Question
We have three Peace Lilies in our facility. I water them well about once a week. Two of them are very large floor plants, they take up about a 3 foot circumference.  Some of the leaves get bumped into a lot and have split and damaged areas.  Can you cut back these leaves? Where is the proper place to cut (close to the main stock or out a way from it?)Do you cut straight across or diagonal? Will it futher traumatize the plant by cutting several leaves at once? Is there a way to tie the leaves to grow taller instead of away from the center?
Thanks

Also, in our pool area we have a type of spindly
pine type (tree)plant. They are about 8' tall with some branches starting about 3'. The branches will die and fall off and they continue to grow, but I am not sure they should be in a pool area??

Thanks
Debra  

Answer
Debra,

Yes, you can prune off the damaged leaves close to the main stalk. Cut on the diagonal. It may set the plant back a bit if you are cutting a lot of leaves back at the same time. Give it a dose of fertilizer and that will promote new growth faster. You might try to make a little picket fence up and put it around the adge of the pot to hold the leaves up so they don't flop in the way of passers by. That would prevent some damage.

I suspect your pine is a Norfolk Island Pine. Check out this web site:
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/norfolk.html
They come from an island in the south pacific so actually a pool area is quite appropriate.

If you have more questions write again.
Good luck.
Darlene