Cultivation methods and precautions for the peace lily

The peace lily is native to tropical America and prefers a hot, humid and semi-shaded environment. With its emerald green leaves and pure white spathes, it is fresh and elegant, and is an important flowering and foliage plant worldwide. Many people often grow it in their homes, but few know how to cultivate it. Today, the editor will introduce the cultivation methods for the peace lily here.

Cultivation methods for the peace lily

Generally, once a year before a large number of new shoots sprout in early spring, the plant should be repotted once. When repotting, remove part of the old soil, trim the root system, add new potting soil and plant it in a pot one size larger, so as to benefit root development and promote vigorous growth. The soil surface should be loosened regularly so that the potting soil stays loose and airy. As long as the temperature is suitable, it can grow well all year round.

1. Soil: Potted peace lilies require loose soil with good drainage and aeration, and dislike heavy clay soil; a sandy loam rich in humus is preferable. Generally, equal parts of leaf mold and peat soil plus about 1/4 river sand or a small amount of perlite can be mixed into a growing medium; when planting, add a small amount of farmyard manure, bone meal or well-rotted cake fertilizer as a base fertilizer.

2. Watering: The peace lily likes warmth and moisture, so during the growing season it should be given sufficient water and the potting soil should be kept moist at all times. But avoid overwatering, and do not let water accumulate in the pot; if the potting soil stays wet for a long time, it easily causes root rot and the plant to turn yellow and wither. In summer and dry seasons, use a fine-nozzle sprayer to spray water on the leaves and the ground frequently to raise air humidity. If the surrounding environment is too dry, new leaves will become smaller and yellow, and in severe cases turn yellow and fall off. In late autumn and winter, reduce the amount of watering and just keep the potting soil slightly moist.

3. Light: The peace lily is fairly shade-tolerant and suits a semi-shaded environment; direct sunlight must be avoided. About 60% scattered light is enough to meet its growth needs, so it can be kept year-round indoors in a spot with bright scattered light. In summer, shade should be provided to block out 60%-70% of the sunlight; if the light is too strong, the leaves will turn yellow, are easily scorched and burnt, and the leaf color becomes dull and loses its luster, and in severe cases sunscald appears. If the light is too dim for a long time, the plant will grow weakly and be unlikely to bloom. In northern China, greenhouse cultivation in winter can go without shading or with little shading.

4. Temperature: The peace lily is a species that likes high temperatures and fears cold. The optimum growing temperature is 20—28°C, and it should be cultivated in a high-temperature greenhouse. In winter it must be brought indoors to overwinter, and the minimum nighttime temperature in winter should be above 10°C for it to overwinter safely. During the day it should be around 25°C, when it will grow well. Long-term low temperatures or dampness easily cause root rot, leaf drop or scorched-yellow conditions, and in severe cases can kill the whole plant. Therefore, in winter pay attention to cold protection and warmth retention while keeping the potting soil moist.

5. Fertilizing: Because it grows fast and needs a fairly large amount of fertilizer, during the peak growing season it must be given an organic liquid fertilizer once every 7-10 days, or a dilute compound fertilizer or well-rotted cake fertilizer water, which both helps the plant grow vigorously and helps it bloom continuously. In northern China, where winter temperatures are low, fertilizing should be stopped.