Rehabbing a peace lily

kilroyscarnival · August 12, 2019

We've taken on the care of some potted plants (and a cat) of a friend while she is away. Two of them are large peace lilies, which though otherwise healthy have been sun-scalded on most of the exterior leaves.

I'm hoping I can help rehab them. We placed them under a large tree in the partially shaded back yard (they were outside plants I think the whole time), and my plan is to gradually trim off the burned leaves allowing space for new growth, while not cutting it back too severely so that it looks thin or hacked.

Is there anything else I can do to help it regrow? I understand they don't want too much fertilizer, and I have no idea whether she used it or not. Other than the sunscald they look very full. Eventually I want to scoot them out of their pots to see if they need more room for the roots, aeration, etc. But I'm trying not to disturb them too much, especially in all this Florida heat.

SpookyShoe · August 13, 2019

I'm in zone 9 on the Texas Gulf Coast and I would never consider growing peace lilies outside. The only places I see them here is indoors. I might think about growing them in a screened in porch. Maybe on a covered patio out of the sun's rays.

kilroyscarnival · August 14, 2019

Yes, I hadn’t seen one outside before either!

GoDawgs · August 14, 2019

Mine live outside during the summer under the shade of the old oak tree and they're pretty happy there. But keeping tabs on watering them is a must as they dry out faster due to the wind and heat. If by "sun scald" you're talking about drying and blackening leaves, underwatering can cause that.

kilroyscarnival · August 16, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoDawgs

Mine live outside during the summer under the shade of the old oak tree and they're pretty happy there. But keeping tabs on watering them is a must as they dry out faster due to the wind and heat. If by "sun scald" you're talking about drying and blackening leaves, underwatering can cause that.

Actual brown spots. Hard to imagine they were under watered with our daily thundershowers here in Central Florida. But I hope to look into the pots this weekend and see what the roots look like.

GoDawgs · August 16, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by kilroyscarnival

Actual brown spots. Hard to imagine they were under watered with our daily thundershowers here in Central Florida. But I hope to look into the pots this weekend and see what the roots look like.

They kind of like to be snug in their pots but when the roots get too tight it's hard for water to penetrate and they can actually get too dry because of that. And the leaves will really droop if the plants start getting dry. But spots on leaves doesn't sound like a watering problem.

kilroyscarnival · September 5, 2019

Update: I've been going out every weekend with the scissors and pruning off damaged and unhealthy looking leaves. The plant itself seems healthy and has shot up some new flowers and new leaves. I think they're going to be fine. One of these weekends I'm going to try tipping them out of their pots, checking the drainage situation (overall seems fine I think?) and possibly putting some fresh light potting mix on the bottom. But so far, they seem to like the shade of the big tree they are under. I should have started taking pictures along the way to check the progress!

August 12, 2019	#1
kilroyscarnival Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 614	Rehabbing a peace lily We've taken on the care of some potted plants (and a cat) of a friend while she is away. Two of them are large peace lilies, which though otherwise healthy have been sun-scalded on most of the exterior leaves. I'm hoping I can help rehab them. We placed them under a large tree in the partially shaded back yard (they were outside plants I think the whole time), and my plan is to gradually trim off the burned leaves allowing space for new growth, while not cutting it back too severely so that it looks thin or hacked. Is there anything else I can do to help it regrow? I understand they don't want too much fertilizer, and I have no idea whether she used it or not. Other than the sunscald they look very full. Eventually I want to scoot them out of their pots to see if they need more room for the roots, aeration, etc. But I'm trying not to disturb them too much, especially in all this Florida heat.

August 13, 2019	#2
SpookyShoe Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: El Lago, Texas Posts: 1,100	I'm in zone 9 on the Texas Gulf Coast and I would never consider growing peace lilies outside. The only places I see them here is indoors. I might think about growing them in a screened in porch. Maybe on a covered patio out of the sun's rays. __________________ Donna, Zone 9, Texas Gulf Coast Last edited by SpookyShoe; August 14, 2019 at 02:11 PM.

August 14, 2019	#3
kilroyscarnival Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 614	Yes, I hadn’t seen one outside before either!

August 14, 2019	#4
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	Mine live outside during the summer under the shade of the old oak tree and they're pretty happy there. But keeping tabs on watering them is a must as they dry out faster due to the wind and heat. If by "sun scald" you're talking about drying and blackening leaves, underwatering can cause that.

September 5, 2019	#7
kilroyscarnival Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 614	Update: I've been going out every weekend with the scissors and pruning off damaged and unhealthy looking leaves. The plant itself seems healthy and has shot up some new flowers and new leaves. I think they're going to be fine. One of these weekends I'm going to try tipping them out of their pots, checking the drainage situation (overall seems fine I think?) and possibly putting some fresh light potting mix on the bottom. But so far, they seem to like the shade of the big tree they are under. I should have started taking pictures along the way to check the progress!