Looking after a peace lily isn’t quite as simple as people led you to believe. While they are fantastic plants, they do require a bit of consideration when it comes to watering and general care. But don’t worry, in this article, you’re going to find out how often to water a peace lily, as well as how to know when it’s time to water again if you’ve been watering them too much, and more!
So keep reading to find out every you could possibly want to know!
How Often Should You Water A Peace Lily?
You should water your peace lily every 2 days to twice a week, depending on your location. The best way to tell if your peace lily needs watering is to place your finger into the top inch of soil. If the surface is dry, but underneath is moist, then you should water your peace lily again!
The most important thing when watering your peace lily is to make sure that the soil is slightly damp at all times. If it’s not damp enough, then the peace lily will become underwatered, but if it’s too damp, it will become overwatered.
What Factors Impact How Often You Should Water A Peace Lily?
When considering how often you should water a peace lily, here are a few things you should keep in mind!
Temperature
The most important thing to bear in mind is the temperature of the room your peace lily is kept in. The higher the temperature, the faster water is going to evaporate, so your peace lily will need watering more often.
On top of this, peace lilies tend to grow faster in warmer temperatures, so they’ll need more water to sustain their increased growth.
And, of course, in cold temperatures, the opposite is true. Water will stay in the soil longer, and the growth of your peace lily will slow down. So you won’t need to water them as often.
Ventilation
You should also consider the amount of ventilation in the room you’re keeping your peace lily. The more ventilation, the faster evaporation will take place, and the more you’ll need to water your peace lily.
So with higher ventilation, you’ll need more frequent waterings, and with lower ventilation, you’ll need less frequent waterings.
Humidity
You should also consider the humidity as well. The lower the humidity in your home, the more often you’re going to have to water your peace lily, as well as mist them as well.
Your peace lily is going to love moderate to high humidity (Around 60%), although this isn’t always possible. So make sure you’re watering them a bit more when this isn’t the case, and consider placing them near a humidifier or around other tropical plants, so they can create their own microclimate.
Lighting
Make sure that you water your peace lily based on how much lighting there is around them, too, especially if they’re in sunlight. Because the stronger the sunlight, the warmer your peace lily will be and the higher the transpiration and the evaporation.
However, even if you’re watering your peace lily a lot, try to keep them out of direct sunlight, especially during the hottest parts of the day. They’re used to tropical forest floors, where they never receive direct sunlight, so if they do, it can be extremely damaging.
The Pot
When a pot is bigger, it’s going to take longer to dry out because it has more soil in it. Likewise, the smaller the pot, the faster it will dry out. So being aware of this should give you a clearer guide on how often you should water your peace lily.
But it’s not just that. You should also be aware that the type of pot you use can also have an effect on how often you should water your peace lily. Some porous pots, such as clay, will allow water to seep out faster, whereas plastic/ceramic pots will take a lot longer.
Plant Size
And lastly, the size of your peace lily is going to be a determining factor in how often you should water them. A big peace lily in a small pot is going to need a lot more water than a small peace lily in a big pot.
But as a general rule of thumb, you should keep your peace lily in a pot that is slightly smaller than it needs to be. This way, your peace lily can get all the water it needs, as long as you make sure you’re watering it enough.
Can You Overwater/Underwater A Peace Lily? (& What To Do If You Have)
As you can probably guess by now, it’s entirely possible for you to both overwater AND underwater your peace lily, so you need to learn to get the balance just right. Unfortunately, the symptom of both underwatering and overwatering are fairly similar, so you will still need to test the soil to determine whether underwatering or overwatering is the cause.
Here are the most common symptoms of both.
Drooping Leaves
One of the most common and easy-to-spot symptoms is drooping leaves. If the leaves are drooping, you can pretty much guarantee your peace lily is either being underwatered or overwatered. And in more severe cases, your whole plant may end up drooping as well.
Brown Or Yellow Leaves
Another common symptom is brown or yellow leaves. In both cases, this is because your peace lily can’t take up enough nutrients. When there isn’t enough water, they physically can’t absorb it, and when there’s too much water, the nutrients will be dispersed too much throughout the soil.
The Soil Test
And, of course, the most definitive way to know whether your peace lily is being underwatered or overwatered is the state of the soil. If the soil is dry, your peace lily has been underwatered, but if the soil is boggy and damp, then your peace lily has been overwatered.
How To Water A Peace Lily
As you can see, watering a peace lily isn’t as simple as you may think. So here are a few things to remember when you’re watering yours.
Be Aware Of The Quantity Of Water You’re Using
The first thing to keep in mind is how much water you’re using and how you’re adding it to the pot.
The first thing to remember is that potting soil is a lot like a kitchen sponge. The first part of the water often won’t soak in, but instead, it will glide right through. So you should add a little bit of water, let it soak in, and then add more to maximize the amount of water your peace lily will absorb. Otherwise, you may not end up giving your peace lily enough water, even though you’re pouring a lot into the pot.
Another reason it’s important to add a good amount of water is to make sure you’re not allowing fertilizer salts to build up too much in the soil. If this happens, it can be damaging to your peace lily, and you may notice them getting brown tips and suffering from a nutrient burn.
Don’t Have A Set Schedule
You should also avoid having a set schedule for watering your peace lily as the conditions your peace lily are in will change all the time. In hot periods you’re going to have to water your peace lily more, and in cold periods you won’t have to water them as much, so not having a set schedule and knowing when to water based on the soil is the best idea.
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Think About The Water You’re Using
Lastly, you should also think about the type of water you’re using. Often the water in our taps contains a lot of chemicals such as chloride, fluoride, and minerals that are damaging to peace lilies. So you should think twice before using it. And if you are going to use it, you should let it sit for 24 hours so all the chemicals can dissipate.
You can also use rainwater and distilled water as a substitute for tap water as well if you want to give your peace lily the best water possible.
FAQ
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about watering a peace lily.
How Long Can Your Peace Lily Survive Without Being Watered?
Peace lilies can survive between 10-12 days without water in optimal conditions; however, depending on the temperature, humidity, and ventilation, this can be shorter.
How Long Should You Water A Peace Lily In The Summer?
During the summer, it’s recommended to water your peace lily every 2 days. But remember, this is entirely dependent on the climate you’re in. If it isn’t overly hot and quite humid, you may be able to water them every 3-4 days instead.
How Often Should You Water A Peace Lily In The Winter?
During the winter, you may only need to water your peace lily every 7-10 days. This is because water will take longer to evaporate, and your plant doesn’t grow as much during the winter months.
On the flip side, though, drastic temperature fluctuations can dry the plant out faster, which may mean you need to water your peace lily more often.
How To Tell If Your Peace Lily Needs Water?
The best way to tell if your peace lily needs water is to poke your finger into the soil and see if it’s moist or not. If it’s moist at your first knuckle, then you don’t need to water your peace lily yet, but if it’s dry, you should.
How To Avoid Overwatering Your Peace Lily?
As previously mentioned, the best way to avoid overwatering your peace lily is by poking your finger in to test the soil. If it’s damp or boggy at the first knuckle, then you’ve probably overwatered your peace lily, and you should stop watering them until the soil has started to go dry.
Fortunately, it’s better to overwater than underwater your peace lily, so if you have overwatered them, it’s not the end of the world.
Recap
Now all your questions have been answered; you can go on giving your peace lily the best care possible! Remember, the best way to know when to water your peace lily or not is to test the soil. If the soil is moist when you poke your finger, you shouldn’t water them; however, if it’s dry, then it’s a great sign that you should water them again.
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