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Peace lilies will stay healthy if plant owners do easy 10-second task once a week in May
Reach Daily Express | May 5, 2026 12:39 PM CST

Peace lilies are often known for being quite easy to care for, but houseplant owners should be aware that now in spring is often the most common time people accidentally kill them. They start growing again in the UK from late March to early May, as we experience warmer temperatures and longer daylight hours, so they will need a lot more water than they got in winter. However, peace lilies are dramatic plants and tend to begin drooping at the slightest hint of needing water, which often causes people to panic and overwater them.

Anna Shpomer fromIntuitive Plants is warning peace lily owners to be careful and take a few seconds once a week to do a basic soil test when watering plants at this time of year. She said: "Peace lilies grow actively during spring and summer when they need more water to support their growth and nutrient uptake. During these seasons, water your Peace lily thoroughly, but don't let the soil get soggy or waterlogged. A good rule of thumb is to water your Peace lily once a week or whenever the soil feels dry to the touch."

Peace lilies are fantastic for anyone new to owning plants, as they will tell you when they need water by going limp, but it is really easy to mistake this for the plant dying.

This often causes people to pour way too much water into a peace lily's pot, oversaturating the soil and leaving stagnant water to sit without draining away.

It can lead to the plant's roots rotting, turning the leaves yellow, leaving a horrible, sour smell, and eventually causing the peace lily to stop growing new flowers before dying.

Once you know that peace lilies are an attention-seeking plant, it is often quite easy to keep them alive as they usually need watering roughly once a week in spring and summer.

However, you should not just follow a watering schedule with this plant as they may need to be watered more depending on their pot size and the humidity of the room you keep them in.

If you want to ensure your peace lily stays healthy and is hydrated enough to grow flowers, then you need to do a soil test weekly to check the moisture level of the soil.

How to do a soil test for peace lilies

All you need to do is push your finger into the soil in your peace lily pot to check the top few centimetres.

If it feels even slightly damp, leave the peace lily alone for a few more days. If the soil feels dry, then it is fine to water it.

Some people do not like feeling the soil, so many houseplant owners use a chopstick or wooden skewer instead. If it comes out clean, the peace lily needs watering, but if soil is sticking to it then it is best left alone.

How to water a peace lily properly

Once a peace lily is ready to be watered, do not pour any water on the flowers or foliage and instead focus on the soil surface.

Water the plant thoroughly until you see water flowing out of the pot holes. Do not water peace lilies too quickly, as it will encourage shallow roots that will not stay hydrated for long and make it more likely the plant will dry out in summer.

Wait a few minutes after watering to allow the water to drain away completely and you will know the peace lily's root system is now hydrated.

Make sure to never leave peace lilies sitting in a sink or saucer filled with water, as this can also lead to the roots rotting away. It should take about 10 minutes to properly water a peace lily.

Taking the time to check on a peace lily once a week might be annoying, but it is the best way to keep the plant healthy and ensure it grows some elegant white flowers this year.


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