Repotting Peace Lily Plants – When & How to Do It

Every once in a while, you may need to check if a peace lily houseplant requires repotting, especially if you start to see issues with the leaves or if the plant is not growing as well as it used to. Here are the most common indications on when a repotting might be necessary for peace lilies.

When the roots get too crowded

Overcrowding of roots can be problematic for peace lilies although they are slightly more tolerant of this compared to other houseplants. Excessive amount of root growth (relative to the container’s size) may result in issues like yellow peace lily leaves as the roots struggle to absorb enough water, nutrients, and oxygen.

When your plant starts to wilt

Whether it’s the development of yellow leaves, brown tips, or a wilting stem, this is usually a good sign that a peace lily might require repotting. In addition to overcrowded roots, plant problems can develop if the state of the soil is poor (whether that’s due to a lack of nutrients or due to the soil being too compacted).

Best method for repotting peace lilies

When you repot a peace lily, it’s important to minimize the effects of transplant shock. This refers to the amount of stress a plant has to endure after being repotted or transplanted. For peace lilies, it’s important to not disturb the roots as much as possible. Here are some tips to help you achieve this.

Find an appropriate-sized pot

First, you need to find a container or pot that the peace lily isn’t going to easily outgrow. An ideal container should be about one or two inches wider (in diameter) than the current container. Next, you need to fill the pot with well-draining potting mix. Leave enough depth so that top of the plant’s roots is about an inch below the container rim.

Cleaning the Roots

The next step is to carefully lift the peace lily from the existing container. This step will be a bit tricky if the soil is compacted. Once you have lifted the plant out, you need to gently tap the “root ball” so that the soil is released from the roots. You can try to rinse off the soil as well by pouring a gentle stream of water on the root ball.

Placing the plant in its new home

Once the root ball is cleaned, the final step is to move the peace lily to its new home. Fill up the space around the root ball with more potting mix and lightly water the soil to make it settle. Try to situate the plant at the same level it was in its previous pot.

Is it normal for peace lilies to droop after repotting?

It’s possible for peace lilies to droop not long after it gets repotted. This is usually a sign of transplant shock. You might have unintentionally damaged the roots during the repotting process. When you clear off the old soil, it’s fine to still have some remaining before the plant is shifted to its new container. This minimizes the damage you may accidentally cause on the roots.

How long it takes for the peace lily to recover after being repotted will depend on the circumstances. As a general rule of thumb, you could expect the plant to return its former glory after a week or two. Throughout this recovery period, it’s important to keep the new soil moist but not to the point it becomes too soggy.