[MargeSimpson]

For several years I used to have this gorgeous Peace Lily. It was thick with lovely green leaves. Then something happened. The leaves turned brown, dried out and died. All the leaves go the same way now. The plant is miserable. I tried re potting it but this didn't work. Nothing in it's environment changed, I've always kept it in the same location. So I just can't figure it out.

BEFORE:


NOW:


Edited by moderator to add descriptive title............... see rule 11 http://www.gardenplansireland.com/forum/about27.html

[Lisa-Adam]

Looks to be some fresh new shoots and leaves coming on it now though on the bottom left. I know you said you always kept it in the same location but was it moved outside like in the older picture. because the damage on it looks like what a cold breeze would do to a plant not used to the outdoors.

[MargeSimpson]

it's been like this for months. New leaves appear and are fine for a while then they shrivel up and die off, everytime. So the new shoots wont' last either!

[BlackBird]

Forgive me if I am wrong MargeSimpson but I noticed some white mould on the top of the compost on the left hand side. This usually appears due to overwatering. Maybe it was an initial overwatering causing a set back, the repotting which often causes a set back, then you continued watering like the plant had a full set of leaves, again resulting in more set backs.

[Sb]

Is there a drainage hole in the bottom of that container. I bet root rot where the roots become soft squishy and brown. It tries to put on new growth but cannot support it. You may have seen it drooping then watered it but only made the problem worse.
It might be worth popping it out of the pot and having a look at the roots. Maybe post a pic up.

[MargeSimpson]

Ok guys - all good suggestions. I've lost track of how things may have started. I know when it started deteriorating I thought it was pot bound, so I changed pots. It had been fine for several years before that. I'll take a piccie of the roots in a while and post it. Thanks for all your suggestions though!

[MargeSimpson]

OK piccies of roots:

[inishindie]

Hi

Mind if I butt in...

It looks like a mixture of overwatering and draughts. But there is hope. Some of the plant still looks healthy.

You can divide the sections of the plant crowns and keep the healthy young ones to repot up in small pots, if there are any rotting roots, cut them off. Remove any dead or poorly looking leaves too, it doesn't matter if you are left with hardy any green, they will soon shoot again. Wash the old soil away to see the roots and new fresh shoots to take off (make sure there are the full two leaves on the part you pull off)

The young plants will soon flourish and you will be able to give some away to friends. Try and get some sand into the compost mix to help the drainage and check that there are drainage holes in the base of the pot...the cause of many a perished plant....

The peace lily loves warmth and likes shade. It needs to be kept a little moist to prevent it from drying out, but watering it twice a week is good enough.

Place the Peace Lily out of direct sunlight and keep it at room temperature.

Spraying the leaves with water every now and then will make it very happy and prevents the leaves from turning brown.

The plant was awarded the accolade of Desk Plant of the Year in America last year because of it's ability to purify the air, so it's worth dividing up..


Cheers

Ian

[MargeSimpson]

thanks Ian - great post.

But I'm curious as to how you figured a combination of drought/over watering from looking at the roots. What are the signs?

[inishindie]

Hi Marge

It's the colour of the roots that give the overwatering away. If you ever have a plant that is in a bucket and take it out after a while you will see the roots are all slimy looking. The inside of the root system sometimes hangs on for dear life and still looks a bit alive, a bit like your picture.

Draughts on the other hand cause a scorching effect as the cells die off and browns the leaves.

After saying that I could be totally wrong...... There are some white bits on one of the piccies, I thought that they could be vine weevil at first but that would mean you wouldn't have any roots to look at....

Have you had chance to divide them up yet?


Cheers

Ian

[Dr. Sunny Thomson]

[MargeSimpson]

I've divided up the plant and have now 8 smaller plants. I did this over the weekend and they still look OK so far.

Jeez, I hope this works!

[inishindie]

Hi Marge

Good luck with the division. Remember that plants can feel the confidence through your fingers. Here are a couple of stories about positive thinking that will help and pass the time until the rain stops. The first is about keeping a healthy frame of mind and the second story is one of accepting that everything in the garden (even weeds) have a purpose....



The Great Wish Fulfilling tree
There was a man who wandered throughout the world seeking his deepest desire. He wandered from one city to another looking for fulfilment and happiness, but in all his wanderings never found it. Finally one day, tired from his search, he sat down underneath a great tree at the foot of a mountain. What he did not know is that this was The Great Wish Fulfilling tree. Whatever one wishes for it when seated underneath it immediately comes true.

As he rested in his weariness he thought to himself, “What a beautiful spot this is. I wish I had a home here,” and instantly before his eyes a lovely home appeared. Surprised and delighted he thought further, “Ah if only I had a partner to be here with me my happiness would be complete,” and in a moment a beautiful woman appeared calling him husband and beckoning to him. After a while the man thought, Gosh I’m really hungry, I wish there were food to eat. Immediately a banquet appeared covered with every kind of beautiful food. The man sat down to eat and began to feast on all the goodies. When he had finished he looked around at the mess and thought to himself, I wish I had a servant to clean up after me, and sure enough a manservant appeared.

The man sat back down to lean against this wonderful tree and began to reflect. “How amazing it is that everything I wish for has come true. There is some mysterious force about this tree. I wonder if there is a demon who lives in it? Sure enough a great demon appeared. “Oh my, this demon will probably eat me up and that is just what it did.

The Weed

A gardener was preparing to remove a weed that was growing right beside one of the most special plants in the garden, when he seemed to hear something similar to a voice inside the weed that said:

“No, please don’t pull me out! Let me carry on living!” The gardener was confused.

“Perhaps my imagination is playing tricks on me.” He thought, while watching the weed with astonishment. “Or perhaps this plant has something to show me. If I talk to my trees and plants, why should they not talk to me?” he asked himself.

He decided not to remove the weed even though in time it would grow until its leaves completely covered the prized plant.

One afternoon in May, a violent storm unleashed itself, and a strong hailstorm ruined a large part of the garden. After the storm, the gardener walked amongst the deformed flowers and torn leaves, grumbling with resignation about what had happened. He nearly did not dare look when he arrived at the place where the prized plant was to be found.

But to his surprise, it was still intact, while the weed that covered it lay ruined at his feet. The gardener looked with tenderness at the weed that he had tried to pull out, and thinking it over said to himself in a low voice.

“Sometimes what appears to be ugly, inharmonious and perverse performs wonderful tasks that the most beautiful of creatures would never be capable of.

From ‘The Gardener’ by Grian

Cheers

Ian