Peace Lilies that are overwatered will develop root rot relatively quickly, and the best way to revive a Peace Lily with root rot is to repot it. When repotting a plant with root rot you have to take a couple of steps in order to ensure that the root rot doesn’t come back in the new pot. Even a small piece of rotten root can rot the entire root system away, so make sure to follow the steps accordingly.
To repot a Peace Lily with root rot make sure to cut off all the rotten roots. Use lukewarm water to wash away the soil and the rotten roots as well. In case all the roots of the Peace Lily have rotten away, you have to place the plant in a vase with some rooting hormone and allow it a couple of weeks to grow new roots. If the Peace Lily still has a couple of healthy roots then you can repot it in a fresh potting mix and the plant will bounce back in a couple of weeks.
If you are constantly having problems with root rot then my personal recommendation is to repot your Peace Lilies in a bottom watering pot that is self watering Click here to check it out on Amazon.com
You have to assess the damage created by the root rot and repot the plant accordingly. Although Peace Lilies will be able to survive root rot if treated but you can give a helping hand to the plant by being extra thorough and careful about how you actually do the repotting. Most people will simply repot their Peace Lilies just like they do with their healthy plants, and this usually makes the problem even worse.
The good news is that even if all the roots have rotten away or you have to cut them off because they are damaged, the Peace Lilies can still recover, as long as you allow them to grow new roots. For more information on Peace Lily root rot, check out my recent article Peace Lily Root Rot ( Causes & Treatment ).
How To Repot A Peace Lily With Root Rot
When dealing with a peace lily that has root rot, repotting is a crucial step to help save the plant. Start by carefully removing the peace lily from its current pot, being gentle to avoid further damaging the roots. Shake off excess soil and examine the roots for any signs of rot, which may appear dark, mushy, or foul-smelling. Trim away the affected roots using sterilized pruning shears.
Prepare a new pot with fresh, well-draining potting soil. Make a hole in the soil and carefully place the peace lily’s root ball in it, ensuring the plant sits at the same depth as before. Fill the remaining space with soil, gently pressing it down to secure the plant. Water the newly repotted peace lily thoroughly, allowing the water to drain out from the bottom. Place the plant in a location with indirect sunlight and maintain a consistent watering schedule, ensuring the soil remains evenly moist but not waterlogged.
Take Out The Peace Lily From The Pot By Turning It Over
Although this step is a no-brainer, but if you pull the plant out of the pot like many people tend to do then you risk damaging the plant. Instead, place one of your hands on the potting soil, and with your other hand turn the pot, and the entire contents of the pot should come out relatively easily. Keep in mind that this step tends to be somewhat messy, so either do it in the garden or in the garage. Usually, the main reason for root rot is due to overwatering, for more information check out my recent article Overwatered Peace Lily ( Top 9 Symptoms & Treatments ).
Remove The Soil From The Peace Lilies
Once you have taken out your Peace Lily from the pot, the soil will be held together by the roots and by the stem of the plant. Remove as much of the soil as you can, but do it carefully not to damage the plant. You have to be extra careful not to break the stem of the plant, as the plant might not survive it. Odds are that you will also remove healthy roots while you are removing the soil, don’t worry about it as the plant will grow new ones.
Wash Away The Rotten Peace Lily Roots With Lukewarm Water
Once you have removed most of the soil, it is time to remove the smaller clumps and the rotten roots. Roots that have been long rotting are brown and mushy, so you can simply wash them off. Make sure to only use lukewarm water, as a cold water shock could stress the plant out, or in the worst case, the plant might not actually be able to recover. Do not use any cleaning agents or chemicals, as these will also harm the plant. If you want to know what happens to underwatered Peace Lilies then check out my recent article Underwatered Peace Lily ( Top 4 Symptoms & Treatments ).
Trim Off The Rotten Peace Lily Roots
There will be a couple of roots that are not that rotten, and usually, you won’t be able to wash these off with water. Instead, get some scissors and cut off any or all the roots that are not white. Brown roots are usually a sign that they are either dead or already rotten, so do not leave these on the plant. It is extremely important to wipe your scissors off with alcohol wipes, as certain viruses or diseases may be on the rotten roots, and you wouldn’t want these to spread to other plants while you are cutting them back.
Prune The Leaves Of The Peace Lilies
Pruning the leaves before repotting the plant is extremely important, the more leaves the plant has the more it will struggle to feed them. Prune 1/3 or even half of the leaf off, this way the plant doesn’t have to use too many nutrients on feeding the leaves and can focus on growing roots. In case you do not prune off the leaves you will notice that some of the leaves will turn brown or yellow, by pruning the plant skips this process.
Repot The Peace Lilis Into A New Pot
While repotting Peace Lilies that are suffering from root rot you have two options, either use the old pot or simply get a new one. If you are going to use the old pot, then make sure to use a bleaching solution and clean the pot out as best as you can. If the root rot was caused by a virus, then it will be extremely difficult to remove it from the pot, in this case, I would suggest you throw it out and use a new pot.
In case you are repotting your Peace Lilies into a new pot, make sure to wash it out, who knows for how long it has been staying in a warehouse somewhere.
Use A Fungicide Solution To Get Rid Of Peace Lily Root Rot
Make sure to dip the healthy roots of the Peace Lilies in a fungicide solution, these are usually strong enough to kill the fungus that is associated with root rot. If the Peace Lily doesn’t have any healthy roots then simply dip the stem of the plant into the solution. Make sure not to allow the fungicide solution to get on the leaves, if it does, simply wash it away with a wet cloth.
Use A Rooting Hormone For Peace Lilies To Promote Root Growth
Rooting hormones are usually used for seedlings, although sick plants can also benefit from them. Rooting hormones are especially important if the Peace Lilies have only a few healthy roots or none at all. It will take a couple of weeks until the Peace Lilies grow new roots until then make sure to give them enough water but try to not overwater them or else in a couple of months you will have to face the root rot issue again.
Place The Peace Lilies That Have No Roots In A Vase
If your Peace Lilies still have some healthy roots, you can skip this part. On the other hand, if you had to cut off all the roots, then you will have to wait a couple of weeks before repotting the plant. Place the Peace Lilies in a vase, with lukewarm water, and add some rooting hormone as well. In a couple of weeks, you will see healthy white roots coming out of the stem of the plant. At that, point the plant is ready to be repotted into a new potting mix.
Repot The Peace Lilies
Make sure not to reuse the old potting mix, if you do the root rot will come back. Get a well-draining potting mix that doesn’t have any pesticides or fertilizers. The more healthy roots the Peace Lilies have the faster they will be able to bounce back. Although even Peace Lilies that have no roots can still recover, but it will take a longer time. After you have repotted the plant try to not stress it out by pulling it to see if the plant is growing roots.
Skip The Fertilizing Of The Freshly Repotted Peace Lilies
Peace Lilies do not need fertilizers, as they grow just fine in poor soil. Most people will put a generous amount of fertilizer once they have repotted a plant, but you have to skip this part. Too much fertilizer can actually harm the roots of the Peace Lilies, and as the plants already have issues with their roots, the last thing you would want to do is to cause more stress to the plant.
Key Takeaways
- To repot a peace lily with root rot remove the plant from the pot, remove the potting mix, wash away the rotting roots, trim off the roots, cut back the leaves, repot it into a new potting mix and use a fungicide.
- Under no circumstances reuse the potting mix in which the Peace Lily had root rot.
- It can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks until the Peace Lilies recover from root rot after repotting.
