Choosing the Best Fertilizer for Peace Lilies to Fuel Growth and Blooms

With their graceful white blooms and easygoing nature, peace lilies make a wonderful addition to both home and office spaces. While relatively low-maintenance, providing these plants with proper nutrition is key to keeping them looking their best. But when it comes to fertilizing peace lilies, what is the best plant food to use?

In this guide we’ll explore the fertilizer options for peace lilies, including the optimal ratios types of nutrients, application methods, timing, and amounts. Follow these tips to give your Spathiphyllum the fuel it needs to develop strong, lush leaves and brilliant white spathes.

The Role of Fertilizer for Peace Lilies

While peace lilies are adaptable plants that can tolerate low light and inconsistent watering feeding them appropriately benefits them in the following ways

• Stimulates lush, green foliage growth
• Fuels the production of flowers
• Replaces nutrients lost from the soil over time
• Aids recovery after repotting or division
• Enhances overall plant vigor and health

Applying fertilizer gives peace lilies an extra nutritional boost, for bigger and better growth.

Key Nutrients in Peace Lily Fertilizer

When shopping for fertilizer look for a formulation with these three essential macro-nutrients

Nitrogen (N)

• Drives healthy leaves and lush vegetative growth
• Excess nitrogen can cause floppy growth and fewer blooms

Phosphorus (P)

• Critical for root, flower, and fruit development
• Helps plants recover from repotting stress

Potassium (K)

• Important for disease resistance and stem strength
• Helps produce sturdy flowering stalks

Avoid fertilizers with only nitrogen, which can limit flowers. The other ingredients like magnesium, calcium, sulfur, iron, and manganese are also beneficial.

The Best Fertilizer Ratio for Peace Lilies

The three numbers on fertilizers represent Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium levels.

For peace lilies, choose a balanced formula in the range of:

• 10-10-10
• 15-15-15
• 20-20-20

A balanced ratio provides equal parts nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. This fuels overall growth without skewing toward only leaf or flower production.

If your plant needs more flowers, you can pick a formula tilted slightly higher in phosphorus, like 10-20-10. Avoid high nitrogen-only formulas which lead to few blooms.

Types of Fertilizers for Peace Lilies

You can feed peace lilies with either liquid or granular fertilizer:

Liquid Plant Food

• Made for dissolving in water to easily deliver nutrients
• Includes all-purpose and blooming formulas
• Provides fast-acting results
• Must be reapplied regularly

Examples: Miracle-Gro Liquid All Purpose Plant Food, Neptune’s Harvest Fish & Seaweed Plant Food

Granular Fertilizer

• Dry fertilizer that is sprinkled onto the soil
• Nutrients are released more slowly over time
• Typically needs less frequent applications
• Can be hard to evenly distribute

Examples: Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food, Jobe’s Organics Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer

Either fertilizer type works well for peace lilies as long as you follow instructions and don’t overfeed.

How Often to Fertilize Peace Lilies

Peace lilies aren’t like humans – they don’t follow strict calendars or schedules. Rather, these tropical plants prefer to be fertilized based on their growth cycles and seasons. Don’t go stressing about memorizing fertilizer formulas or whipping out your calendar to plan every feeding. Let your plant guide you instead!

Here are some tips for knowing when your peace lily needs a nourishing meal:

• Feed during active growth: The best time to fertilize is when you notice new leaves sprouting up. This is a sign your plant is in an active growing phase and will readily soak up nutrients. Target spring through summer for growth spurts.During the active growing period of spring through summer, feed peace lilies every 4-6 weeks. It’s best to fertilize lightly but frequently for consistent nutrition.
• Reduce feeding in fall and winter when plants enter dormancy. An occasional liquid feeding 1-2 times in the winter is sufficient just to provide a light maintenance dose of nutrients.
• Every 2-3 months: On average, fertilizing every 2-3 months during the growing season is sufficient. But again, observe your plant’s cues over following a rigid schedule.
• Blooming time: Getting peace lilies to flower is many folks’ goal. Target fertilizing to coincide with the lead up to the blooming period. The added nutrients will fuel the floral show.
• Go light: Overfertilizing is worse than underfertilizing when it comes to peace lilies. If in doubt, opt for a lighter dose or longer interval between feedings. Brown crispy tips are a red flag you’ve overdone it on fertilizer.
• No food in winter: Peace lilies take a rest during fall and winter. It’s like hibernation for plants. Avoid fertilizing at all during this dormant period when growth has slowed.

Here’s a simple fertilizing mantra: Feed me when I start to grow in spring and summer, but let me snooze without food come winter and fall. Your peace lily will flourish with this seasonal care!

Application Tips for Fertilizing Peace Lilies

Follow these tips to effectively fertilize your peace lily:

• Always water the plant first before fertilizing to avoid root burn from concentrated salts.
• For liquid fertilizer, mix it at half-strength dilution unless directions state otherwise. Overzealous feeding risks harming the plant.
• Spread granules evenly over the top of the potting soil, then water well to disperse.
• Avoid getting liquid on the leaves, only on the soil. Wipe any drips from foliage which can burn.
• After feeding, flush the soil by watering thoroughly to prevent buildup of excess fertilizer.

By following package instructions and feeding moderately, you can safely nourish your peace lily.

5 Top Fertilizer Choices for Healthy Peace Lilies

Here are some excellent fertilizer options to consider for your peace lily:

1. Jobe’s Organics Houseplant Fertilizer

• Key nutrients: N-P-K, plus calcium and magnesium
• Release method: Fast and slow from two organic sources
• Frequency: Every 2-3 months

2. Miracle-Gro Liquid All Purpose Plant Food

• Key nutrients: Balanced N-P-K plus micronutrients
• Release method: Liquid nutrition absorbed immediately
• Frequency: Every 7-14 days

3. Espoma Organic Cactus, Palm & Citrus Plant Food

• Key nutrients: Balanced N-P-K from natural ingredients
• Release method: Extended feeding up to 6 months
• Frequency: Twice per year

4. Dyna-Gro Foliage Pro Liquid Plant Food

• Key nutrients: Nitrogen, potassium, magnesium
• Release method: Liquid nutrients readily available
• Frequency: Every 4-6 weeks

5. Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food

• Key nutrients: Balanced N-P-K plus micronutrients
• Release method: Timed granules release over 8-9 months
• Frequency: Once per year

Any of these trusted fertilizer brands make it easy to regularly nourish your peace lilies. Focus on a periodic schedule of light feedings.

Avoiding Over-Fertilization of Peace Lilies

While regular fertilizer is important, it’s possible to overdo it. Monitor for these signs of over-fertilization:

• Tip burn or brown edges on leaves
• Few or no flowers blooming
• Dry, brown leaf tips with crunchy texture
• White mineral deposit buildup on planter

The remedy is to flush the soil by thoroughly watering the plant for several minutes to dissolve and drain any fertilizer buildup from the container. Then resume fertilizing at a reduced strength or frequency.

Achieve Optimal Growth With Proper Fertilizer

While peace lilies are unfussy plants, giving them a nutritional boost with the right fertilizer makes a clear difference in their vigor and performance. Use a balanced, complete fertilizer to stimulate lush leaves, strong stalks, and brilliant white blooms.

Follow the fertilizer tips covered here to determine the ideal formulations, strengths, frequency, and methods of applying plant food. Soon you’ll have thriving peace lilies that create tranquil beauty in your indoor garden.