Peace Lilies tend to be one of the most overwatered houseplants, for the most part, these plants can withstand some overwatering but sooner or later they will start to struggle. The main problem is that most people think that if their Peace Lilies are starting to wilt or droop that they can fix it by watering them more often. This usually turns a wilted plant into an overwatered plant, and the difference between the two is kind of hard to notice.
Overwatering is a common cause of peace lily drooping, yellow leaves, and potential plant death. The water needs of your peace lily can vary depending on factors such as the season, temperature, humidity levels, growth stage, and container size. It’s important to monitor the moisture level of the soil and adjust your watering accordingly. Allow the top inch of soil to dry out before watering again, and make sure the pot has proper drainage to prevent waterlogging.
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There is not a specific amount of water that you should use to water your Peace Lilies, mostly because these plants are grown all over the world. In areas with high humidity, they need less water than in arid areas, it is as simple as that. Peace Lilies do like to have some moisture in the soil, they really struggle if the soil gets dry. Oftentimes people with good intentions for their Peace Lilies will overwater them from time to time, but I would advise you to only water them once the top inch of the soil is dry.
Even if you are careful not to overwater your Peace Lilies you still might overwater them if the pot is too small, or if the potting mix is not draining well. If the Peace Lilies are constantly being overwatered their leaves will wilt and the roots will sooner or later start to rot. If you want more information about Peace Lily root rot then check out my recent article Peace Lily Root Rot ( Causes & Treatment ).
Overwatered Peace Lily
Overwatering is a common issue that can affect the health of a peace lily. When a peace lily is overwatered, its leaves may start to droop and turn yellow. The soil may become waterlogged, causing root rot and suffocation of the plant’s roots. Overwatering can also lead to the development of fungal diseases and an overall decline in the plant’s vigor. To address an overwatered peace lily, it is important to allow the soil to dry out between waterings and ensure proper drainage in the pot. Remove any excess water from the saucer or tray to prevent the plant from sitting in standing water. Trimming off any yellow or rotting leaves can also promote new growth. Additionally, adjusting the watering schedule and using a well-draining potting mix can help prevent future overwatering issues.
Brown Leaf Tips
Peace Lilies with brown leaf tips are extremely common and it is usually a sign that the plants are being overwatered. The good news is that at that point the plant is in no serious danger. You might even find that if you water the plant less frequently the brown leaf tips do not go away, but the new leaves will not have them. The easy fix, in this case, is to water the Peace Lilies less frequently or lower the amount of water that you use for watering the plants.
There can be other reasons as well, why your Peace Lilies develop brown leaf tips, for more information check court my recent article Peace Lily Brown Leaf Tips ( Top 8 Causes ).
Drooping
Drooping in Peace Lilies can be caused by both too much and too little water as well. If the Peace Lilies are drooping due to overwatering, and you try to fix the problem by adding more water then it will not end well for the plant. To find out if your Peace Lilies are drooping due to being overwatered, stick your finger into the soil. If the top inch of the soil is moist or even wet and the Peace Lilies are drooping then the most likely cause for it is overwatering.
In this case, you have two options, wait until the top inch of the soil is dry and only water the plant then, or repot the plant into a fresh potting mix. If your Peace Lilies are drooping for a couple of weeks already due to overwatering then I highly recommend you to repot them, odds are that the potting mix has gone bad and it became waterlogged. For more information about Peace Lily drooping check out my recent article Peace Lily Drooping ( Top 12 Reasons & Treatments ).
Yellow Leaves
If the leaves of the Peace Lilies are slowly turning yellow then this is a tell-tale sign that they are being overwatered. Eventually, all the leaves will turn yellow and start to wilt. At this point, the plant can still be saved but you need to reduce the amount of water in the soil. In this case, my recommendation is to simply repot the plant, as it is too damaged to survive in the overwatered pot, and waiting for the pot to dry out could take a while.
Root Rot
Once the Peace Lilies are being overwatered for a long period of time they will sooner or later get root rot. Once they have root rot the plant will slowly wilt away, and once all the leaves are gone the plant will not be able to survive. To know if your Peace Lilies have root rot due to overwatering simply take out the plant from the pot. If the roots are brown and mushy then the plant has root rot, healthy roots are white.
To treat an overwatered Peace Lily with root rot you have to remove all the rotten roots, even if it means you have to chop off all of them. If the plant still has some healthy roots then you can repot it into a new potting mix. On the other hand, if you had to cut off all the roots as they were rotten, then simply place the plant into a vase, and make sure that there are no leaves underwater. In a couple of weeks, you will see new, and healthy roots growing from the stem, and at that point, you can repot the plant.
Poorly Draining Soil
If you overwater your Peace Lilies for a long enough time then the potting soil will start to clump up and all the minerals washed away by the excess water. Once the soil is draining extremely slowly even a small amount of water can lead to overwatering as it will not drain away. In this case, you have to change the potting mix as soon as possible, if you keep your Peace Lilies in the same poorly draining soil they will not be able to recover.
Peace Lilies In Small Pots Are Extremely Easy To Overwater
Under ideal conditions Peace Lilies will grow relatively fast, oftentimes it only takes them a couple of months to outgrow the pot in which you have brought them home. Eventually, the plant will become root-bound as well, which means that even small amounts of water can lead to overwatering symptoms. To see if your Peace Lilies have outgrown their pots, simply take them out and if you see the roots going in a circle then it is time to place them into a larger pot.
Your Peace Lily Watering Schedule Might Lead To Overwatering
Oftentimes the simplest answer to a problem is the correct one. Most people tend to have a watering schedule and water their plants no matter if the plants need the water or not. The problem with this approach is that it can easily lead to overwatering, especially for plants like Peace Lilies. Ideally, you should only water your Peace Lilies when they need water, so stick your finger into the pot and if the top inch is still moist then it doesn’t need water.
Only water your Peace Lilies if the top inch of the soil is dry. On the other hand, there are people who wait for a reaction from the plant to see if they need water, usually they only water when the plant is starting to wilt or droop. This approach can also lead to overwatering problems as the plant will not be able to absorb all the excess water.
Black Mold Growing In The Pot
One of the easiest signs to notice if your Peace Lilies are being overwatered is that black mold is growing on top of the soil. This type of mold only grows in humid environments, so you are either overwatering your Peace Lilies or the potting mix is waterlogged. In this case, you can simply water your Peace Lilies less frequently, the black mold will go away in a couple of weeks and the plant will grow a lot better.
Curled Leaves
Peace Lilies that are constantly overwatered will develop curled leaves, and at that point, the plant is starting to get seriously stressed out. Even if the plant looks healthy but several of its leaves are starting to curl then this is a clear sign of overwatering. The easy fix for this issue is to reduce the amount of water you use or simply water the Peace Lilies less frequently. The leaves will straighten out in a matter of weeks.
Key Takeaways
- Overwatered Peace Lilies will often droop, or even develop yellow and brown leaves, in the worst-case scenario they can also develop root rot. To save an overwatered Peace Lily you have to repot it into a new potting mix, make sure to cut off all the rotten roots as overwatering often leads to root rot. If the overwatered Peace Lily still has some healthy roots then you can repot it, if it doesn’t then place it in a vase and let it grow some roots before repotting it.
- The most common result of Peace Lilies being overwatered is root rot, which you have to treat as fast as possible.
- If you overwater your Peace Lilies from time to time, then don’t worry it happens to all of us, just water it less frequently until the plant bounces back.
