Share
Hi everyone,
i have been growing this peace lilly for a while but it has been dropping and not flowering. i have attached a photo of it can someone troubleshoot.
i have also growin this philodendron in a vase for 4 months and the roots are now very long and needs to be potted.
should i pot it with a moss pole, does the size of the pot matter, does it need good drainage? how often should i water? do i loosen tge roots and untangle before potting or move as it is?
thank you
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @justine1994. It's splendid to have you join us, and many thanks for the questions about your house plants.
If you can provide our helpful members with some information surrounding your care habits of the Peace lily, they might be able to pick up on something that is going wrong.
Here are some tips for growing a healthy plant:
- Use a well-draining, all-purpose potting soil.
- Keep the soil moist, but do not overwater. Growing the plant solely in water would be better than growing it in constantly waterlogged soil. Remove the inner black container and place it in a sink. Water the plant until you see the water running out of the drainage holes. Leave it to stand for 30mins. Then, place it back in the outer pot. Don't water it in its current location as water will sit at the bottom of the white pot keeping the soil too wet.
- Peace lilies can be sensitive to chemicals found in tap water. You can use rainwater or leave your tap water outside in the sun for a few hours before watering.
- They love high humidity. Keep a misting spray bottle handy and give it a spritz down once or twice a day, especially if you are running an air-con.
- Don't apply fertiliser regularly; they are not heavy feeders.
- Bright in-direct or morning sun is best. Keep them out of the midday sun if that window sees any.
Creating a moss pole for your philodendron is completely up to you. As you can see, it's growing particularly well in the pot. Moss poles are generally an aesthetical choice and are unnecessary for the survival of the plant. Given how well it is growing in its current location, I'd be tempted to advise giving the roots a slight trim (if it's becoming root bound) and returning it to the pot where it is happy. However, if you like the moss pole look, go for it! I'm sure it will look amazing.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
Hi @justine1994,
I've spent many, many hours untangling roots whilst I practised Bonsai. If you think your roots are bad, consider a tree kept in a pot that is tiny for many years. The roots almost become fused together. Take your time, be gentle and use a chopstick. Start from the outside and untangle inwards. Use the chopstick to work between the roots and gently pull them apart one by one. You don't need to untangle everything, just a good portion of it. As long as you don't get frustrated, it's actually very therapeutic, and it was one aspect of Bonsai that I truly enjoyed. I'm now getting nostalgic and would love to sit down and work on a potbound plant for a few hours.
Could you please let me know the fertiliser you purchased? I can't really advise on its application until then. However, a general rule of thumb would be to strictly follow the instructions on the packet. They are normally designed to be well within the tolerances for most plants. If it was something like Scotts Osmocote 500g Controlled Release Fertiliser for Indoor Plants, they are designed to sit on the soil's surface and penetrate into it when they dissolve with water. No need to mix it in.
Mitchell
You might also like
