OK, I did the repot, and after soaking the rootball in a weak physan solution, found that rottage had reduced the root mass so signficantly that I was able to repot in a MUCH smaller pot -- 4" across, pretty deep. I did a pretty perlite-heavy mixture (betwen 2:1 and 3:1 miracle gro mix:perlite, respectively). A little concerned I packed it tight, but at least the roots are getting a chance to dry out now. The plant seems to be stable -- still not healthy, but no fast death from root rot/soaked soil like before. I will post updates for those who wonder (1) whether I ruined the plant by dunking its roots in the weak fungicide for a bit and (2) whether (at least in this case) it has been possible to rescue a severly aging peace lilly via root trim and transplantation in faster-draining-soil. Thanks to all for the tips. Plant love, Dan

Hi! I have a peace lilly that is constantly flowering. It shoots 2 flowers at the same time & has done this about every 3 to 4 months continually. Even this winter! This is my first peace lilly plant, i've had it just over a year now, & i really don't know the proper way to care for it. I just give it water when the leaves start to droop, and a light shot of fertilizer once a month. The stamen i think its called is that thing in the middle of the flower, used for pollenating? I just leave mine alone till the stem and all has turned brown and dried up then i gently pull it out. Its not a pretty sight, but once its really started to fade the leaves start to hide it. I'm no expert by any means, but i figure i'll just leave it be and my plant seems to be happy with that. Tonia

As with any time there is moisture around, we can expect what insects thrive in it. Fungus gnats live on the decaying matter that is always present in soil. AS moisture levels increase, the composting of miniscule bits of matter is then why we see an increased number of those pests that live on it. Hence the advice always is to try to let the plant dry out a bit longer; don't water as per a schedule, but test the plant's moistness before watering. With watering, we encounter drainage....and if such drainage water is not got rid of promptly, such water is then drawn back up to increase the moisture level. Generally, the plant that we think needs water, can be allowed to another day, or two, or three before it actually needs watering. This is one method of reducing the number of gnats. Misting will also often reduce the numbers of pests that attack our houseplants. It can, for a time, do instead of watering. We might also take a look at how much light the plant needs and how the sunlight might be contributing to its needing water so much. The surface dries out, the roots though are well moisturized...and we water; thus increasing the amount of water sitting around the roots. Sometimes, we don't water to drainage, we assume the plant doesn't really need it, so we water in dribs and drabs...hoping some of it reaches the depths. Sometimes its not gnats, but pesky insects such as thrips or whiteflies which are barely visible to the naked eye. For these definite methods of control is employed. Anytime you see a pest or damage from what is believed to be a pest, its a good idea to isolate the plant from each other. Spider mites, for instance, spread like wildfire from one plant to its neighbor and if not caught early, can cause a lot of damage that maybe ends up killing the plant. If you can see them, then use a hand vac, if you cant see them but suspect they're in the soil; do a leaching, immerse the plant totally in water letting the water saturate the plant fully, letting the bubbles stop before assuming the plant is wholly inundated. Then as the bugs surface---they have to breathe---we scoop them out and treat the watering as a normal water period and let the plant fully drain. The leaching method though is recommended to be done only once or twice a year, fully saturating the soil is not recommended to do as a way to control bugs.

It's a Spathiphyllum and not a true lily. This is a plant you have to work very hard to kill. It looks to be in a pretty small pot now; transplanting it now into a bigger one with good drainage wouldn't hurt it nor would waiting a few months - and an all-purpose potting soil is fine. They tend to set more blooms when not pot bound. I water mine when the leaves droop; and watering from the top or bottom doesn't seem to matter. If needed, snip off any yellowed leaves just to keep it tidy. Avoid over watering in any case, and keep out of direct sunlight. Ordinary room light should be sufficient... which is why they're such popular plants for offices, enclosed malls, etc.