Question
I received a peace lily for my aunt's funeral in Feb. Since then I have repotted the plant because it seemed potbound. Since then it has been going down hill. I have a well and use that water for watering. I have another peace lily from a previous funeral and it is doing well. I don't understand what I am doing wrong. It is rotting at the base where it meets the soil. I have trimmed off the old rotten pieces and still it continues to do poorly. I have it next to a window with light but not direct light. I water the plant when it seems to need it. Right now the soil is dry to touch about 2 inches down. I have one sprig that seems weak at the surface. Please help. I don't want to lose this plant. I was wondering too if I let all that die down, will the plant resprout? Should I fertilize? Repot again?

Answer
Kristy,

Peace lillies do not like to be repotted. They like being rootbound. When you do repot it should only be in the spring when the roots are actively growing. The crowns should be at the same soil level as it was previously or that can cause rotting. You should only move them to a pot with a diameter 2 inches larger than the old pot.

It is probably rotting from too much water. When it is moved to a larger pot a peace lilly has a hard time using up the water before it is watered again and this plant has to have a few days of dryness before being waterd again or the roots rot. Allow the plant to get very dry and very light weight before you water it again then only give it a cup or so of water.  Allow it to dry out more and there is a chance that the plant will come back. If not get a new peace lilly in memory of your aunt. I'm sure she would not want you to give up. Good luck.

Darlene