Find Your Ask The Expert: my peace lilly is droopy and most alarming to me is that the leaves is browning. I felt so bad for it that I brought my other plants to keep it company (dont laugh at me, plants are alive). it sits outside on my porch. please help me care for it.
thank you
godfrey
Is Loneliness Causing Brown Leaves On Peace Lily?
August 12, 2008 by
Godfrey,
I firmly believe that plants are alive and if you talk to them just right they will do better. However, in the case of browning leaves other environmental conditions are causing the problem. Usually water and temperature are environmental issues that can cause problems for peace lilies. You mentioned that the peace lily is out on your porch. Has it been on the porch long? Sometimes if we more a peace lily for one environment like a house with air conditioning to an outdoor environment that is excessively warm peace lilies will droop. Also when moving from one environment to another water issues may occur. Peace lilies like moist but not soggy soil. When temperature are excessively warm or cold plant will use less water and your water will need to be adjusted. Warmer air can also cause a plant to need more water. It is a fine balancing act between too much and not enough.
The first thing I would do is check your soil moist and your drainage. If the soil is excessively moist but the pot can not drain away this excess, root rot may be occurring. If this is the problem repot you peace lily. If you soil is very dry, water it until your see water draining from the pot, then wait a few days and check your soil moisture.
I would check for new growth as well. Watch the new growth if it is healthy then the plant is on the road to recovery.
You might want to read Caring for Peace Lilies, it has a lot of helpful information in it.
If the excessive heat is the problem you can move it into the house or into more shade.
thank you so much for the advice. I will write you again in a week to see how she is doing. Also I will send you a pic later
godfrey
i dont know if you received my last comment, but I want to reiterate that i put her on the porch because it started to perk up under the lamp; so I leave it on at night. i live in nj and it is hot and is now turning cool since it is august but there is full sun. you are right to say that there is a balancing act especially when watering, she seems happier when I water her moderately ever day…I just wish she wasnt browning. I would like to make it stop.
godfrey
Godfrey,
Sounds like it was a water issue and not a placement issue. Water damage can take up to two weeks to show. Sometimes we have already corrected the problem by that time. You can cut the brown leaves off; this might stimulate the plant to grow new leaves. Please keep me posted.