Houseplant owners should be aware that peace lilies’ natural blooming season is just around the corner, and there is a simple way to ensure you get a magnificent display of flowers.
Peace lilies grow best in spring when warmer temperatures and longer daylight hours encourage them to begin producing new flowers.
However, it is important to provide the best environment for your houseplants and ensure they are fertilised, as they need certain nutrients to grow.
Anup Poojary, an expert from My Dear Plants, has shared that to keep peace lilies “healthy and fit”, they must have phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen in their soil.
He said: “Choosing the right fertiliser for peace lily matters a lot as this will help it bloom when the right amount of nutrients are available for its consumption.”
You can simply go to your local garden centre and buy a commercial fertiliser with these nutrients, but you can save money and cut down on food waste by using natural scraps you would have thrown away anyway.
How to naturally fertilise peace lilies
The best natural fertiliser for peace lilies is well-rotted compost, and you can make a simple compost tea with just three ingredients.
Compost tea is a gentle and nutrient-rich method to support strong growth and ensure you get more flowers on your peace lily without over-fertilising it.
However, make sure to strain your compost tea and mix it with plenty of water. Peace lilies will only need to be fed a fertiliser once every four to six weeks to reap the benefits.
Anup said: “Dilute the compost tea with water (1:10 ratio) before applying. This could be a good plant food for peace lily and easy to make at home.”
What to put in your compost tea
Banana peels
Banana peels are rich in potassium, which encourages growth on a peace lily, and they also contain phosphorus, a nutrient essential for flower production.
All you need to do is place your banana peels in a jar of water and let them sit for at least 24 hours in the fridge.
When the time is up, use the nutrient-rich liquid to add to your compost tea. Do not directly add the banana peels to the soil, as this can encourage pests.
Eggshells
Peace lilies also benefit from calcium in their soil, which is why eggshells are a fantastic food scrap. Calcium supports root health, which makes the plant stronger and helps prevent diseases.
Wash the eggshells thoroughly to remove any egg residue, dry them, and crush them using a blender until they are a fine powder. Then, use this powder in your compost tea.
Do not add unwashed eggshells directly to houseplant soil as any remaining egg can encourage pests. You can add dried-out eggshells to your compost tea but it will not be as effective as crushing them up as it will take longer for the soil to break them down.
Coffee
Coffee grounds contain nitrogen, which is essential to get vibrant and bigger foliage, but it only makes the soil slightly acidic, which peace lilies will love.
Anup said: “Coffee grounds can help lower the pH of the soil, making it more suitable for peace lilies. Adding coffee grounds improves soil structure and water retention by increasing organic matter content.”
However, be careful when using coffee grounds in your compost tea, as too much acidity in the soil can halt flower production.
You only need one or two teaspoons of coffee grounds in your compost tea for it to work and help your peace lilies flower.
