Can You Divide Peace Lily Plants - When Should You Split

Even small plants can typically be divided without harming your peace lily. When it comes time to repot, it is the ideal time to divide or separate peace lily plants.

This article will cover all the information you require about dividing your peace lily plant, including when to do so and the correct way to do so. The benefits and drawbacks of splitting your peace lily will also be discussed.

When Should You Split a Peace Lily?

If a peace lily's soil dries out quickly after watering, multiple foliage crowns appear in the pot, roots are visibly growing out of the bottom of the pot, or flowers are missing, it's time to split it.

A peace lily needs to be split when it becomes too large for its pot, which can be seen by an overgrowth of roots or foliage. The reduced production of flowers and rapid water absorption also clue you in to your peace lily's need to be divided.

When the weather is not too hot or too cold to avoid putting too much stress on the plant, that time of year is the best for splitting peace lilies.

You can split your peace lily while it is in bloom, but it might be best to hold off until the blooming period is over to prevent the flowers from wilting too soon.

How Do You Split a Peace Lily?

Although peace lilies are easy to split, it's crucial to handle your plant gently to avoid harming it. To make sure the plant is healthy and ready to split, it is a good idea to water it the day before.

When you're ready to start, tip the peace lily's pot onto its side and gently squeeze the sides. You can also carefully shake it out by grasping the foliage and pulling it out. Make sure each crown has a good number of roots attached and at least three leaves before separating as many as you like.

To split the peace lily, carefully pull apart the root ball. Sometimes the root ball is very compact. In this situation, a serrated knife can be used to carefully cut it apart. Replant each of the freshly separated peace lilies into a different pot after that, and water it well until the water runs out of the bottom of the pot.

After the initial shock of division, the plants may droop and wither a little, but they should soon bounce back and return to normal.

What Are the Benefits of Splitting a Peace Lily?

By dividing your peace lily, you can have additional potted plants in your home and maintain the health of your plant.

Overcrowding a peace lily's container is unhealthy and can increase your plant's susceptibility to pests and disease. By dividing it, you can encourage smaller, easier-to-manage plants and prevent overcrowding or overgrowth.

The beauty of these plants can be appreciated because split peace lilies will produce more flowers than large overgrown plants. Furthermore, splitting your peace lily gives you the option of giving one to a friend or having multiple peace lilies throughout your home. (Read More: How Long Do Peace Lilies Last)

What Are the Downsides to Splitting a Peace Lily?

Splitting a peace lily has some drawbacks despite being necessary to maintain the plant's health. A root ball that is particularly dense can occasionally be challenging to split. Your peace lily plant may unintentionally suffer harm if improperly cut.

Likewise, if you split your peace lily when it is not already healthy, the shock of transplanting it can damage it even further. If you do not carefully remove all diseased and pest-infested parts when dividing peace lilies that are infected, you risk spreading the infection.

Growing Peace Lily Divisions

Peace lily propagation doesn't stop when the plants are divided and repotted; the divisions need the right growing conditions and ongoing care to put down roots. Peace lilies frequently experience root problems, so it's important to water sparingly. When the soil feels just a little bit damp but before the division begins to wilt, water. Because tap water contains chemicals that peace lilies are sensitive to, it is best to water them with distilled water or tap water that has been left in a bowl overnight so that the water treatment chemicals can break down.

Although it can be helpful if used carefully, fertilizer is not always required for peace lilies. Peace lilies frequently experience root burn from strong fertilizers, so it is best to use a diluted fertilizer solution. The fertilizer 15-15-15 is advised by Logee's Plants. Apply it to wet soil, then water the area to help the fertilizer penetrate the soil. Feed during the growing season and discontinue feeding during the winter.

Final Words

Beautiful indoor plants called peace lilies have a tendency to get quite full, but to keep them healthy, they must be divided. Once you begin to notice signs of overgrowth, if your peace lily absorbs water too quickly or if flower production slows, it is time to split your peace lily.

Your peace lily can be divided easily by gently prying apart the root ball and dividing the crowns of foliage. To make the transplantation process easier, avoid temperatures that could shock your plant and give it plenty of water.

Frequently Asked Questions About How to Divide a Peace Lily

Is There a Best Time of Year to Divide a Peace Lily?

These plants do best when you divide them during good weather. To prevent the plant from being harmed, avoid propagating in extremely hot or cold weather. To create more peace lilies, simply divide the ones you already have. Using this technique, you can get two or three plants from a single lily plant.

Can You Grow a Peace Lily from a Cutting?

Although peace lilies cannot be multiplied by leaf or stem cuttings, they can be easily multiplied by division at any time of year. These plants can be multiplied from seeds by an expert gardener, but those seeds will take several years to bloom.

Can Peace Lily Be Overcrowded?

Although peace lilies don't mind a little crowding, this amount of root growth poses a threat to the health of the plant. The lack of water, nutrients, or oxygen will effectively suffocate and slowly kill the plant. Growth will slow dramatically or stop completely if conditions are very bad.