Peace Lillie's dying?

[Mystic]

Hi!

I have two peace lilies than see to be dying on me they're yellowing and browning and droopy. I don't know it I'm watering them too much, not enough, or what??

I was told to keep them out of the sun so I have been. I don't know what I'm doing wrong with them.

A friend told me that her Godfather told her to mix in baking soda in the soil or something...?

Any tips to help keep them alive and thriving??

Thanks!

[imafan26]

Peace lilies have a low light requirement and that is why they make good houseplants. If they have been in the pot a long time they may need repotting; the media might have gone sour.

They are aeroids like anthuriums so they like a well drained moist soil.

They like humidity but they don't like to sit in a saucer of water.

[Mystic]

Imafan26,

Thank you for your reply. Looks like I will be getting them two new pots for them as well as my sage and mint. Can I put something like stones in the bottom of the pots to keep it well drained since they don't like to sit in a saucer of water? They are currently still in the pots I got them in last summer I believe. So the pots they are in have holes at the bottom but I have them sitting in bigger decorative pots. I will post a picture later of them.

[rainbowgardener]

The outer decorative pots are your problem; get rid of them. The water that drains out of your regular pot sits in the outer pot and has no where to go. It is like imafan said about leaving them sit in a saucer of water. In this case you are leaving them sit in a cache pot full of water. And being protected in there from evaporation, the water stays longer. And the cache pot prevents air circulation through the regular pot as well.

I imagine when you go to repot, you will find the soil at the bottom of your pot quite soggy and possibly even stinky and nasty. I would start fresh with new soil. Check the roots of your plants when you are repotting. If they are white and firm, you can repot. If the roots have gone mushy, it is too late and you will need to start over with new plants as well as new soil. Roots in soil that stays soggy and not aerated tend to rot.

Put a saucer under your pots to catch water (so it doesn't go all over your carpet or where ever you have them). Preferably put some rocks or something in the saucer so the plant doesn't sit in the water and air can circulate under the pot. Either way, unless your pot is well above the water, once all the water has drained though, empty the saucer.

[imafan26]

It can be a pain but it is better to water houseplants in a sink or tub and let it drain completely before putting them back in place. While in the tub hose the dust off the leaves and check under leaves for mealy bugs and other critters that like to attack stressed plants.