Let peace lily tell you when it's thirsty

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL

Q: I re-potted a large-leaf peace lily a couple of weeks ago. Now, many of the leaves are droopy and appear to be dying, even though I've kept it watered. I used Miracle Grow potting soil. When I pulled it out of the old pot, I knocked off some but not all of the old dirt, then put that remaining mass back in the pot and filled it up and around the sides with the new potting soil. Did I do something wrong, or is the plant just undergoing some sort of shock?

A: Re-potting is always a bit of a shock to a plant, but it should be looking better two weeks later. Although it’s hard to say for sure without seeing your peace lily, it sounds like you might be over-watering it.

Most people tend to over-water house plants, especially large ones such as peace lilies. This particular plant will let you know when it needs a drink by starting to droop a little.

To try to salvage your plant, pull it out of the pot and dump all the soil. If there's a wet mass of soil around the root-ball, knock off as much as you can. Check the condition of the roots; if they’ve been in soggy soil, they might have started to rot. Rotting roots are slimy and stinky, so you can tell quickly if there’s a problem. Trim away any damaged roots.

Repot your plant using fresh, dry potting mix in the bottom and around the sides. Tamp the soil down lightly to remove air pockets. Don’t plant your peace lily too deeply; the crown should sit right at the soil level.

Water the pot thoroughly and let it dry out completely before watering it again. Use the “second knuckle” test: Stick your finger in the soil up to the second knuckle. If the soil touching the tip of your finger is moist, don’t water. Wait until it’s dry.

Also, if the pot sits in a saucer or drainage tray, make sure you empty it once the pot has drained after watering. The pot could be drawing the water back up into the soil, and peace lilies don't like “wet feet.”