Peace lilies are gorgeous houseplants, known for their glossy green leaves and white flowers.
To keep them in flower for longer, a plant expert has shared her top care tips. If particularly important to give them love and care at this time of year so they thrive once temperatures warm up.
1. Location
J. Parkers’ plant expert Hannah Rowson has shared some top tips for keeping peace lilies healthy and blooming. She advises: “Peace lilies will survive in shadier spots, but with most houseplants, they will thrive in bright, indirect light. They will benefit from a chunky soil mix with water-retaining properties as they will prefer an evenly moist soil.”
To ensure your peace lilies flourish, keep them in a consistent temperature around 15C and avoid draughts or direct sunlight to “encourage new growth”.
2. Feeding
When it comes to feeding, Hannah says: “To encourage blooms on your peace lily, meet its lighting and watering conditions. When ambient temperatures start to rise in the spring, you should start to see blooms.”
She also recommends using homemade fertilisers like steeped banana skins or balanced fertiliser to promote health and growth, reports the Express. “The general rule of thumb is to fertilise your plants once every two to three waterings in spring and summer and reducing this back to as low as once every four waterings when the growing season is over in autumn and water.
“However, this all depends entirely on the condition of your plant. If it is growing fast, you can give it a bit more plant food.”
3. Watering
Peace lilies will start to droop or wilt when they need water, so use this as a good indication that they need hydrating. The expert recommended flooding the soil with water until it drains out of the bottom.
Hannah explained: “Peace lilies originate in tropical rainforests with high humidity, so will benefit from misting from time to time. If you use a humidifier and hydrometer, then aim for an average humidity of 60 percent to 70 percent to keep your houseplant thriving.”
If you do tend to overwater your houseplants, the expert recommended placing them in a terracotta pot. This helps dry out the soil much quicker, reducing the risk of root rot which can kill the plant.
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