How to Repot A Peace Lily - When & Steps to Repot

To repot a peace lily, water it 1–2 days in advance of repotting. A suitable pot should then be chosen, the plant should be carefully removed, placed in the pot, the soil should be added, and the plant should be watered well. Before replanting, make sure the soil is the right kind and that any bound roots are freed.

Repotting is a fantastic chance to treat your peace lily if there are any indications of root rot. A large peace lily can be divided into two or more smaller plants at this time.

The only telltale sign that it's time to repot your peace lilies is if you're watering them more frequently than usual. When a peace lily plant becomes root-bound, the water quickly drains through the soil and fills the saucer before the roots can take it in. A plant that is experiencing drought as a result is wilting.

A Quick Introduction to Peace Lilies

The popularity of peace lilies as indoor plants is unquestionably justified.

In contrast to the majority of other houseplants, which are primarily grown for their foliage, they consistently produce lovely flower-like spathes, and they're relatively simple to grow, provided you don't use chlorinated water. (Read More: Why Is My Peace Lily Not Blooming)

Not true lilies, these plants are in the Spathiphyllum genus and are related to monstera, philodendron, and pothos.

They are indigenous to Mexico and other southern regions of North America, as well as parts of South America and Southeast Asia, where they grow in tropical regions.

You can easily recognize these beauties by their striking white "flowers," which are not actually blossoms at all – but rather, a modified leaf called a spathe that surrounds a flower-covered spike called a spadix.

A peace lily can be repotted in one of two ways. To start, just transfer it to a slightly bigger pot. To continue, divide the plant.

If you choose the latter method, you can keep half of the plant in the original pot and place the other half in a second pot, or you can compost the division or give it away if you don't need more plants in your life.

Required Tools for Repotting Peace Lilies

It's always best to prepare your tools prior to starting the job of repotting a plant. This expedites the process and lowers the likelihood of transplant shock.

In addition to a second pot and enough new, clean potting soil to fill the container or containers you're using, you'll need to divide your plant. Choose a potting medium that is advertised as water retentive, since Spathiphyllum species are big fans of moisture.

Any potting medium will do in the absence of water-retentive potting soil. Just add a handful of perlite or rice hulls to each gallon of medium. Since rice hulls are more environmentally friendly and allow for both air and water retention in the soil, I prefer to use them.

Reusing a pot requires that you clean it thoroughly with a cloth dampened with water and dish soap. You can use a mixture of one part bleach to nine parts water to sanitize reused containers, to help prevent the spread of disease.

To remove the plant from its current pot, you might need a butter knife or another kind of straight knife. If you intend to divide the plant, also get a clean pair of scissors.

You might also need a clean trowel to help move the medium into place, so keep one on hand. (Read More: Peace Lily Turns Black - 10 Causes & How to Fix)

When to Repot Peace Lilies

You can repot your plant at any time of the year, and you shouldn't feel like you need to rush. Assuming the situation isn't urgent, spring is the best time to do the job. At that time of year, your plant ought to quickly recover and begin growing strongly.

The peace lily is a type of plant that tolerates being rootbound. But there are a few things to watch for that are sure signs your buddy needs more room.

It's time if you notice roots sticking out of the drainage holes or the soil's surface. Another telltale sign is if the soil drains very quickly and it seems impossible to maintain the potting medium's moisture level. Read More: How To Grow Peace Lilies Outdoors

Repotting may become more necessary immediately in some situations.

You can also repot if the soil has developed an overabundance of fertilizer, or if the soil has grown compacted or hydrophobic, both of which are common as soil ages and the organic matter it contains decomposes. (Read More: When & How to Fertilize Peace Lilies)

Watch for those symptoms, as excessive fertilizer frequently results in the leaves turning brown or yellow. (Read More: Why Do My Peace Lily Leaves Tips Turning Yellow)

Steps to Repot Peace Lilies

How can you tell if your plant may need to be potted before I go into the steps of repotting a root-bound peace lily? When dividing a mature peace lily plant into new, smaller plants, you can repot it. Simply relocating it to a slightly bigger pot is the first option, and splitting the plant is the second.

There are a few telltale signs that your peace lily may require a larger pot before you remove the plant from its container.

• Your soil's surface is covered in a substantial number of tough, matted roots.
• Roots may be growing out of the drainage hole(s).
• It may be difficult for you to keep up with watering your peace lily because the soil appears to be drying out much more quickly than it used to.

Your peace lily may be root bound if its roots are growing out of the drainage hole.

All of these are signs that your peace lily needs assistance as its roots are filling the pot to the brim. Let's begin the three steps for repotting. (Read More: Overwatered Peace Lily - Signs & How to Revive)

1. Remove from the Pot and Loosen the Root Ball

First, remove your plant from the pot. If it is growing in a plastic nursery pot, you can simply squeeze the pot's edge to gently remove the plant. Run a knife around the inside of the pot's perimeter if you have a plant in a rigid container; this should make it easier to remove the plant.

Having been taken from its pot, here is one of my peace lilies. See how tightly bound to the roots it is. You can see how closely the roots are packed at the bottom in a circle.

In order to successfully repot a plant, the rootball must first be loosen. If you don't do this, your plant won't benefit at all from being placed in its new pot (especially for peace lilies or any plants that are extremely root-bound).

At one point, I had a peace lily (Spathiphyllum) in a large pot and I was unable to determine why it wasn't flourishing.

The plant had begun to deteriorate because it was only slowly growing. The plant wasn't growing the way I wanted it to a few years after I replanted it, so I took it out of its pot to see how it was doing.

What I discovered surprised me a little. There were no more roots entering the pot! Additionally, it had spent years in that pot. The tight rootball, which I clearly did not loosen when I repotted, kept the roots contained. I probably did it out of laziness, but at least I found out what happened.

2. Choose a New Pot

Next, choose a new pot. Picking the pot size that is the next larger than the old pot when repotting is my general rule of thumb. For instance, if your plant is currently in a pot with a diameter of 4 inches, your new pot should have a diameter of 6 inches.

The potting mix may not have enough time to dry out if you select a much larger pot.

By all means, always select a pot with a drainage hole. I frequently plant straight into plain, green nursery pots with drainage holes. Then I put the plant in a pretty pot.

3. Pot It Up Using a Well-drained Potting Mix

Finally, because these are moisture-loving plants, pick a well-drained potting mix that also retains a good amount of moisture.

That's all there is to it! Don't forget to read my post on caring for peace lilies, which outlines all the prerequisites for your plant's success. I've also written a post on all the causes of why your peace lily is drooping and what you can do to fix it. Read More: Why Is My Peace Lily Dying - 5 Reasons & How to Revive

Pruning the Roots before Transplanting

On a severely root bound plant, the roots will encircle the soil and are likely to be growing through the drainage holes. This is a typical indication that the plant has outgrown its current container.

Trimming the root mass up to three quarters of the way is safe for your plant. This is significant because it allows you to trim your peace lily's roots before transplanting them. In order for the roots to quickly take root in the new pot, it facilitates root growth, which is advantageous.

The plant will adapt and start producing new, healthy leaves more quickly as the roots take hold, which will also hasten blooming. (Read More: Peace Lily Drooping & Keep Wilting - How to Save)

The roots are hardy and can tolerate some heavy handling. You can buy root rakes and root picks to assist with root separation if you have thick fingers, are worried that you won't be able to get between the finer roots or may damage some that you want to keep, or if you have thick fingers or are concerned about these things.

A good pair of pruners or a serrated knife to cut through some roots will be the only other tool you need.

When you remove the plant from the pot, smell it carefully. Rotted roots smell rancid so if you get a strong bad smell from the plant, look for brown and mushy roots, which will be the ones affected by root rot. Those need to be cut off first. (Read More: Peace Lily Root Rot - Signs & How to Solve)

Plants with healthy roots have white, firm roots. Cut off any that are unhealthy.

How to Repot a Peace Lily Without Dividing Your Plant

Due to the fact that it grows in clumps that can be multiplied by the pups they produce, this is the best option for one large peace lily. Despite being a collection of various crowns, when they are all kept together, the numerous plants resemble a single large peace lily.

Simply make sure to only increase one pot size at a time if you decide to go this route.

That suggests no more than a one- to two-inch increase in pot size. Even if you add a precautionary liquid vitamin B1 solution to try and prevent transplant shock, any more is likely to cause it.

The simplest way to repot a peace lily is to use a pot that's no bigger than two inches than the pot you're transplanting it from.

What is the Best Soil to Repot a Peace Lily?

Peace lilies can grow well in basic indoor potting soil. Choose one that offers a reasonable amount of aeration and has good drainage.

• All a peace lily really needs to grow is basic indoor potting soil.
• Select plants with good drainage and aeration.
• You only need three ingredients to create your own potting mix.
• Mix two parts of potting soil with one part coconut coir and one part perlite.
• This mixture will enhance drainage and aeration while retaining just the right amount of moisture for your plant to flourish.

You are free to create your own blend if you'd like. Just add two parts of potting soil, one part coconut coir, and one part perlite to the mixture. This improves drainage and prevents root rot while capturing enough moisture for the plant to remain well hydrated.

Post Repotting Care

Place your peace lily in a suitable location after repotting. These plants like indirect sunlight, temperatures between 65 and 85ºF, and moderate humidity.

Avoid moving your plant, and don't fret if it looks a bit sad in the weeks following repotting. Your plant might need some time to recover from this stressful process.

Keep the soil moist but not soggy, and keep an eye out for common peace lily diseases and pests.

Repotting Peace Lilies FAQs

Should I Soak My Peace Lily before Repotting?

The answer is no, you shouldn't soak your peace lily before repotting. After repotting your plant, you should water it, though.

Should You Water a Peace Lily Immediately After Repotting?

Even though you don't have to water your peace lily right away after repotting it, you should do so within a few days. After repotting your plant, you should water it if the soil potting mix is dry.

Do Peace Lily Plants Like Big Pots?

Because peace lilies are bigger plants, they frequently need bigger pots in addition to occasional pruning. However, the pot you choose should only be slightly bigger than the plant's root ball. If your pot is too big, the soil might stay moist, which could cause root rot in your plants.

Why is My Peace Lily Limp After Repotting?

Repotting will still stress your peace lily and result in a limp plant, even if you take care during the process. After repotting, if your plant still seems limp, give it plenty of water, some humidity, and then give up on it.

Should I Mist My Peace Lily After Repotting?

Although misting only temporarily raises humidity, peace lilies prefer moderate to high humidity levels. So, following repotting, you don't need to mist your plant.

Should I Fertilize My Peace Lily After Repotting?

You do not need to fertilize your peace lily immediately after repotting, especially if you're using a potting mix that contains nutrients.

• Read More: How Long Do Peace Lilies Last