The peace lily also known as Spathiphyllum is one of the most popular houseplants. With its lush green leaves and delicate white blooms, it’s easy to see why. Proper care is essential to keep your peace lily healthy and happy. Choosing the right pot is a key factor.
When picking a pot for your peace lily, there are a few key things to consider
Pot Size
Pot size has a big impact on the health of your peace lily. Here are some general pot size guidelines:
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Start with a 4-inch pot for a new young plant. This small pot will keep the peace lily from getting too large too quickly.
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Move up to a 6-inch pot once the roots have filled the smaller pot. This gives the plant more room to grow.
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Increase pot size by about 2 inches each time you repot, until the plant reaches maturity. A mature peace lily does well in a 10-12 inch pot.
Don’t put a small peace lily in an oversized pot. This can lead to problems with excess moisture and root rot. Go up in pot size gradually as the plant grows.
Pot Material
The material the pot is made from also affects your plant. Here are some top choices:
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Terracotta – Terracotta clay pots are porous and allow air to pass through. This creates a healthy breathing environment for the roots and prevents overwatering. Peace lilies tend to thrive in terracotta.
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Plastic – Plastic pots hold more moisture and take longer to dry out. This can be beneficial for peace lily varieties that like consistently damp soil. Choose plastic pots with drainage holes.
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Ceramic – Ceramic pots provide a classic, decorative look. The glazed surface can lead to wetter soil, so monitor watering closely. Unglazed terra-cotta ceramic adds breathability.
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Cache pots – For a decorative touch, place a plastic nursery pot inside a more ornamental cache pot. This allows you to manage watering needs while adding style.
Drainage
Proper drainage is absolutely critical for a healthy peace lily. Waterlogged, soggy soil can quickly lead to root rot. Here are some tips for drainage:
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Always select a pot with multiple drainage holes in the bottom. This allows excess water to flow out after watering.
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Place a layer of pebbles or small rocks at the bottom of the pot below the soil. This improves drainage and prevents soil from washing out.
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Use a lightweight, porous potting mix rather than heavy garden soil, which stays too wet. Potting mixes for indoor plants are best.
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Empty any accumulated water from the saucer under the pot after watering. Don’t allow the pot to sit in water.
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Add perlite or vermiculite to regular potting soil to improve porosity and drainage. Aim for roughly 20-30% of the total soil content.
Other Pot Tips
Here are a few other useful tips when selecting and using pots for your peace lily:
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Choose pots with a wide base for stability. Narrow pots are more prone to tipping over.
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Make sure the pot is proportional to the plant size. A pot that is too large can cause root issues.
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Keep an eye on root growth by gently removing the plant and inspecting roots every few years. Repot if crowded.
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Clean pots occasionally with soap and water to remove salt deposits and prevent disease.
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A pot that is too small can restrict growth. If the plant is severely root-bound, it may need to be repotted or divided.
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When repotting, choose a pot that is only 1-2 inches larger to avoid shock from too much new soil.
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Repot in the spring every 2-3 years, or whenever the plant has outgrown its container.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about picking the ideal pot for a peace lily:
What size pot does a full grown peace lily need?
A fully mature peace lily will reach its maximum size in a 10-12 inch diameter pot. This gives the roots room to spread out without getting overcrowded.
How often should you repot a peace lily?
Most peace lilies need repotting every 2-3 years. More frequent repotting can shock the plant. Repot in the spring when the plant is actively growing.
Is it better to use plastic or clay pots for peace lilies?
In general, clay/terracotta pots are preferable for peace lilies because they provide air circulation and lower moisture. But a plastic pot can work if you monitor watering carefully to prevent overwatering.
Should I put rocks or pebbles in the bottom of the pot?
Yes, adding a layer of pebbles, gravel, or other coarse material at the bottom of the pot improves drainage and reduces soil moisture. Just don’t create too thick of a layer.
What kind of soil or potting mix is best?
Use a lightweight, indoor potting mix made for houseplants rather than standard garden soil. Indoor mixes contain peat or coconut coir to retain some moisture while still draining well.
Final Tips
Picking the perfect pot for your peace lily involves getting the size, material, and drainage right. Focus on providing a pot with adequate room as the plant grows, breathable terracotta material, and plentiful holes for drainage. With the right pot, your peace lily will flourish for years to come!
Solving Peace Lily Maladies
- 1 Recognize the signs of under-watering and over-watering. One of the most common problems with growing peace lilies is that they don’t get enough water. Both too little and too much watering can lead to a range of vague symptoms that can sometimes be confused with other peace lily problems. However, since not watering properly is also one of the easiest issues to fix, try these first before moving on to a more serious one. [6] Not giving enough water should be pretty clear: dry soil, wilting, yellowing leaves, and a stalk that hangs down are all clear signs of this. To fix this, water and mist your plants more often—at least once a week for each Keep in mind that plants that are too big for their pots will have a hard time getting the water they need from a normal watering. Overwatering is a little harder to spot, but brown leaf tips are often a sign of it. Keep in mind that too much watering can cause root rot, which is a different and much worse problem.
- 2 Repot a plant with root rot. Root rot is a serious disease that can kill any potted plant with roots that are below the soil’s surface. Root rot usually happens when a plant gets too much water or doesn’t have enough drainage. If the roots are in standing water for a long time, they won’t be able to get the air they need to work right, and they will literally start to rot. Some microorganisms, called water molds, help the rot spread. If there is enough water, the spores of these molds can infect another plant and cause root rot. Root rot usually kills plants, but you can try to fix it by taking your lily out of its pot right away and cutting off any dead, slimy, or otherwise rotten root parts. Put the plant in a new pot with dry soil that drains well. Root rot affects the plant below the ground, but it will be easy to see when the plant starts to die above ground. Root rot is probably what’s wrong if your lily seems to be getting wiltier even though it gets enough sun and is watered often. Note: If the rot hasn’t spread to the roots of the lily crown, you may choose to re-pot it in a different container. The first plant might die, but the second one will have the same genes as the first one.
- 3. To get rid of bugs like aphids and mites, use insecticidal soap. Peace lilies can get aphids, mites, or other small arthropods on them sometimes.” It’s likely that your plant has a pest problem if you see your lily leaves starting to wilt or die and there are visible pests, a sticky, slimy discharge, or white webs on the leaves. Spray the plant with a strong stream of water to get rid of the pests. To make sure they don’t come back, use an insecticide that is safe for plants or this easy recipe for insecticidal soap: mix 1 tablespoon of 15 ml of vegetable oil, 16 g of cayenne pepper, and 1 tsp of salt 12 grams of natural soap made from fat (not liquid dish soap) in 1 quart ( 95 liters) of warm water. Spray your plant with soap using a spray bottle. But first, test the soap on a small part of the plant and leave it there for a day to make sure it doesn’t hurt it.
- 4 Clean or dispose of a fungus-infected plant. Fungus infections can range from harmless to potentially fatal. If you see a white or gray fuzzy growth on the soil’s surface, don’t worry too much. This fungus isn’t harmful to plants, but it can be irritating to some people, especially those who are allergic. To get rid of this small fungus growth, you might want to sprinkle cinnamon on it. Cinnamon can kill fungi. This is only true if the lily’s stalk or leaves turn dark or black for no other reason (like frost damage, etc.). ), your plant likely has a serious fungal infection. In this case, it is always possible to throw away the whole plant because fungal spores can be very persistent and stay in the soil and surrounding area for a long time, infecting other plants again. However, if you want to save the plant, carefully cut off all the damaged parts and throw them away somewhere they won’t hurt anyone. (like your garbage). After that, water the plant with compost tea, which is a natural fungicide, to try to kill any spores that are still in the soil.
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Things You’ll Need
- Peace lily plant
- Water
- Spray bottle