Peace Lilies will give out visible signs when they need to be repotted, ignoring these obvious signs can stunt the growth of the plants and seriously stress them out. As a general rule, Peace Lilies should be repotted once every 2-4 years mostly to freshen up the potting mix, loosen up the rootball and divide the plants.
The ideal time to repot a peace lily is in the spring, once it has finished flowering. This allows the plant to recover from the blooming period and prepare for new growth. However, if your peace lily is experiencing issues or showing signs of distress, it’s important to repot it regardless of the time of year.
After you have repotted your Peace Lily make sure to fertilize it, my personal recommendation is to use a 3-3-2 NPK fertilizer after the first month Click here to check it out on Amazon.com
The ideal time to repot Peace Lilies is in early summer after they have finished flowering. Avoid repotting them if they are still flowering, as the plants will have a tough time adjusting to the new conditions if they have flowers. Peace Lilies are not that bothered if they are root bound, which is one of the main reasons most plants get repotted, however, if their roots are growing in circles and getting entangled on each other, then this does actually bother the Peace Lilies.
Repotting Peace Lilies is fairly easy, as long as you have done everything right, the next repotting will be a couple of years away. If you want to grow your Peace Lilies outside, then check out my recent article How Do You Take Care Of A Peace Lily Outside? ( In 7 Easy Steps ).
When To Repot Peace Lily
Knowing when to repot a peace lily (Spathiphyllum) is important for its overall health and growth. Repotting is typically done when the plant has outgrown its current pot or when the soil has become compacted and waterlogged. Signs that indicate the need for repotting include roots emerging from the drainage holes, slowed growth, or the plant toppling over. The ideal time to repot a peace lily is in spring or early summer when it is entering its active growth phase.
Choose a slightly larger pot with good drainage and use a well-draining potting mix. Carefully remove the plant from its current pot, loosen the root ball, and place it in the new pot. Fill in with fresh potting mix, ensuring that the plant is at the same depth as before. Water the plant thoroughly after repotting and continue regular care to help the peace lily adjust to its new container.
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Peace Lilies Outgrowing The Pot
Once the Peace Lilies have outgrown the pot they need to be repotted into a larger pot, with fresh potting mix. If you notice that the roots of the Peace Lilies are growing through the drainage holes, or are coming to the surface then it is time to repot them as they have outgrown the pot. Although Peace Lilies do like to be somewhat root bound, but if the roots get so entangled that they can not provide enough nutrients and water to the plant, they will simply wilt away. If you want to put your Peace Lily outside in the rain, make sure to check my recent article first Can I Put My Peace Lily Outside In The Rain? ( Top 4 Benefits Of Rain ).
Peace Lilies With Root Rot Have To Be Repotted ASAP
One of the main reasons why most Peace Lilies tend to die is due to root rot, although these are tropical plants and are used to moist environments, but they can easily rot if their roots are sitting in water constantly. The easiest way to find out if your Peace Lilies have root rot is to simply take the plant out of the pot and inspect the roots. If the roots at the bottom are soft, mushy, and brown they are rotten.
Healthy roots on the other hand are white or pale brown, and they do not desintegrate to the touch. If your Peace Lily has root rot, then repot it as fast as possible, make sure to use fresh potting mix, and most importantly remove the rotten roots. In certain areas, Peace Lilies can actually live outside, for more information check out my recent article Can A Peace Lily Live Outside? ( In 10 Easy Steps ).
The Roots Of The Peace Lilies Are Growing Through The Drainage Holes
One of the most obvious signs that your Peace Lily needs to be repotted is that its roots are growing through the drainage holes. If one or two roots are growing through the drainage hole then this isn’t a sign for repotting, but if more and more roots are growing this way then you will have to repot the Peace Lily. The main reason why the roots of the Peace Lily are growing through the drainage holes is because as the plant gets bigger, so do its roots, which stretch out in search of water and more nutrients.
This can be also a sign that the Peace Lily has simply outgrown the pot. The bad news is that some of these exposed roots can either dry out or start to rot if there is excess water in the plant saucer.
The Roots Of The Peace Lilies Are Sticking Out On Top Of The Soil
If the roots of your Peace Lilies are sticking out on top of the soil then they need to be repotted as soon as possible. There are two main reasons why some of the roots will grow on top of the soil, either the Peace Lilies are so root bound that the roots can’t grow down, or improper watering. If you don’t water your Peace Lilies enough then the roots will grow on top of the soil if they can not find water or moisture at the bottom of the pot.
Peace Lilies Need To Be Repotted If The Soil Has Compacted
Peace Lilies can not grow in compacted soil, most of the water will simply run off as the soil will not be able to absorb it. Thus the roots of the Peace Lilies will simply dry out and the plants will wilt away. Soil can easily compact in a pot if it the plant isn’t watered correctly or if the potting mix is fairly old. One of the clear signs that the potting mix has compacted is that it will shrink, usually the potting mix won’t even touch the edge of the pot.
Once the potting mix is compacted, no amount of watering will solve the issue, as most of the water will simply run off.
The Roots Of The Peace Lilies Grow In Circle
If the roots of the Peace Lilies can not stretch out they will simply hug the wall off the pot and grow in circles. To see if the roots of your Peace Lilies are growing in a circle simply lift them out of the pot. Just keep in mind that even if some of the roots are growing outside the drainage holes, the vast majority of them might be growing in a circle at the bottom of the pot. When you are repotting Peace Lilies, that have roots growing in circles it is very important to loosen up the root ball and trim off the excess roots.
If you repot the Peace Lilies without loosening up the root ball, the roots will continue growing in circles which is not ideal, to say the least.
The Potting Mix Is Too Old For The Peace Lilies
Even if there are no signs that the Peace Lilies have outgrown their pots, you should still change the potting mix once every 2-4 years. Peace Lilies that are in smaller pots should be repotted every 2 years, and the ones that are growing in larger pots should be repotted once every 3-4 years. Potting mixes have a limited amount of nutrients, and once the nutrients have been absorbed by the plant, the Peace Lilies will start to struggle.
If you have fertilized your Peace Lilies in the past, then minerals and salts could accumulate after a couple of years which will make absorbing nutrients and water for the Peace Lilies extremely difficult. This is why I highly recommend using foliar fertilizers for Peace Lilies, it is less likely that the actual potting mix will accumulate excess salts and minerals.
Key Takeaways
- You should repot your Peace Lily if it has root rot or it has simply outgrown the pot. If you see the roots of the Peace Lily growing out through the drainage hole or at the surface of the soil then these are also a good indication that the plant needs to be repotted. In addition to this, if the roots are growing in a circle or if the potting mix is so old that it has compacted, then you should also repot the Peace Lily.
- Peace Lilies like to be root bound, but if their roots get entangled and constricted then the plants will slowly wilt away.
- When you repot your Peace Lilies make sure to loosen up the root ball, and cut off all the excess roots.