Peace lilies are prized for their beautiful white blooms and they should flower all year round as long as they have enough sunlight, warmth and water.
However, one common mistake a lot of houseplant owners make is not changing how they water peace lilies in autumn as they need far less water now that the weather is getting colder.
Matt Slaymaker, a gardening expert from Lively Root, has shared that overwatering a peace lily will stunt its growth and lead to the plant not being able to produce any flowers at all.
He said: “During the summer, your plant’s soil will likely dry out quickly and require more frequent watering.
“The opposite happens in the winter when the plant’s soil tends to lose water at a snail’s pace, due to excess moisture in the air.”
How should you water peace lilies?
Instead of watering peace lilies on a schedule, it is best to check the soil weekly by poking your finger into the potted dirt and feeling its moisture level.
Matt said: “If the soil feels moist, refrain from watering your peace lily for a day or two. On the contrary, your plant is thirsty if its soil feels dry. So, give it lots of water to drink.”
Make sure to only let the soil dry out slightly before watering as you also do not want the peace lily to be underwatered.
Matt added: “While an overwatered plant will have yellow, wilting leaves, and smelly, soggy soil, an underwatered plant will have droopy leaves and dry soil.”
Peace lilies also love being misted with a spray bottle filled with water every few days as they are plants that love humidity, but you can also stick this plant in a bathroom or kitchen as the steam will help it thrive.
However, be careful in autumn not to place peace lilies too near a hot radiator or a drafty window as both can dry out the houseplant which will also cause it not to flower.
How else can you help a peace lily flower in autumn?
It may sound strange but if you buy bananas make sure to not throw out the peel as it can act as a natural fertiliser for peace lilies.
Matt said: “Flowering plants like peace lilies like banana water. This is because it’s rich in potassium, which helps the plant’s well-being.”
Potassium is a nutrient which supports peace lily flower development but also encourages strong root growth and helps improve disease resistance in plants.
All you need to do is place a banana peel in a jar, fill the jar with water and leave the banana peel to soak for a few days.
Sieve the banana peel from the nutrient-rich water and pour it into the soil, where it will give the peace lily a nutrient boost to grow bigger and healthier flowers.
Make sure to only use one banana peel per plant and only feed peace lilies this solution once a month, otherwise, you can risk overfertilising the soil or cause mould to grow on the plant.
