peace Lilly leaves turning black
can anyone help me figure out why my peace Lilly is not doing well. it has been very slow to get new leaves and then when it does, they turn black and wilt. I don't over water, it anything, I might underwater it sometimes. I also lightly fertilize it with Jobes sticks every 3 months or so. Thanks in advance.
Comments (7)
Elisa Hommel
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Peace Lilly
Comments (1)Pls. re-post this at area marked "Discussions" as this area being Conversations is generally used for Off Topic conversations. If you don't re-post it, it's unlikely to get answered, as this particular area's use has slowed down quite a bit....See MorePeace Lily -Black Leaves
Comments (26)Sylvan and company: Thank you! I will try the downsizing and careful watering. I got my Peace Lily as a wedding present 21 years ago--I really, really don't want this baby to die. It is at work now as my kittens bit the poor thing to shreds. So, seeing as it had some black leaves (as well as fang marks) I researched about black leaves and changed the soil and, oops, enlarged the pot. Now it is putting out lovely little green leaves--which are turning black and brittle. Another peace lily at work got frozen during a power outage last year. Its leaves turned black and many fell off/were pruned, but it looks great now. We are kind people, who hate to see something killed--that's why we struggle with these plants. A 6-foot tall dracaena at work was locked in an unused office for a month or so and nearly died, but I've been watering it and it is sprouting new growth. I feel great! :-)...See MorePeace Lilly
Comments (4)Letting the plant wilt over and over can kill off roots and lead to rot. Let the top inch or two start to feel almost dry, or near dry, then water well. Only re-pot when it really needs it, when the roots are more than the soil, or when the roots are wrapped around and around throughout the rootball in circle's . Reg soil is fine, just make sure it's fast draining. You can add Perlite to the soil which will help. You can use a plastic or clay pot, as long as it's watering needs are taken of. I use a large clay pot. Other's prefer plastic. Even with clay, I only water once a week because it's large. With a plastic pot, you'll water less. Billy Rae...See Morepeace lily with black leaves?
Comments (4)If the leaves turned black that fast, it is definitely cold damage. It may or may not come back, but water sparingly if it doesn't have many leaves, since it won't be using much water until the leaves grow back. Leaves will get brownish black over time, especially on the tips and edges, from overwatering. You can kill one within a couple of years by overwatering consistently - you get root rot, the whole plant wilts, you think it's thirsty and water it more and it just gets worse and dies. Trust me, I've killed my share of them this way. I don't recommend growing them in water for extended periods of time - after a while, they languish and look pretty sad. I agree about no direct sun....See MoreElisa Hommel
2 years ago
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoFWIW - no plant likes or prefers to be rootbound, but some growers might choose to stress the plant by allowing it to become slightly root-bound as the stress of tight roots can cause a bit of an increase in bloom profusion. However, that shouldn't be interpreted as a signal the plant likes or prefers the stress; in fact, the opposite is true.
The trouble is the Jobe's Sticks. They're notorious for allowing an uncontrolled amount of salts into the grow medium. I would 1) be rid of them completely (throw on ground around trees/shrubs) 2) Flush the soil thoroughly by slowly pouring a volume of room temp water = to at least 10x the pot's volume through the soil. This will flush the current accumulation of salts from the soil. After flushing, tip the pot at a 45* angle to drain excess water. Compare image B below to A to see what a difference it makes
3) get in the habit of watering on an 'as needed' basis, and fertilize regularly with a quality soluble synthetic fertilizer. It's unlikely you'd find a better fertilizer product than Foliage-Pro 9-3-6 for your plant.Al
Elisa Hommel
2 years ago
hellkitchenguy Manuel
2 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
2 years ago
Jesy Cash