How to care for potted peace lilies? A detailed guide to the latest care methods
The peace lily is also known as spathe lily, white sail, and sail of smooth sailing, among other names. It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Spathiphyllum in the Araceae family, with emerald green leaves and white spathes. It is very fresh and elegant, has excellent ornamental value, can filter indoor waste gases, and has a certain purifying effect on ammonia, acetone, benzene, and formaldehyde. Now let us take a look at how to care for potted peace lilies!
Growth habits of the peace lily
The peace lily likes a high-temperature, humid, and semi-shaded environment. It is relatively sensitive to humidity and afraid of strong light and exposure. In summer, shade 60-70%, but long-term insufficient light makes it difficult to bloom. The soil is best as fertile loam rich in humus. The suitable growth temperature is 22-28°C, from March to September 24-30°C, and from September to March of the following year 18-21°C. In winter, the temperature should not be lower than 14°C. When the temperature is below 10°C, plant growth is hindered and the leaves are prone to cold damage. During storage and transport of potted peace lilies, the temperature should be controlled at 13-16°C and the relative humidity at 80-90%, and it can tolerate a dark environment for 30 days.
Propagation methods for the peace lily
1. Division: Division propagation of the peace lily is best carried out from May to June. Lift the entire plant out of the pot, cut the rhizome apart from the base of the clump, with at least 4 leaves per clump, and after separate planting place it in a semi-shaded place to recover.
2. Sowing: After the peace lily blooms, seeds can be obtained through artificial pollination. After collecting the seeds, they must be sown immediately. The germination temperature is 30°C, and germination occurs 10-15 days after sowing. If the temperature is too low during germination, the seeds are prone to rotting. After disinfection, they are inoculated on an added culture medium, and after 45 days callus tissue and adventitious buds grow.
3. Tissue culture: Using young inflorescences and lateral buds of the peace lily as explants, after disinfection they are inoculated on MS medium supplemented with 10 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine and 2 mg/L indoleacetic acid. After 40-45 days, callus tissue and adventitious buds grow. Then the adventitious buds are transferred to MS medium supplemented with 2 mg/L indoleacetic acid, and roots are induced in 30-40 days, forming complete plants.
How to care for potted peace lilies?
1. Soil: Potted peace lilies require loose soil with good drainage and aeration. Heavy clay soil must not be used. Generally, leaf mold soil and peat soil mixed with a small amount of perlite can be used as the substrate, and a small amount of organic fertilizer is added as a base fertilizer when planting.
2. Division: Division of the peace lily is usually carried out in spring from March to May together with repotting or after autumn. Select robust two-year-old plants for division propagation. Lift the entire peace lily out of the pot, cut the rhizome apart from the base of the plant clump, with at least 3-4 leaves per clump.
3. Potting: Reinsert the divided plants into the pot. After planting, place them in a semi-shaded place to recover and wait for them to take root. Note here that when cutting, the stem part must be included, then apply wood ash to the wound to prevent rotting. After the root system returns to normal, proceed with normal management.
4. Light: Light is very important for plant growth. The peace lily needs relatively good light in winter and early spring, but as the light gradually strengthens it should be gradually shaded. If it is enjoyed in a shady place, it must not be placed directly in the sun for exposure, as this is very bad for the growth of the peace lily.
5. Temperature: The peace lily is a high-temperature-loving species and should be cultivated in a high-temperature greenhouse. In winter, the minimum nighttime temperature should be 14-16°C, and during the day it should be around 25°C.
6. Watering: During the growth period, the peace lily should be kept with moist potting soil at all times, but it must not be watered too much. Excessive watering will keep the potting soil wet for a long time, which can easily cause root rot and plant yellowing.
7. Fertilizing: When fertilizing the peace lily, do not apply concentrated fertilizer or raw fertilizer, and after applying solid fertilizer, water once with clear water. It is best to use dilute fertilizer water instead of clear water for irrigation. In this way, fertilizer damage generally will not occur, and the peace lily will grow very luxuriantly.
8. Pests: During the growth period, the peace lily is most favored by pests. Miticides should be sprayed regularly for control, such as dicofol, hexythiazox, and pyridaben.
9. Repotting: Repot the peace lily once every 1-2 years. Together with repotting, prune the root system, remove some old roots and overly long roots, pick out the old soil, and replace it with new culture soil, to help the peace lily bloom.