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proletariatcsp

Peace Lily, Growing well, and dying?

proletariatcsp
16 years ago

I have had my Lily for around a year now. In the beginning it lived on the porch(outside-away from the cats) 85-100F 80%+Hum. Before long, the leave were becoming tathered from the wind, not to mention it needed water every other day. It grew well, producing many new leaves and flowers, sometimes 6 or 7 at a time. Though it never got any bigger.

I brought it indoors to try and encourage new leaves to replace the old torn ones. I placed it close to a north facing window. It lost its flowers and needed water only once a week. That was fine by me because I can't use the tap water. For about 3 months it seemed to like its location. Than suddenly it began to brown and wilt, and would not reclaim its posture when watered. At first I though it was a lack of humidity (with the A/C its around 80-85F 70%Hum).

I tried bringing it back outdoors, but it immediately rejected. So the garage was the last alternative. Now living for the last 4-5 months in the garage it seemed to adapt very well. Watering remained once a week though, it grows leaves like crazy. With the added humidity, it produced fewer brown tips(for awhile). I think it gets enough light as the leaves tend to stand strait up rather than hang, though I can not tell.

For about a month or so, I have had mushrooms growing rapidly around the base. They are white with dark brown caps(very small). Since the mushrooms have appeared, the soil smells moldy and the leaves have began turning black on the edges. Even the newest leaves are getting black tips, and the black continues to spread inward until the leaf is gone. The weird thing is that the stem remins healthy, and connecting leaves do not die along with it. I have pulled a few stems with fleshy rot in the middle, though the roots seem very healthy.

I am thinking there isn't enough air in the soil, or perhaps not drying fast enough(considering the mushrooms). So I took an insulation wire(coat hanger) and bent a zig-zag pattern into it. I carefully inserted into the pot away from the stems and began to losen the soil. The top was very clumped and compressed, which I assume is from watering. Overall, the soil was consistant through to the bottom so I do not suspect water retention there.

I believe I have a fungus problem that is isolated to the surface, and given the abundance of mushroom spores(free w/ purchase of MG potting mix) has caused my problems?

Please advise on how to treat the fungus, and help save a Lily! Thank you all for your time and good luck with all your growing adventures. Sincerely, Chris in FL.

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