Peace Lily Is Becoming A Brown Betty

Ask the Expert: I have a peace lily that was given to us for my mother-in-law when she passed. The leaves are turning brown and have a hole is coming in on some of the leaves. I am trying not to over water so what could be my problem? It is in my living room away from windows, I never been to good at caring for indoor plants. Needless to say I don’t have a green thumb. I would appreciate any input on what I may or may not be doing. Linda

Linda,

I assume you peace lily came from a florist shop and arrived in beautiful foil with a bow. The foil and bow are used as a way to decorated the plant. However, for the long term health of the plant the foil should be removed so that the plant can drain properly. With proper drainage the peace lily soil should be kept moist to the touch. You want the soil to have complete saturation, so when you water make sure you use enough water that a little drains out of the bottom. Sometimes it is necessary to water the lily from the bottom up. If the soil has pulled away from the pot, it has become too dry at some point. The best way to water in this case is to place the peace lily pot in sink or tub with water. The water level should be 2 to 3 inches deep. Place the peace lily in the water until the top soil is moist and then remove. After you have done this you can go back to a regular top watering schedule.

If the holes in the leaves look like burn spots, correct watering will keep that from occurring. However if the holes have a chewed appearance, you could have an insect problem. Examine the leaves for insects. If you have an insect problem use a houseplant insecticide.

You can stop the problem of brown leaves and holes, but the damage that appears on the leaves won’t go away. Trim off any damaged leaves. Reading our Caring for Peace Lilies page will help you take care of your peace lily and give you the green thumb you deserve.