Peace Lilies are the most vulnerable after they have been repotted, the transplant shock can make underlying issues emerge and the plant will struggle for a while. For the first couple of days after repotting it is relatively normal for the Peace Lily to look a bit droopy, but if it doesn’t perk up in a couple of days then it might have a serious problem.
If your peace lily is dying after repotting, then it is struggling to adjust to the larger pot with more soil. This can lead to slower drying of the soil after watering, which creates conditions favorable for root rot. As a result, the leaves may droop and turn yellow. Ensuring proper drainage and avoiding overwatering can help prevent this issue.
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Peace Lilies are really tough plants, they can grow in almost any kind of soil, in very little direct sunlight, but they will start to struggle if they get too much or not enough water. Generally speaking, it is always a good idea to plant the Peace Lilies in a larger pot, they can get easily root bound and if there isn’t enough space in the new pot, then they will slowly die.
The good news is that once you identify why your Peace Lily is dying after repotting, and you address the issue, the plant will bounce back in a matter of days. If you want to know how to save a dying peace lily then check out my recent article How To Save A Dying Peace Lily Plant ( Top 6 Methods ).
My Peace Lily Is Dying After Repotting
If your peace lily is dying after repotting, it could be due to several factors. One common reason is transplant shock, which occurs when the plant undergoes stress from being moved to a new pot or environment. Repotting can disrupt the plant’s root system and cause temporary wilting or decline. However, if your peace lily continues to deteriorate after repotting, it may indicate improper care or underlying issues.
Overwatering or underwatering, excessive sunlight or lack thereof, poor soil quality, or root damage during repotting could contribute to the plant’s decline. To help revive your peace lily, assess its watering needs, ensuring that you provide adequate moisture without overwatering. Place the plant in a location with indirect or filtered light, as direct sunlight can scorch the leaves. Check the soil quality, ensuring it is well-draining and not too compacted. Consider providing extra humidity by misting the leaves or using a pebble tray.
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Peace Lilies Dying After Repotting Due To Transplant Shock
Transplant shock occurs every time you repot your Peace Lilies, the severity of this shock will depend on a lot of factors like how healthy the plant is, and when and how you actually make the transplant. The problem with transplant shock is that it can kill the Peace Lilies relatively easily if they are not in good health. After replanting the Peace Lilies, you will see the results of transplant shock in a couple of hours, usually, the entire plant will slowly droop, this is normal.
If you have damaged the roots while doing the repotting, then the transplant shock will be even more severe, oftentimes the Peace Lilies will not be able to recover. To lower the effects of transplant shock, make sure to not disturb the roots too much, and most importantly do not allow the roots to actually dry out. If your Peace lily flowers are too small, then check out my recent article Why Are My Peace Lily Flowers Small? ( Top 6 Reasons ).
Improper Watering Before Or After Repotting The Peace Lilies Will Kill Them
The main reason why most Peace Lilies tend to die is because of improper watering, Peace Lilies really struggle if they get either too much or too little water. If the Peace Lily has not been watered correctly before being transplanted and is already struggling, then replanting it could kill it. If you change the watering schedule for the Peace Lilies, after you have repotted them they will start to struggle.
To find out if your Peace Lily is struggling due to overwatering, simply stick one of your fingers into the potting mix, if the top inch of the soil is moist and you didn’t water the plant in a couple of days then it is suffering from being overwatered. On the other hand, if the top inch of the soil is moist, then this usually means that the plant needs more water and is probably already suffering from underwatered.
If the Peace Lilies go without getting enough water for a long period of time, then you will notice that the potting mix actually shrinks and it doesn’t touch the edge of the pot. In this case, the soil has also compacted, and you should repot the Peace Lily as fast as possible. If your Peace lily has root rot and you want to repot it, then check out my recent article How To Repot A Peace Lily With Root Rot ( In 11 Easy Steps ).
Not Repotting The Peace Lilies At The Right Time Could Kill Them
Repotting the Peace Lilies at the wrong time will only cause more stress to the plant, and in certain cases, they will not be able to fully recover. The ideal time to repot Peace Lilies, is in the spring after it has finished flowering, this way the Peace Lilies will be less stressed out. Peace Lilies will try to bloom no matter what, and if you replant them before they have flowered they might focus all of their energy on blooming rather than getting established in the new pot, which is a losing game for the plant.
Even though the ideal time to replant Peace Lilies is in the spring, but if the plant has simply got too big for the pot, or it is otherwise struggling then you should repot it as soon as possible. Once the Peace Lilies start to struggle, there is a relatively short period of time until you can save it.
Root Bound Peace Lilies Could Dye After Repotting
Peace Lilies can easily die by their own roots, once they are root bound they will have a very hard time absorbing water and nutrients. In addition to this, being root bound really stresses out the plant which only accelerates its decline.
To know if your Peace Lilies are root bound, simply take the plant out of the pot, and if you see the roots at the bottom going in circles, then the Peace Lily is definitely root bound. If your Peace Lily is root bound, then you will have to loosen up the roots. If you just replant it into a larger pot without loosening up the roots, then the plant might still die because its roots will grow in circles.
If the Peace Lily has a severe case of being root bound, then you should loosen up the roots, and cut some of the excess roots off. This way once repotted, the roots will be able to grow in all directions, and by cutting some of the roots off the plant will be stimulated to grow new ones.
The New Potting Mix Can Kill The Peace Lilies
Although Peace Lilies can grow in almost any kind of soil, but when it comes to being repotted they become somewhat more sensitive for a couple of days. Peace Lilies suffer in the same way no matter if they are overwatered or underwatered, and a new potting mix can make them struggle. Potting mixes that retain too much water, and the ones that do not drain very well can kill the Peace Lilies.
Repotting the Peace Lilies into a larger pot is usually a good idea, but there is a limit on how large the pot should actually be. Often if the pot is too large, the newly planted Peace Lily could struggle to absorb as much water as it needs especially if the potting mix is well draining.
Key Takeaways
- Peace Lilies tend to die after repotting due to transplant shock, this is especially true if the plant has been struggling even before it has been replanted. Not watering the Peace Lilies properly before and after repotting can also cause them to simply wilt away. In addition to this, not loosening up the root ball could kill the Peace Lily if it is root bound.
- The most important thing when it comes to replanting Peace Lilies is not to damage the healthy roots, under no circumstances allow the roots to dry out.
- When doing the repotting, make sure to remove all the black roots as these ones are already rotten.
