When and How to Divide Peace Lilies

Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum spp.) are tropical evergreen herbaceous perennials well-liked as houseplants for his or her low-maintenance care necessities, engaging foliage, and lovely white flower-like spathes.

Many individuals find yourself with a peace lily they’ve inherited or picked one up as an impulse buy on the grocery retailer and since they’re really easy to develop, in some unspecified time in the future the plant outgrows its container.

You probably have a peace lily that’s outgrowing its present residence, you might have a few choices.

We hyperlink to distributors that will help you discover related merchandise. In case you purchase from one in all our hyperlinks, we could earn a fee.

You possibly can purchase a much bigger container and repot your peace lily. However finally, you’re going to expire of house in case you hold shopping for greater and larger pots.

Another choice is to divide your plant, so as a substitute of 1 giant specimen, you’ll have two or extra smaller ones.

This retains the unique plant at a manageable measurement in the identical container, and gives you with further vegetation to share.

Division is a propagation technique that works properly with peace lilies and provides you the chance to pay one ahead to a good friend or supply up one or two sections at your native houseplant swap.

In case you’re excited to start out the method, right here’s what we’ll go over on this information:

Earlier than we get began, in case you want a refresher about how you can develop peace lilies, take a look at our information.

As they are saying, timing is the whole lot. In order that looks like a very good place to start out:

When to Divide Peace Lilies

Spring is one of the best time to divide your plant, whether or not you’re rising your peace lily indoors or out.

That is the start of the rising season, and the plant will placed on new progress rapidly and the divisions bounce again simply. Fall works, too, in order that’s a very good second possibility.

The worst time to divide your plant is through the summer season. For these grown indoors, winter isn’t very best, however it may be finished. In case your peace lily is presently in bloom, keep away from dividing it except completely vital.

All of that mentioned, the reality is you’ll be able to divide your peace lily through the summer season and winter, and it’ll almost certainly be effective, they’re fairly resilient.

Indicators you’ll both must go up a pot measurement or divide your plant embrace roots popping out of the drainage holes, failing to bloom, soil drying out too rapidly, or the plant merely trying too large for its present residence.

It’s a good suggestion to repot or divide your peace lily each few years to refresh the potting medium.

Preparation

Earlier than you are able to do the precise work, a bit preparation is so as.

You’ll want a pair of pruners or scissors and possibly a shovel or trowel. You additionally want new containers for the divisions – except you’re rising them within the floor.

Wash your instruments in scorching, soapy water or wipe them with isopropyl alcohol. You must also clear any pots you intend to make use of.

Water the soil of your peace lily totally, 24 hours earlier than dividing your specimen. This ensures that the plant is hydrated and the roots are good and plump.

Do any pruning it’s essential to do to take away useless, broken, or diseased leaves earlier than you begin, too.

Prepared? Nice! 

Dividing

Since they have an inclination to supply stems in clusters, you’ll be able to divide a peace lily in half, or you’ll be able to create a number of small sections relying on the dimensions of your plant.

You’ll be able to separate any part that has just a few stems and leaves and loads of roots connected.

Within the case of a potted plant, fastidiously take away the specimen from the container and brush away the soil so you’ll be able to clearly see the roots.

At this level you must have the ability to determine the pure divisions within the root construction, which is able to make separating the sections simpler.

Search for an space the place there are a number of leaves connected to the roots and gently begin teasing this space away from the primary plant.

As you tease the realm aside, you would possibly must get in there together with your clippers and sever any tangled roots or roots which have a number of branches. Don’t fear, these broken areas will regrow.

For vegetation within the floor, it’s essential to dig them up earlier than dividing. Check out the plant and measure about six inches out from the sting of the stems across the whole perimeter.

Dig down a few foot all the way in which round after which get the shovel beneath the plant. Wedge it out of the bottom and set it apart fastidiously.

Brush or knock the soil away from the roots earlier than teasing aside the sections as mentioned above.

Replant

When you might have divided your plant, it’s essential to repot or replant the unique specimen and any divisions you might have taken.

In case you’re working with outside vegetation, you’ll be able to place the mom specimen again into its unique spot after which dig holes the identical measurement as the basis balls of the divisions it’s essential to transplant.

Set the plant within the floor on the similar top because it was initially, then backfill with soil earlier than watering in properly.

In case you divided a potted plant, place the unique part again within the pot and fill in round it with potting soil.

Don’t bury it any deeper than it was within the unique container or the plant would possibly rot. It’s possible you’ll want to use this chance to refresh the potting soil.

For the brand new divisions, set these in their very own particular person pots.

Select containers that permit about an inch of room across the perimeter of the basis ball and ensure to maintain them on the similar depth as they have been initially.

Backfill with potting combine as wanted, and water in properly.