Houseplant tips: Expert warns this common mistake leaves peace lilies struggling to survive

One of the most popular houseplants can be easy to grow if you get its basic needs right.

But get them wrong and you’ll find your peace lily with discoloured leaves and little to no blooms.

A florist has revealed the reason why this might be happening, and it’s a mistake most houseplant owners make.

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David Denyer from Eflorist told the Daily Express the “number one mistake” we’re making with peace lilies is to do with their light needs.

“Too much direct sunlight will scorch the leaves, but too little and they won’t flower at all. A great location is near an east-facing window where it gets soft morning sun but is shielded from harsh afternoon rays.”

Nailing the perfect location for your peace lily will help them thrive, but there’s another environmental factor you need to consider.

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Humidity is important for this type of houseplant, particularly when it comes to their blooms, because they originate from the tropical areas of Central and South America.

“I always recommend misting them regularly or keeping them in naturally humid spaces like bathrooms or kitchens.”

Of course the other aspect of plant care that can make or break a houseplant is watering, and for peace lilies it’s no different.

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Too much water is just as bad as too little water, so checking the top inch of soil with your finger is the best way to know if watering is needed.

If the soil feels dry then it’s time to water but if the soil feels moist it’s OK to wait a while to give the plant a drink.

Drooping leaves on a houseplant are often a sign they need watering but you should still check the soil in case something else is going on to avoid overwatering.

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Taking action when you see the leaves droop is important because if you wait until they have gone limp it means the plant has been put under stress and this could impact future growth.

But if you’ve got light, humidity and water right and your peace lily is still struggling then it could be time to repot them, particularly if it’s been a year or two since they were last potted.

Repotting is a chance to refresh the potting mix as the nutrients will have all been absorbed from the old soil.

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Another reason repotting helps is because it gives the plant’s roots more space to grow so it can access water and nutrients from the soil, which is hard to do if the roots have no room to move.

You’ll also be giving the plant a fresh dose of fertiliser if using a good quality potting mix, something they would be missing if you haven’t been doing it regularly.

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The best pots to use are plastic nursery pots that you can slip into a nice cover as these have good drainage and allow for bottom watering.

Terracotta pots are another good choice as their porous nature means water can evaporate through the pot, which helps with drainage. However, when using these indoors make sure to use a glazed terracotta saucer or a plastic one to stop water leaking on your furniture.

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