Master the Art of Peace Lily Care and Keep Your Plant Blooming All Year Round
The peace lily is a favorite of many indoor plant enthusiasts, and for good reason. It has those lush dark green leaves, along with that striking white bloom to make the plant truly a showpiece in many homes and offices. However, if you have ever brought one home, you know just how frustrating their flowers tend to die off and fail to come back. That is disappointing but not yet! This article shall walk you through how to take care of a peace lily and keep it flowering graciously.
In this comprehensive guide, we shall talk about why peace lilies sometimes fail to bloom, the secret behind the perfect blooms that you get in stores, and how to create the right conditions at home for them to bloom. We will also try to dissolve some commonly harbored myths about this plant and provide solutions to some common problems you might face.
Why Is My Peace Lily Not Blooming?
First, they are charmed by the peace lily’s dramatic white blooms—commonly referred to as spathes. When the blooms disappear and do not reappear, many plant owners are puzzled. Actually, the peace lily is a plant that requires special care in order to bloom again. The good news is that, once you learn what this plant needs to bloom, you can showcase its flowers time and again.
Here’s what you need to know: those beautiful peace lilies you see in the stores have likely been treated with gibberellic acid, a plant hormone that artificially forces them to bloom. Once you take the plant home, this hormone starts to wear off, and the flowers fade. This is where many people have taken this instance to mean they did something wrong. Be assured, this is the normal course of things, and with proper treatment, your peace lily will bloom again.
How Often Do Peace Lilies Bloom?
In nature, they bloom twice a year—once in spring and again in the fall. Indoors, if cared for properly, you could very well see the same kind of action. However, under indoor conditions, peace lilies can be extremely finicky in regard to flowering if not provided with just what they want.
Light: A Crucial Factor
The most crucial factor that will determine whether your peace lily will bloom again is light. They’re frequently sold as low-light tolerant, when, in fact, this is a plant that really needs bright, indirect light to flower. If you are placing your plant more than a few feet from any window, the chances are good that you will have green leaves and no flowers. The ideal situation for your peace lily would be near a window where it would get at least six hours of indirect sun daily.
The reason being, it’s ideal if the orchid faces an east-facing window because the morning sun is not as strong as the full sun, which won’t burn the leaves of the plant. If you don’t have an east-facing window, try finding a spot where it will get as much natural light as possible without having to be exposed to direct sunlight for too long, which can harm the plant in turn.
If the natural light is not available, then grow lights are a great substitute. These lights will supply rays just like the sun does, and thus they will allow your peace lily to photosynthesize and stock energy for blooming. Allow it to be on for 10 to 12 hours a day for best success.
How to Water Your Peace Lily
Watering is one of the most critical aspects when it comes to the peace lily in terms of health and blooming capacity. Plants are relatively thirsty and need to be kept consistently moist; however, they should never be overwatered. Overwatering causes root rot and serves to stress a plant so flowers cannot develop.
But the best way to make sure you are watering your peace lily correctly is to check the soil before each watering. Stick your finger in a couple inches; if it feels dry, it’s time to water. The soil should be kept moist but not soggy.
Peace lilies tend to underwater and overwater conditions. The under-watered peace lily droops its leaves, which may turn yellow, and hence does not have the energy for bloom production. On the other side, overwatering leads to root decay and does the same in impeding flower development. Finding that sweet spot is essential in keeping a healthy, flowering plant.
Fertilizing Your Peace Lily for Maximum Blooms
The other most important thing you can do to promote blooms includes feeding. Generally speaking, peace lilies are considered heavy feeders among houseplants and would warrant frequent fertilizing during the growth period. A balanced, water-soluble fertilizer is best; you should be looking at feeding your plant once a month during spring and fall.
Among the essential nutrients for a peace lily to bloom is potassium. Use commercially available potash-based fertilizers or try some organic ones like banana peels and bury them into the soil so that when it decomposes, it releases potassium.
Repotting and Root Pruning
If your peace lily has sat in the same pot for years and still isn’t blooming, even under optimal care, it may be root-bound. This is when the plant outgrows its pot, with no extra room for the roots to expand into. A root-bound plant struggles in its capability of absorbing water and nutrients, which are necessary components in blooming flowers.
Check whether the roots of your peace lily have grown bound by carefully taking it out of its pot and examining the root ball. If the roots are compacted and little soil remains, then re-plant it into a larger container using fresh potting soil. In this way, room will be provided for the growth of the roots, plus the plant will absorb water and nutrients more effectively.
You can also root prune them and maintain them in a small size. For this purpose, you will remove one-third of the root ball from bottom and sides, insert it in the same pot with fresh soil. This aids to encourage new root formation inside the plant, which restricts it from becoming too large for your space.
Temperature and Humidity: Providing the Right Climate
Native to the tropical rainforests of Central America and Southeast Asia, peace lilies have adapted to uniform temperatures all throughout the year. So, if you want your peace lily to bloom in your home or apartment, you’re going to have to try as best you can to recreate these conditions.
The peace lilies are grown within a temperature range of 60°F to 75°F (15°C to 24°C). It is in your best interest to keep your peace lily plant far from cold or hot drafts, heaters, or air conditioners. A sudden fluctuation in temperature can stress your plant. When this happens, it may just focus on survival rather than blooming.
Another critical factor that most people are not aware of when dealing with peace lilies is humidity. The peace lily loves highly humid conditions, much like the rainforest in which it naturally existed. If your home is prone to a good deal of arid air, which most are in winter months, think about increasing the humidity around your plant by placing the pot on a tray filled with water and pebbles. As long as the water is there, it will evaporate and humidify this area around your plant.
The Peace Lily and the Air Purification Myth
You probably know that peace lilies are great for purifying the air in your house, and this is a very popular marketing ploy based on a NASA study published in 1989. Although the study did find that some plants—like peace lily—can remove toxins from the air in space, that is in a highly controlled environment; this effect in a real-life setting is very small.
In your home, the air-purifying ability of a peace lily will probably not make much difference. Thus, having greenery in your space is commendable, but your plant should not be relied upon to enhance air quality considerably.
Common Problems and Solutions for Peace Lily Care
As with any houseplant, peace lilies have a few problems they can encounter. Common ones include the following, along with their solutions:
- Yellowing Leaves: Yellow peace lily leaves are a general indication of overwatering or not enough watering. Check the soil in such a case and regulate the schedule accordingly.
- Brown Leaf Tips: The brown tip of the leaves generally manifests due to low humidity or due to direct sunlight. This can be prevented if you increase the humidity or take the plant away from direct sunlight and place it at a point with indirect light.
- Drooping Leaves: If the leaves droop, it is usually an indication your peace lily needs water. Simply water your plant and it will be upright within a few hours.
Pruning Roots: The Secret to Healthy Peace Lilies
Pruning the roots is probably one of the most overlooked ways to renew a root-bound peace lily. By trimming away the injured or overgrown roots, you are allowing the plant to focus energy on growing healthy new roots. This promotes better water and nutrient absorption and can eventually lead to a much healthier plant that might just bloom.
Cut off about one-third of the roots at the bottom and sides of the root ball when you take a plant over for root pruning. Then repot the plant in fresh soil, and within a few weeks, the improved growth and vitality are most likely to be observed.
Closing Words on Care of the Peace Lily
Indeed, this plant is beautiful and rewarding to tend to. However, if one wants it to bloom, special care is necessary to be bestowed upon it. For a peace lily to bloom, proper light, correct water, good nutrients, and regular repotting or root pruning will ensure that one sees the white blooms year after year in elegance.
Get some grow lights, or a good moisture meter for your peace lily to get this plant to its full potential. Oh, and remember—patience is a virtue. If you can give your peace lily optimal conditions for growing and a bit of time, it will bloom beautifully once again.
