How to Growing Peace Lily In Water - Step by Step Guide
You may have also seen people cultivating peace lilies in water. In small vases filled with water, some people prefer to grow peace lilies.
As long as you provide some nutrients and regularly replace the water, peace lilies can grow in plain water.
If you like the way this turns out, you might be interested in giving it a go. It will be simple to worry about making errors if you don't know how to do something.
To find out how to raise a peace lily in water, continue reading. When you grow a peace lily in water, this will help you get good results, and you'll be able to proceed with complete assurance.
How to Growing Peace Lily in Water
Find a Glass Container to Use
The first step to take will be to find a glass container that you can use for the peace lily. Although many people will use small vases, you can also use a straightforward tall glass if you prefer.
After that, you must add water to the glass container. Use bottled water instead of tap water because the plant won't benefit from Peace Lily.
Purchase some usable distilled water from the store. The harmful chemicals fluoride and chlorine are present in tap water, but distilled water is completely safe.
Make a Plastic Stopper
You will require some sort of plastic stop with a hole in the middle. You can shape something from plastic to fit the glass vase or container you're using.
The peace lily at the container's mouth will be held in place by doing this. Your ability to keep the peace lily in the ideal position so that it can be seen clearly depends on having the stem of the flower pass through the hole.
Don't let the prospect of making a plastic stopper like this intimidate you; it won't be difficult. Making a plastic stopper might not be entirely necessary if you're using a small glass container.
Examine the Peace Lily
It will be a good idea to inspect the peace lily before placing it in the glass vase that you have chosen. If any of the peace lily's roots appear to be damaged, you should inspect them.
By all means, use your shears to cut out the damaged areas if you find any. You can now put the peace lily in the glass container if everything looks good.
It's also worth noting that you'll get better results with growing a peace lily in water if you purchase one that has adapted to growing in the water already. Despite typically growing in soil, peace lilies can eventually adapt to be able to grow in water.
Submerge the Roots in the Water
When placing the peace lily in the glass container, you're going to want to make sure that the roots are submerged in the water. In order for the roots to be completely submerged, add enough distilled water to the glass container.
Through the hole you made in the plastic stopper, you can carefully lower the peace lily into the distilled water. You'll be good to go once the peace lily is in the proper place.
Although this step is not challenging, you should take care to complete it correctly. It wouldn't be ideal to leave the peace lily partially submerged with some of the roots above the water.
Ensuring that you have a glass container that is the right size is also going to be crucial. If you have a glass container that is too small, then you're not going to have a good time with this.
The glass container being a little taller than you need can be fine due to the fact that you can create a plastic stopper. Simply make wise decisions, and everything will work out successfully.
Feed Your Peace Lily Every So Often
Giving your peace lily some attention on occasion will be a good idea. A small amount of fertilizer can help the peace lily adjust to its new surroundings.
A few drops of liquid fertilizer applied every two weeks to your peace lily is what experts advise. This can help the plant to thrive and grow strong in the water.
Just be careful not to overfertilize as this could have the opposite effect. A few drops of fertilizer can go a long way, and you don't want to harm the peace lily.
Liquid fertilizer can actually be much stronger than many people understand. No matter what kind of plant you happen to be taking care of, it's almost always best to err on the side of caution when using fertilizer. (Read More: How To Grow Peace Lilies Outdoors)
Remember to Change the Water
When taking care of a peace lily in this manner, you cannot simply leave the water alone for extended periods of time. It's going to be necessary to occasionally change the water if you want the peace lily to thrive.
To achieve the best results, try to replace the water in the glass container once every two weeks. This will prevent things from stagnating and the roots from drying out by changing the water every two weeks.
If you don't pay attention, there might not be enough water to support the peace lily. Because of this, you need to be proactive about changing the water on a regular basis.
It's important to keep distilled water on hand so you can fill the glass container. When you replace things, make sure the distilled water is at room temperature. (Read More: Why Is My Peace Lily Dying - 5 Reasons)
Keep the Peace Lily in Indirect Sunlight
In order to give the peace lily the best chance of flourishing in the glass container, keep it in indirect sunlight. Indirect sunlight is ideal for peace lilies' growth.
Since peace lilies can't really handle it, too much sunlight can be a problem. If you keep the peace lily in full sun, then you're going to notice problems before too long.
It's encouraging to learn that peace lilies can thrive in settings with little light. For instance, you could expect a peace lily to survive in a dim office setting.
Just make sure the peace lily can get some access to filtered sunlight. You can take pleasure in having the peace lily in your home or place of business because everything will be just fine.
Can You Grow Peace Lilies With Betta Fish?
Perhaps you've seen suggestions to keep a Betta fish in the water container for your Peace Lily. They frequently assert that doing so produces a tiny self-sustaining ecosystem. The Betta is said to feed on the roots of your Spathiphyllum while fertilizing the plant with its excrement.
Though it seems like a good idea, it is absurd. Carnivorous fish are betta fish. Even if they tried, they couldn't live off the roots of Peace Lilies. This concept most likely came from a dishonest pet store owner who realized they could charge more for a fish by placing a lovely houseplant in its jar.
Theoretically, you could design a functional aquarium that could house both a Betta and a Peace Lily. However, you'd need to make some serious accommodations for the fish:
- Food. You'll need to feed your Betta frequently because it can't eat the roots.
- Heat. The ideal water temperature for these fish is around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. To prevent yours from becoming lethargic and refusing to eat, you'll need to include a heater.
- Air. The respiratory system of the betta fish is unique. It must inhale some of its air at the water's surface. In order to prevent your Peace Lily from overflowing the container's neck, you will need some sort of barrier.
- Space. 2.5 gallons appears to be the absolute minimum among the many recommended Betta tank sizes. In a typical houseplant vase, it will be constrained, unhappy, and fleeting.
It's difficult to predict whether this pairing will succeed despite all of these changes. It's debatable whether a Peace Lily can obtain all the nutrients it requires from fish poop. Plus, the upper end of a Spathiphyllum's pH range is the lowest that a Betta fish are tolerant. If you don't have a lot of experience taking care of both Betta fish and houseplants, don't try pairing this unusual couple.
Will Semi-Hydro Work for Peace Lilies?
There's a middle path between full hydroponics and traditional potting soil. It's called semi-hydroponics, or semi-hydro for short. This can be a fantastic option for your Peace Lily with a little know-how.
You don't immerse the roots in water when using semi-hydro. Instead, they develop in a synthetic substrate that has the ability to draw moisture from a water reserve at the bottom. Chunky, porous, inorganic material that produces a lot of air pockets in the pot makes up a semi-hydro growing medium.
This allows your Peace Lily to develop soil roots as opposed to water roots, which promotes more robust growth. The majority of the advantages of growing plants in water are also offered by this method, though. The primary disadvantage is that initial setup can be costly and time-consuming.
Pros & Cons of Growing Peace Lily in Water
There are benefits and drawbacks to growing peace lilies in water. Let's look into each of them in brief:
Pros:
- It is not necessary to repot. Repotting the plant, however, is a very simple process if you want to switch the container. Simply select a container that is the right size for the plant, fill it with water, and place the plant inside. It is best to only submerge the roots.
- Humidity and watering are less important to you. Growing Peace Lilies in water can take care of both the requirements very well.
- Water-grown Peace Lilies won't draw many pests. If you take good care of your plant, it may not even have any pests.
- Overwatering and root rot problems are challenges when growing Peace Lilies in soil. But in water, there is no such fear. In comparison to soil, roots can grow more effectively in water. (Read More: Peace Lily Root Rot - Signs & How to Save)
Cons:
- The growth of a peace lily in water will likely take much longer than one in soil because it may not receive as much oxygen and nutrients.
- You must change the water frequently, which can be a challenging task because doing so runs the risk of harming the plant. Along with that, a lot of water gets wasted in this process.
- When Peace Lilies are grown in water, there is a chance that bacteria and algae will grow around the roots and stems, which can lead to root rot. The plant dies when this occurs and begins to get worse because it is unable to absorb nutrients.
- Peace Lilies grow in the soil in their native land. They might therefore find it challenging to grow in water.
It takes a long time to grow Peace Lilies. Therefore, exercise patience, constantly attend to their needs, and keep tabs on the plant's development.
The plant can survive for a year in water. After they have sufficiently grown in the water and with proper care, you can transplant your Peace Lilies into potting soil so they can live for longer than a year.
Final Thoughts
Growing a peace lily in water is not going to be overly difficult when you approach things the right way. You will be able to get good results so long as you follow the advice above.
Peace lilies are normally grown in soil, but they can do just fine in water. But keep in mind that you should only ever grow one peace lily at a time in a glass container.
You can enjoy the aesthetic appeal that your peace lily will add to your home or office. Although peace lilies grown in water won't last as long as those grown in soil, they are still attractive while they do.
FAQs
How Long Can a Peace Lily Live in Water?
You can pot the plant in soil once the roots are an inch or two (~5 cm) long, but you can also leave it in water indefinitely.
Can Peace Lily Survive Underwater?
The Peace lily appears to grow less quickly in water than it would in the open air. However, it develops gradually but steadily.
Can a Peace Lily Be Rooted in Water?
If you unintentionally split a peace lily clump from your mother plant and it has no roots of its own, you might think about growing it in water. You can check to see if it is growing well, and it will root a little more quickly this way than in soil.