Ask The Plant Expert:

Hi, I recently read a response of yours to a comment on a blog regarding the sticky white substance, and I have the same problem with mine. I’d been away over xmas and with no one around to water the plant. All the leaves have wilted over the edge of the pot and there’s this residue. I’m currently watering it regularly to try and save it, but I don’t know what to do about this white stuff. I’ve attached a photo for you to see. -Mathew

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:

What you have is plasmodial slime mold. It isn't harmful to you or your plant. You can just let it be unless it starts to take over then you can get a fungicide from your local garden center.

To keep this mold from occurring, be sure to keep a good watering and care-taking routine for your plant. Check out this article on How To Care For A Peace Lily Plant for more information on Peace Lily Care.

Continue reading "Help! What Is This Slime On My Peace Lily?" »

Ask The Plant Expert:

I've just got back from holiday and my peace lily's leaves are turning black at the edges. I watered it before I went 2 weeks ago, but the curtains have remained closed. Could the lack of sunlight be causing this, or the water? – Matthew

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:

Mathew,

I am going to assume that water is the issue here, or possible cold temperatures. If the soil became dry while you were gone, the leaves would turn brown first, and then turn black. The peace lily would also appear to be wilting.  If you turned your heat way down while you were out of town, the leaves would turn black.

Both of these situation can be overcome. Begin by hydrating your soil. Make sure that all soil particles are rehydrated. However, you want to make sure that excess moisture can drain away from the peace lily plant.  Then make sure the room with the peace lily is kept between 55-68 degrees at night, and 68-90 degrees during the day.

I would remove all leaves that have turned black, and then wait for the plant to produce new growth. The new growth should be healthy and green.

If you want more information about peace lilies go to What Causes Black Leaves On A Peace Lily  and/or Peace Lily Plant Care & Info.

I hope this information was helpful. Please let me know if you need help with anything else.

Ask The Plant Expert:

I received this plant from my son's funeral. We have several, and they are not doing too good. There are bugs, (fruit flies?) and they are just not growing.  I need to find out what it is and how to care for it. – Theo

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:

Theo,
It looks like your plant is a peace lily. I think this article will have all the information you need: How to care for your peace lily.

• As for the insects, we need to identify what they are; a picture would help.
• If you could capture a few, take them to your local garden center, and they will be able to identify them.
• They would also have the right insecticide to take care of the insects.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if I can help with anything else.

Continue reading "What Is This Young Plant & How Do I Take Care Of It?" »

Ask The Plant Expert:

I have read what was said about not enough water for my peace plant. However it is very large, 12"+ pot. When I water it water goes immediately to the bottom of the self watering tray and leaks out, but when I put my finger 1 knuckle down it feels dry. It is potted in potting soil. I have it in front of a west window. All the leaves are turning brown, green/brown, then yellow, but there is new growth in it as well. Do I cut off the brown leaves, or just cut off the browned area? – Joanne

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:

Joanne,
I would remove the brown leaves. Also, it sounds like your soil has at some point dried out completely, and has pulled away from the pot.

Fast & Complete Soil Re-hydration Method

In a case like this, you will need to let the soil hydrate completely from the bottom up, as well as from the top down. In the greenhouse, we submerse the pot in a five gallon bucket filled with water to let the plant absorb from the top and the bottom. This way the soil will be completely hydrate and will make it easier to water the soil in the future.

Hope this information is helpful.

 

Ask the Expert: How to Prune?

I have a large peace lily. Where the white flowers have bloomed, they have died and turned brown, but are still attached to a new, fresh, green, stem. I assume this is for the new flowers to bloom.

Can the brown, dead blooms be cut off to the green stem? Or should they stay on until they fall off?

It really takes away from the beauty of the plant itself to leave these on.

Please advise. Thank you. Janie

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:
Each bloom has it's own stem, therefore the green stem will not produce a new bloom. So you will need to remove both the bloom and the green stem which will eventually turn brown. To remove the spent bloom, you will follow the bloom stem down to the base of the plant and cut the stem off as close to the base of the plant as possible. This will help make the plant more attractive and stimulate the plant to produce more blooms.

While we are talking about pruning peace lilies, we need to discuss pruning unsightly leaves off. You will follow the same procedure as de-head the blooms. Follow the leave stem to the base of the plant and cut it off. You can also prune the leaves themselves should they get brown tips. To do this make an angled cut below the brown tip. This angled cut should keep the new tip from turning brown.

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Ask the Expert: Peace lily sensitive to chlorine
Just learned that when watering peace lily, should let water sit out 24 hours to evaporate the chlorine. Wondering if this is what has been ailing my plant. What are the symptoms of chlorinated water being used?

Thanks for your expertise!! Donna

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:Houseplants and chlorine don't mix well, but many plants will not show any signs of damage when watered with tap water containing chlorine. Sometimes peace lilies (spathiphyllum) don't show any signs of damage when exposed to chlorine. When they do, I have found the overall health of the plant seems to decline and the leaves will look brown and burnt.

At home, I water mine with tap and have no problems. In the greenhouse, we have noticed the leaves tend to brown and the new leaves of the peace lilies lack vitality when we water with the public water instead of our well water.

With that said, the more important question to ask is "when did the plant start to decline?" If it was recently and you have always watered it with tap water, you need to rule out all other potential causes. If it was after watering with tap water that recently had a stronger chlorine aroma, then chlorine is the problem.

My recommendation is to fill your watering can and let it sit over night. This way you can determine if chlorine is a problem. If it is a chlorine issue, it should be resolved in a few weeks of watering with the exposed water.

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Ask the Expert: Re: Peace Lilly
My Peace Lilly's blossoms are/stay green and never turn white. Wazzzzupppp? Glenn

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:It depends on a few things. First we need to know what constitutes a bloom on a Spathiphyllum (peace lily). What most people call the the bloom is actually called a spathe. This structure is similar in shape to a leaf and surrounds the spadix which support the actual flowers of the plant. The Spathes can range in color from a pure white to a pale whitish green depending on the hybrid.

So to determine what is happening with your plant, I need to know a couple of things. Are the Spathes a pale green or a dark green? Do the spathe's have any white on them? What color is the spadix?

Factors you can work with to achieve better blooms: humidity, water light and fertilizer. Giving the plant the humidity and proper water will help make the formation of leaves, spathes and flowers stronger. The right fertilizer and light will help with strength the color and structure of the plant. So, follow the care instructions for Peace Lilies. Hopefully this will change future spathes from green to white

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Ask the Expert: How do I save my peace lily?

My peace lily's leaves are soft and limp. Someone told m I overwatered it. I let it dry out, it did not improve. Can this plant be saved or is it too late? Debbie

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:
The plant can be saved.
Check the roots. Make sure they have not rotted and that the container has drain holes that will allows excess water to drain away from the roots.

The soil looks a little dry right now. Moisten the soil and keep it evenly moist but not soggy. You want the soil to hold water, but you should not be able to squeeze water from it. Also create a humid environment around the plant by misting the air around it with lukewarm water every day or every other day. Remove any of the yellow or brown leaves.

Make sure the plant is receiving light. However, the light source should not be beaming directly on to the plant.

Once you get the plant settle with the right conditions it should make a full recovery.

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Ask The Expert: I have two peace lillies. I had the two of them sitting in my kitchen sink to spray the leaves today. I noticed lots of insects that look like baby caterpilars…brown or black in color. What can I do about them, and could that be why the plant doesn't seem to be growing? Lisa

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:
You can do one of two things: pick off the caterpillars or spray them with an insecticide. I use the Fertilome Red Spider and Mite spray. It Kills Red Spiders Mites, Two Spotted Spider Mites, Whiteflies, Mealybugs, Aphids, Thrips and Scale Crawlers on house plants and is safe to use on peace lilies and a multitude of other houseplants. It comes in a ready to use (rtu) form, so all you have to do is spray it on the plant. You can pick this product up at any local garden center. If they don't have the Fertilome brand ask the nursery professional what they use.

As for the stunted growth of your Peace lily (Spathiphyllum clevelandii), you may need to fertilize the plants. You can use a water soluble fertilizer once a month. It is best to use a balanced fertilizer – one in which the N, P, and K all have the same ratio like 10-10-10 or 20-20-20. If you can't find a balanced fertilizer try one in which the number are as close as possible like 9-8-5.

Make sure you are keeping your peace lily evenly moist and that it has good drainage. Keeping your moisture level correct is a big part of keeping a peace lily healthy.

Here are a few Peace Lily Requirements

Peace Lily Care: Light Requirements

Continue reading "Help! My Peace Lily Has Caterpillars" »

Ask the Expert: Tips of the Peace Lily plant

What do you do when the tips and the sides of the leaves of the Peace Lily plant start turning brown. I have a huge plant in the office and so far it is doing extremely well but the tips of the leaves are turning brown right at the very point.

Thank you for any help you can send my way. Shell

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:
You can trim the brown tips and sides off the leaves. What is more important is to figure out why the leaves are turning brown in the first place. What and sunlight are the major causes of browning in Spathiphyllum (peace lily) leaves. Make sure the plant is staying evenly moist and that sunlight is not beating directly down on the leaves. I would alos check for any signs of insects. Once you correct the problem the leaves should stop turning brown.