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Peace Lily In Bad Shape

jaybothehoodjaybothehood Posts: 24
in Problem solving
About 10 years ago i rescued a peace lily from our office. It did really well until recently. See pic from 2015 

However, this year the leaves are going brown and it appears to be dying (See 2018 pic)

It's in the same place (back of the conservatory....not near a window or direct sunlight), in the same pot and the same watering regime. 


Could it just need re-potting and or splitting up? It's still in the same potting mix from about 2014 

Or is there anything else i should try? 

Thanks for reading. I have 2 more queries which i will do individual threads for unless advised otherwise.  


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Posts

  • FireFire Posts: 17,332
    Yes, I would try repotting with fresh compost. When doing it, see what the root system is like - withered, crowded, rotted, healthy?  See what the earth like in the pot - is there any white fungus visible or any creatures in it - flies, grubs? Give the leaves a good clean with a damp cloth. Trim off the dead or dying ones.

    Check that the plant is not being double-watered by helpful staff - perhaps once by a cleaner and once by someone at a desk nearby. Try feeding regularly a couple of times a year. I wondered if it might have got sprayed by accident by some kind of office cleaning spray. If you want it to flower more, it would need to be closer to a source of sunlight. Good luck with it.

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 9,897
    It's probably just crowded in its pot and short on food. Peace lilies respond well to a repot and thin out. I'd normally suggest the usual things like too much light, too cold, not watering enough/too much etc but if it's been fine until now in the same place then it probably just needs a bigger pot. What do you normally feed it with and do you use rain water to water it with?

    I have one in my office that's thriving thanks to only ever getting watered using old water from the fish tank. All my plants have suffered since I gave up keeping fish at home.
    Tradition is just peer pressure from dead people
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,586
    They are fussy devils, I have 2 in the bathrom, north facing and hall which gets no light, they havent flowered for several years, were re-potted this year, and are on borrowed time!
  • jaybothehoodjaybothehood Posts: 24
    Thanks all. 

    It's actually at home. I took it out of the office when i rescued it. 

    There is some kind of white residue in the saucer and about an inch up the outside of the pot. 

    Errrrm i don't actually feed it. :-/ Should i ? 

    It's normally watered just with tap water but i occasionally put it outside when it's raining and occasionally i use dechlorinated water. 

    Funny you mention fish water....

    I have PLENTY of that available. I have an overstocked koi pond so an abundance of water available when i flush the filters. 

    No good at the mo as the pond is currently salted but that's only a temporary measure. 

    I will have a go at repotting it this evening and take photos of the roots. 
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 9,897
    Ok this explains a lot. The residue is probably a build up of minerals in the soil from using tap water. Try not to use tap water for plants if you have an alternative. The koi pond water will be ideal though and will probably give the plant all the food it needs. I'd still add a few drops of Baby Bio every month during the growing season to make sure. With my peace lilies I wait until they start to wilt a bit and then water them. They don't like to dry out too much but they don't like it too wet either.
    Tradition is just peer pressure from dead people
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,964
    Ditto everything Wild edges said.  I use fish tank water on my house plants every time I do a water change (instead of feeding them).  I wouldn't use the filter water though, if it's really full of floating particles.  I do rinse my filters off in a bucket before throwing them out, but this water either goes on a tree outside or on my compost.  It would be too strong for a house plant (and probably smelly too).  
    Utah, USA.
  • PurplerainPurplerain Posts: 1,053
    I didn't know they were houseplants. I stop watering them as winter approaches and keep them in the porch, like pelargoniums. 

    Every year they tell me when to look after them by poking their shoots up and I put them outside. They seem to like it, and flower well.

    I agree with others though, they are unhappy and need repotting.


    SW Scotland
  • jaybothehoodjaybothehood Posts: 24
    The deed is done. I haven't watered them yet though. I generally wait 24 hours after transplanting before i water. I made 4 plants but could have done a dozen or so if i had more time/confidence/places to put them afterwards. Some images for you below:
  • jaybothehoodjaybothehood Posts: 24
    ....or maybe not. I am unable to post any images. It isn't clear why not.
  • jaybothehoodjaybothehood Posts: 24
    Aaah. Here they are. Bit of an odd order
    .
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