Question
I received a peace lilly in a vase with a betta fish in the bottom as a gift for my classroom.  The peace lilly was fairing well until the root ball seemed to grow too big for the vase, so I decided to plant it in a pot and it has not been doing well.  I planted it about 8 days ago and it is droopy and sick looking.  I felt the dirt today, thinking that it must be too dry and it seemed to be, so I saturated the soil with water, again thinking that because it lived in water for so long, you can't overwater it.  Now it is even sicker looking than before and I'm devestated at the thought it will die.  What can I do to save my plant??

Answer
Lara,

Roots that grow in water are more succulent and have a different texture than roots that grow in soil. They do not make the change well from water to soil as you unfortunately discovered. You would have been better off dividing your plant and getting another vase and putting the other part in the other vase.

Yes you can overwater this plant, in fact in soil it needs to dry out totally between waterings. I imagine that the roots have rotted at this point. To begin with you might want to tell your children if they are very young that it is very sick and you are going to take it to a plant hospital for it to recuperate then take it home. It may die, at best it will take a year for it to come back and look healthy again. If the kids are old enough to understand you can tell them what you need to do to get it healthy and next fall they can come back in and check on it.

First it needs to be dried out as quickly as possible. It must be in a pot with a drainage hole and a drain tray under it. Once it is dried out you may need to repot it to a smaller pot, it should not be in a pot any larger around than the plant itself is. It does much better if it pretty much fills the pot. This plant likes to be rootbound and will bloom a lot more if it is. Repotting it will also allow you to inspect the roots.

Because it is so damaged most of the leaves may turn brown and die. Trim them off as they dry out. Be patient it will eventually grow new roots and send out new leaves as long as you stop overwatering it now and give it a chance and time to recuperate. It will take time and pe a slow process.

When you water it give it enough water that all the soil is moist and some water goes in the drain tray. An hour later empty the drain tray, if it is too large to pick it up use a turkey baster to empty it. Then do not water it
again until it is very dry. The soil should feel dry to the touch but you should also either pick the plant up or tilt the plant and it should feel very light weight. If it feels heavy DO NOT WATER it! If in doubt let it go another day or two. More plants are killed by too much water than
by too little. This plant hates being too wet all the time and needs dry periods between waterings or the roots will quickly rot and the plant will be severely damaged or die. If you forget to check it for water this houseplant will let you know when it needs water. The leaves will
begin to droop. Allowing the foliage to droop slightly in-between watering will not kill it, however, do not let it droop severely. Once the plant is watered the foliage will spring back up. If you allowed it to dry out too much, some of the lower leaves may yellow and need to be removed. It is also advisable that the water be at room temperature to prevent shock to the roots.

Most instructions say this is a low light plant but it needs very bright light, just no sun. Try to keep it within 5 to 8 feet of a window for best results. Do not place your plant in direct sun. Direct sunlight can burn the Peace Lily's foliage. If the leaves begin to yellow, it may mean it is receiving too much sunlight. Move it to a less lighted area.

Peace lilies are a tropical plant and prefer a warm environment ?don抰 the let room temperatures fall below 40 degrees F or the plant may not survive. Daytime temperatures between 68 ?85 degrees F and night temperatures around 58 ?75 degrees F are ideal. Also, be sure and keep your plant out of cold drafts.

The main care requirement for your Peace Lily is water. When it comes to water, the soil should be moist but never soggy. This plant also loves higher humidity levels, so providing it with a nice misting a couple times a week will help the plant remain beautifully healthy.

If it stops blooming you can give it a teaspoon of epsom salts per every 4 inches of pot diameter. Sprinkle it on top of the soil before watering. Epsom salts is magnesium sulfate and it will trigger blooming in blooming plants. Works on other blooming plants also. A telltale sign of
over fertilizing is brown leaves. Feed your peace lily every 1-2 months from March through November. Use liquid fertilizer for blooming plants that has been diluted to half strength.

Please keep pets and children away from this plant. It is one of many poisonous houseplants.

Repot your peace lily every 5 ?6 years. Spring is the best time to do this. Use a quality commercial soil blend to ensure good drainage.

One last tip is clean the leaves regularly with a damp cloth to help the plant breathe. Wipe both the upper and lower sides of the leaves to remove dust and pests such as spider mites, mealy bugs and scale.

If you have more questions feel free to write again. Good luck.

Darlene