Peace lilies flourish in slightly acidic, moist, and well-drained soil. The soil should drain at a moderate rate while still being capable of holding water.
It’s recommended to use a 2:2:1 combination of organic soil, sand, and peat moss or perlite for your peace lily plant.
In this guide, learn more about the best soil for peace lilies, how to mix their soil, and their care requirements.
About Peace Lilies
Genus: Spathiphyllum
Native Habitat: South America
Peace lilies are flowering plants of the genus Spathiphyllum. Despite their name and contrary to what most people think, they’re not real lilies.
They are vigorous growers that produce white or off-white and green flower-like leaves (called spathes).
These elegant plants are native to the tropical rainforests of Venezuela and Colombia in South America, where they get plenty of shaded sun, warmth, and moisture.
Why do peace lilies need well-drained soil?
Well-draining soil isn’t just crucial for growing healthy peace lilies. Every plant—be it a snake plant, rex begonia, or another variety—requires it.
If the soil isn’t draining properly due to the soil’s rigidity or a holeless container, the soil will stay soaked. Also, the plant won’t get ample nutrients for it to survive let alone thrive.
As a result, this will lead to a variety of health issues including:
- Browning or yellowing leaves
- Drooping foliage
- Fewer flowers
- Fungal spots
- Root rot
- Pest disease
In this event, immediately repotting the peace lily plant into new soil and pot vessel is advisable. Otherwise, it can lead to the plant’s weakening and death.
Plus, remember that putting the peace lily in any well-drained soil isn’t enough. You must consider its specific soil needs.
The soil needs to be mixed with ingredients to achieve the right soil mix for the plant.
The Right Pot Container for Peace Lilies
Plastic planters or vessels with drainage holes are ideal for peace lilies. That’s because they can retain enough moisture without drying up too fast.
We don’t recommend using terracotta or ceramic pots for your peace lily since they let the water drain out too quickly, thus making the plant dry and thirsty.
Also, the size of your chosen pot should not be more than 1/3 of the root ball size of the peace lily.
Repotting Peace Lilies
Being the fast growers that they are, peace lilies can outgrow their pot over time. As a rule of thumb, you can transfer the plant to a new pot once a year in springtime.
The best soil to use for peace lilies is houseplant soil with compost. Combine it with sand, perlite, or coco coir to improve the soil’s aeration, drainage, and moisture retention.
What soil ingredients can I use for my peace lilies?
As discussed earlier, peace lilies thrive in damp and well-draining soil.
So, here are the ingredients you can mix to create a healthy and growth-conducive peace lily soil:
- Potting soil – This is your base ingredient for your peace lily soil mix. The soil you go for must be light and slightly airy.
You’d also want the plant to get sufficient nutrients through the soil. That’s why it’s important to amend the soil with organic matter or aged manure.
- Coarse Sand – An easy soil component to acquire, coarse sand is composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles. Adding sand improves the drainage and air circulation of the soil.
But, be aware that the sand we’re referring to isn’t just any type of sand but agricultural sand.
- Peat Moss – This is a dark brown fibrous material obtained from decomposed moss and other living matter in peat bogs.
Its roughness will enable the soil to hold water, let air in, and take up more nutrients.
- Perlite – It’s a type of volcanic rock that feels like styrofoam to the touch. But note that it doesn’t absorb water.
So, if you need to get more aeration and drainage for the soil, you can use perlite.
- Coconut Fibers – You can add coconut fibers or coco coir to your soil as well. These have a similar texture to peat moss, which helps to facilitate soil aeration.
- Pine Bark Fines – Another good soil component, pine bark fines are derived from the outer protective covering of pine trees.
Pine bark fines contain a special substance called lignin, which helps the soil retain its shape and have increased air spaces.
How should I combine the soil ingredients?
Before we show you how you can create the ideal peace lily soil, you must first know how to mix it to ensure you do it correctly.
You’ll need a few things for mixing the soil ingredients. These are
- Potting tray or bucket
- Trowel or wooden stick
- Measuring cup or spoon
After gathering these materials, follow the steps outlined below to mix the soil components:
- Using the measuring cup or spoon, put the ingredients into the bucket or potting tray. Or you can just pour the contents into the container if you prefer.
- Stir or mix the ingredients evenly and thoroughly using a trowel or wooden stick.
- Transfer the plant to the pot. The root ball should be set at least an inch below the top of the rim so watering the soil will be easy.
- Fill in more potting mix around the root ball.
- Water your peace lily until moisture drains out at the bottom. And then, place the pot on top of its saucer.
- Finally, place the peace lily indoors or in your garden where it receives bright, indirect sunlight.
How do I make the best peace lily soil?
Now that you’re familiar with the different peace lily soil components and how to mix them, you’re now ready to create the best soil for your peace lily.
For this, simply follow the soil recipe indicated below:
- 2 parts houseplant or cactus potting mix with compost
- 2 parts coarse sand
- 1 part perlite, coconut coir, or peat moss
Again, make sure that the potting mix has been mixed with organic matter beforehand. This allows the entire plant to have healthy stems and roots, as it grows.
And so, the resulting soil mix will have great drainage, aeration, and water retention properties, making it the ideal potting medium for your peace lily plant.
What premixed peace lily soil should I get?
If you’d like to skip some of the foraging and mixing work, you can just get a premixed peace lily soil from your nearest nursery, garden center, or florist.
Here are some of the great commercial soil mixes you can get:
- Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix
- Ocean Forest Potting Soil (contains peat moss)
But these may not be totally perfect for your peace lily. You may have to supplement either of them with pine barks, coarse sand, or perlite.
You can conveniently obtain these ingredients from a reputable supplier or garden shop.
Care Tips for Peace Lilies
The soil is only one aspect of taking care of a peace lily plant. Here are other useful care tips:
- You can keep the plant outdoors or indoors as long as they get bright morning sun or indirect light.
- Water the peace lily plant at least once a week, and spray the leaves with water during summer. Always water whenever the top inch of the soil has become dry.
- Place them at a spot at 65℉ to 80℉ and above 60 percent moisture level. Don’t put them close to drafty or cold windows, as this will harm the plants.
- About a month after planting, feed them with a water-soluble balanced fertilizer, for instance, one with a 20-20-20 NPK ratio. Dilute this to a quarter or half-strength so that it won’t be too strong for them.
- Repot the plant when its roots have outgrown its pot vessel.
- Keep an eye out for any signs of plant problems and address them as needed. Either correct the current soil mix or spray neem oil or insecticidal soap at the pests.
FAQS about Peace Lilies
- Are peace lilies toxic to humans or pets?
Peace lilies are toxic to humans as well as cats, dogs, and horses. So, always wear gloves when planting or handling them.
- Can I use cactus soil for peace lilies?
Cactus soil is a great alternative to a houseplant potting mix for peace lilies. The reason for this is that it fosters the aeration and drainage of the soil.
Usually, cactus soil comes with a certain texture and porosity that peace lilies love and are accustomed to growing in, similar to that in their native habitat.
- Can I use orchid soil for peace lilies?
Orchid soil can be good for your peace lily plant. This type of soil is loose and light, allowing the soil to be moist but not soggy and the water to drain out properly.
In fact, you may also want to incorporate it into your houseplant soil compost to increase its drainage.
- Do peace lilies grow well in clay pots?
Peace lilies may grow well in clay pots thanks to their porosity letting air and moisture in. Aside from that, they help to wick excess moisture away from the pot.
Terracotta and ceramic pots are made from clay and/or other materials. But we still strongly suggest using a plastic pot vessel for your peace lily.
Plastic pots allow moisture to drain out at a great rate while not letting the soil dry out too quickly like with clay pots.
