Peace Lily 101: Light, Water, and Fertilizer Schedule
Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum) are one of the most popular houseplants for good reason. They’re lush, green, and even produce elegant white blooms that can brighten up any room. We love peace lilies for their forgiving nature and tropical beauty.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through peace lily care 101 – covering everything about light, water, and fertilizer schedules – so you can keep your plant thriving.
(Fun fact: Peace lilies were even highlighted in a NASA study for their ability to help clean indoor air!)
Light Requirements: Finding the Right Spot
When it comes to light, peace lilies prefer bright, indirect light. In their native tropical rainforests, they grow under the canopy of taller trees, so they’re adapted to filtered sunlight. In your home, an east-facing window or a few feet away from a south or west window is ideal. This gives your peace lily plenty of bright but gentle light without the harsh direct sun.
One great thing about peace lilies is that they tolerate low-light conditions. You can place your plant in a dim corner or an office with fluorescent lighting, and it will survive (and maintain its green foliage). However, keep in mind that very low light means your peace lily might stop blooming. If you’ve been wondering why your peace lily isn’t producing those white “flowers,” the answer is usually light – insufficient light can prevent blooming.
Avoid placing peace lilies in direct sun, especially strong afternoon sunlight. Direct sunlight can scorch the leaves, causing yellow or brown patches and a stressed plant. You might notice leaves turning a pale yellow if they get too much sun. If you only have a bright window with direct rays, consider using a sheer curtain to diffuse the light. By giving your peace lily bright indirect light for a few hours a day, you’ll encourage healthy growth and potentially more frequent blooms.
(Quick tip: If you see your peace lily leaning towards the light, rotate the pot every week or two. This helps the plant grow evenly and prevents a lopsided appearance.)
Watering Schedule: Keeping Your Peace Lily Hydrated
Watering your peace lily properly is key to keeping it happy. Our general rule is to water about once a week, but the exact schedule can vary depending on your environment. Peace lilies like to be kept in consistently moist soil, but not waterlogged. In practical terms, this means you should water when the top inch of the potting mix feels dry to the touch. We recommend sticking a finger into the soil up to your first knuckle – if it feels dry at that depth, it’s time to water. If it’s still moist, wait a few more days and check again.
When you do water, water thoroughly. Pour water over the soil until you see excess begin to drain out of the pot’s drainage holes. This ensures the roots get an even drink and prevents dry pockets in the soil. After watering, always empty the drainage tray or saucer; peace lilies don’t like “wet feet,” and sitting in standing water can lead to root rot.
Using room-temperature water is best, because very cold water can shock the roots of this tropical plant.
You might notice your peace lily drooping dramatically from time to time – this plant has a natural “alarm system” for thirst. When the leaves start to sag and wilt, it’s a clear sign the soil has gotten too dry. The good news is a thorough watering will usually perk it back up within hours.
However, we advise not waiting until your plant droops every time. Frequent wilting stresses the plant and can lead to yellowing or browning leaf edges in the long run. It’s better to stick to regular watering and soil checks so your lily stays evenly moist and doesn’t collapse from dehydration.
Avoiding Overwatering and Underwatering
Striking the right balance with water is important. Overwatering is one of the most common killers of peace lilies – too much water can drown the roots and cause leaves to turn yellow or develop black/brown rot spots. Make sure your pot has good drainage and never let the plant sit in excess water.
On the other hand, underwatering will make the plant wilt. If you consistently forget to water, the leaf edges might turn crisp and brown. Try to maintain a routine (setting a weekly reminder can help) and adjust as needed: in a cool, low-light room you might water a bit less often, whereas in a warm, bright spot or during summer your plant might drink more and need watering every 5-6 days.
Humidity Matters
Peace lilies are tropical plants, so they love humidity. Average indoor humidity is usually fine for them, but if your home has very dry air (for example, heated homes in winter), your peace lily may develop brown leaf tips due to low humidity. To boost humidity around the plant, you can mist the leaves occasionally with water (use lukewarm water for misting).
Better yet, place the pot on a tray of pebbles like our Professional Clay Pebbles filled with water, making sure the bottom of the pot isn’t submerged – as the water evaporates, it will create a humid micro-climate around your plant. Grouping your peace lily with other houseplants is another easy way to increase humidity naturally (plants release moisture into the air as they transpire, and together they create a more humid environment).
Keep peace lilies away from cold drafts or blowing heat from vents. Sudden changes in temperature or blasts of dry air can cause the plant stress.
Ideal indoor temperatures for a peace lily range from about 65°F to 80°F (18°C to 27°C). They can tolerate slightly cooler nights, but temperatures below 50°F (10°C) may damage the foliage. In a comfortable home environment (similar to our comfort), your peace lily will feel right at home too.
(Interesting note: In addition to watering through the soil, peace lilies can also be grown with their roots in water! If you try a hydroponic approach, keep the base of the plant just above the water line so the stems don’t rot. It’s a fun advanced technique, but you’ll need to change the water regularly to keep it fresh.)
Fertilizer Schedule: Feeding Your Peace Lily
Feeding your peace lily will encourage it to produce lush foliage and those lovely white blooms, but peace lilies are not heavy feeders. In fact, too much fertilizer can do more harm than good. We recommend fertilizing lightly during the growing season (spring and summer) and skipping feedings in the fall and winter when the plant’s growth naturally slows down.
What Kind of Fertilizer?
An all-purpose, balanced houseplant fertilizer works great for peace lilies. We recommend using our Professional Liquid Peace Lily Plant Fertilizer | 3-1-2 Concentrate for Plants and Flowers, which is specially formulated to support healthy foliage and long-lasting blooms. Its gentle 3-1-2 N-P-K ratio is ideal for peace lilies’ nutritional needs.
As with any fertilizer, the key is to dilute it to half or even one-quarter of the recommended strength.
How often do you fertilize?
A good schedule is to fertilize about once a month in spring and summer. Some enthusiasts feed every 6 weeks; others might use a very diluted fertilizer with each watering weekly.
For simplicity, we find that a monthly feeding at diluted strength strikes a nice balance. Mark your calendar for one feeding in late winter or early spring (to jump-start new growth as days get longer), then continue monthly through about September.
Do not fertilize in the winter months – because your peace lily isn’t actively growing then, it won’t use the extra nutrients, and unused fertilizer can build up in the soil.
If you prefer a low-maintenance approach, you can use slow-release fertilizer pellets at the start of the growing season. Apply them in early spring and they will gradually feed your peace lily for a few months.
Usually, one application in spring and another in mid-summer is enough when using slow-release granules. Just be careful to follow the dosage on the package, as overdoing it can still cause issues.
Soil and Potting Tips
Providing the right soil and pot environment will set the foundation for a thriving peace lily. In nature, these plants grow in rich, organic soil on the forest floor, so we want to mimic that. Use a well-draining, peat-based potting mix or any good quality indoor houseplant soil. The soil should retain moisture without becoming waterlogged.
You can improve a standard mix by adding our Professional Perlite to boost drainage and aeration—this gives your peace lily’s roots the space they need to expand and flourish. For added organic matter, mix in our Professional Coco Coir, which also enhances moisture retention while keeping the soil light and breathable. Avoid very heavy garden soil (which can stay too soggy) or mixes meant for succulents (which might dry out too fast for a peace lily’s liking).
Always use a pot with drainage holes. This is non-negotiable – peace lilies will suffer if excess water can’t escape. If your plant is in a decorative pot without holes, it’s best to keep it in a plastic grower’s pot that fits inside the decorative cover, so you can take it out to water and drain. Our goal is soil that is moist but not stagnant.
Peace lilies actually enjoy being slightly root-bound. It’s common to keep them in the same pot for 2-3 years before moving up to a bigger container. However, if you notice roots densely circling inside the pot or poking out of the drainage holes, it might be time to repot. The best time to report a peace lily is in late winter or spring, just before the big growing season kicks in.
Choose a new pot that is only about 1–2 inches larger in diameter than the old one. Gently slide the plant out (tip: make sure the soil is lightly moist, not bone dry, when repotting – this helps the root ball come out more easily and reduces root breakage). Place it in the new pot with fresh potting mix, at the same depth it was previously planted (don’t bury the crown deeper). After repotting, water thoroughly to settle the soil, and then hold off on fertilizing for at least a few weeks to let the roots adjust.
If your peace lily becomes quite large, you might consider propagating through division during repotting. Peace lilies grow in clumps and often produce “baby” offshoots. You can carefully divide the root ball, separating a section of the plant that has its own leaves and roots.
Plant that division into a new pot to start a new peace lily – a great way to expand your collection or share with a friend! Just be gentle and use a clean, sharp knife or spade to divide if the roots are very tangled. Each division should be potted in an appropriately sized container with fresh mix, and kept similarly moist as the mother plant.
Temperature and Indoor Environment
We touched on this earlier, but to reiterate: peace lilies thrive in typical indoor temperatures that we find comfortable. Aim for 65–80°F (18–27°C). Consistency is key – avoid placing your peace lily near exterior doors that open in winter or near AC vents in summer. Cold drafts (anything below ~50°F/10°C) can cause leaves to droop and darken, essentially chilling the plant. Extremely high temperatures (above 90°F/32°C) might make it dry out too quickly or wilt, so if you live in a hot climate without air conditioning, ensure the plant has plenty of water and some air circulation.
Light and temperature often go hand in hand. A spot that has good light but is right by a window in winter might get too cold at night. We often move our peace lily a little further inside the room during cold snaps, then back near the window for daylight. Keep an eye on your plant’s leaves: if they start looking limp or the edges turn black after a cold night, it likely got a chill. And as mentioned, keep humidity in mind as part of the environment – warm air can be dry, so balance both factors for a content plant.
Another environmental tip: clean the leaves periodically. Peace lily leaves are broad and tend to accumulate dust over time, which can block sunlight and reduce the plant’s ability to photosynthesize. Every couple of weeks, take a soft damp cloth and gently wipe down the leaves (support each leaf with your hand to avoid cracking it). This not only keeps your plant looking shiny and beautiful, but it also helps it “breathe” and absorb light more efficiently. Plus, it gives you a chance to closely inspect your plant for any early signs of pests or problems.
Outdoor Care Tips (for Warmer Climates)
Can peace lilies live outside? Yes – if you live in a warm, humid climate, you can grow peace lilies outdoors as well. In fact, in tropical regions (roughly USDA Zones 10-11), peace lilies are sometimes used in shady garden beds or patios. The key is to replicate their natural conditions as much as possible.
Outdoor light
Just like indoors, keep your peace lily out of direct sun. Outdoors, direct sunlight is even more intense and can scorch the leaves quickly. A spot with partial to full shade is best – for example, under a large tree canopy, on a covered porch, or along the north side of your house. They’ll enjoy the dappled sunlight similar to their rainforest home.
Water and Soil Outdoors
In the ground, peace lilies will need rich, well-draining soil. Mix in plenty of organic matter (such as compost) to help retain moisture and nutrients. Keep the soil consistently moist. During hot summer weather, you may need to water outdoor peace lilies more frequently than indoor ones, since wind and sun can dry the soil faster.
Always check the soil moisture – if the top begins to dry, water thoroughly. If you have peace lilies in outdoor pots, you might end up watering every few days in hot weather. Just be careful to avoid waterlogging if there’s heavy rain; ensure containers drain freely.
Temperature considerations
Remember that peace lilies are sensitive to cold. If you live in an area with cool winters or occasional frost, it’s best to keep peace lilies in pots so you can bring them indoors when temperatures drop. Even in summer, if a surprise cold night (below 50°F) is forecast, move your plant inside or cover it. Also, while peace lilies appreciate moisture, they are not tolerant of freezing conditions at all – frost can turn the leaves to mush. So plan to overwinter them indoors if it gets chilly in your region.
If you live near the coast, be aware that peace lilies are not very salt-tolerant. Seaside gardens with salty air or soil might cause leaf burn on a peace lily. In such cases, keeping them as container plants that you can protect from salt spray would be wiser.
Finally, when moving a peace lily from indoors to outdoors (even just for the summer), do it gradually. Sudden changes in light and exposure can shock the plant. We suggest placing it in a shaded outdoor spot for just a couple hours a day at first, then slowly increasing its time outside over a week.
This acclimation helps the plant adjust to the new humidity, air movement, and light levels. By the time it’s living outside full-time for the season, it will have hardened off and should handle the outdoor conditions like a champ.
Grow With Confidence: Your Peace Lily Journey Starts Here
In summary, peace lily care comes down to providing the right balance of light, water, and nutrients – all in a cozy environment that mimics the tropical forest floor. We’ve found that with bright indirect light, a consistent watering routine, and light monthly fertilizing, peace lilies will flourish and bring a serene, green presence to your home.
Remember to observe your plant and adjust care as needed: it will show you through its leaves if it’s happy or if something is off. With the tips we’ve shared, you’re well equipped to care for your peace lily like a pro.
We hope you enjoy the process of tending to your peace lily. It’s a wonderful feeling to see new leaves unfurl or a white bloom spike emerge, knowing that we played a part in helping the plant thrive. Happy gardening, and may your peace lily continue to grow and brighten your space for years to come!