies are generally not heavy feeders. Therefore, you should only fertilize it occasionally. Fertilize after every six weeks or so to encourage growth. Use a well-balanced houseplant fertilizer.

5. Spray Insecticides When Necessary
Unlike other houseplants, the peace lily is generally immune to diseases, pests, and insects. Although it could occasionally get aphids, spider mites, and mealybugs, you should be able to easily keep these pests under control. Simply wipe the leaves when you notice these pests start to invade. If wiping the leaves won’t drive these pests away, then consider spraying with insecticidal soap.

6. Repot the Plant When Needed
Peace lilies have the tendency to grow a lot of roots and will eventually crowd its pot. Knowing when to re-pot is an important aspect of your peace lily plant care. So when is the best time to repot your peace lily? If you notice that the roots are starting to grow into the pot’s drainage hole, then that’s a sign that it’s time to re-pot.