Peace Lilies Potting Soil Mix Recipe
Peace lilies comprise several flowering species within the Spathiphyllum genus. Although they are not related to true lilies, their flowers are just as pretty, with their snow-white flowers extending above their long, narrow leaves. Peace lilies grow and flower well in low light conditions: you might have seen them used in the indoor landscaping of shopping malls and airports. They are easy to grow as a houseplant or in low light outdoors during warm weather, but they do need the right potting soil in order to thrive.
Making a Potting Mix for Peace Lilies
Grow your peace lily in a standard potting soil mix if you want, but making additions to the mix can help your plant to flower more abundantly by making the plant healthier and more robust than those grown without special amendments.
Mix equal amounts of peat moss, sand, bark and loam into your potting soil.
Spread a one-inch layer of small rocks in the bottom of your peace lily’s pot to give it the good drainage this plant needs.
- Peace lilies comprise several flowering species within the Spathiphyllum genus.
- Grow your peace lily in a standard potting soil mix if you want, but making additions to the mix can help your plant to flower more abundantly by making the plant healthier and more robust than those grown without special amendments.
Fill the pot about half full with your peat moss, sand, bark and loam mixture. Then set your peace lily into the pot and continue filling in with the same soil mixture.
Water your peace lily thoroughly. Allow the potting soil to dry slightly before you water it again, but don’t allow your soil to get too dry.
Soil For Peace Lilies
Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum) can grow outside in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and above, but they typically grow as houseplants. As long as the soil holds moisture while draining well enough to support your plant, nearly any soil designed for houseplants will work for peace lilies. To make your own potting soil, the University of North Dakota Extension Service recommends mixing one part loam with one part peat moss and one part sand. " As tropical plants, peace lilies get much of their nutrients from the soil, often from the decaying matter of other plants. Fertilizing your peace lily regularly, about every other month, ensures the soil offers enough nutrients to keep the plant well fed. Use a water-soluble balanced houseplant fertilizer, such as a 20-20-20, so it soaks into the soil and feeds all areas of the peace lily's roots. Fresh soil is best to provide the highest amount of nutrients. This also gives you a chance to see if you need to move the plant to a larger pot to keep it from becoming root bound.
- Fill the pot about half full with your peat moss, sand, bark and loam mixture.
- Use a water-soluble balanced houseplant fertilizer, such as a 20-20-20, so it soaks into the soil and feeds all areas of the peace lily's roots.
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Writer Bio
Barbara Fahs lives on Hawaii island, where she has created Hi'iaka's Healing Herb Garden. Fahs wrote "Super Simple Guide to Creating Hawaiian Gardens" and has been a professional writer since 1984. She contributes to "Big Island Weekly," "Ke Ola" magazine and various websites. She earned her Bachelor of Arts at University of California, Santa Barbara and her Master of Arts from San Jose State University.
