Any indoor plant people here? Have an issue.

DVFlyer wrote: Need help with a Peace Lilly in my office. Bought this plant about a month or so ago. At first all the leaves drooped and fell so I thought I was watering it too little now maybe I'm watering it too much??

It's in a plastic pot with no drainage on the bottom.

Here's what it looks like... doesn't it look sad? (warning- crappy phone pic to follow)

MommyToAshley replied: Sorry, I am no help. I am horrible with plants and can't keep them alive. I even killed a plastic plant once (put it too close to the furnace vent and the pieces holding the leaves on melted and the leaves fell off).

cameragirl21 replied: you cannot overwater that plant, it can live in water as a water plant, which is its preference. What it needs is light, though, and from the looks of that pic, it isn't getting adequate light...where are your windows?

luvmykids replied: I agree with light, and even though it's a water plant the lack of drainage might be a problem....root rot can happen even with plants who love water if there is no "flow" and the roots get moldy.

CantWait replied: Hey, is this one of those plants that have styrafomy like things flowers that grow from it? I have one of these as well and it looked horrible when we got home from vacay, like dead, but a day of water and it perked right up, but no more flowers on it

DVFlyer replied: Still trying to work out how much water this needs. It drooped a while back so I started watering it more.

I thought about not enough light also, but supposedly it needs very little light. The plant is in my office and there is a double window on one wall. The plant does not get any direct light (as suggested by information I've read about this plant).

I've heard that they can live in water... I thought that would make an interesting conversation piece for my office but haven't looked into actually re-potting it into some sort of water enclosure.

I can try to move it closer to the window- my shades are set so the light doesn't shine in my office so it still won't be getting any direct light.

Root Rot is a possibility, but the plant is so new, I didn't think that would have been a problem.

I have a Croton, a rubber plant/ tree thing and a small palm type tree that seem to be doing ok.

When they flower (and some never do after repotting) they have very pretty white flowers.

my2monkeyboys replied: I say it needs more light, too. Mine LOVE to be right on my back patio. Not directly in the sun, but with only a little shade from a nearby tree. And they do love water, but it certainly needs drainage. As for not re-blooming when they get re-potted, it's not that they won't ever bloom, but that they prefer to have a a tighter pot to make them bloom, so they spend all their energy growing roots to fill the pot. Once their roots are nice and snug again they'll start blooming. And once they do bloom it's good to give them a little plant food to help with all the energy they're putting out.

coasterqueen replied: Yep, no help. I never had luck with peace lilies. I have no luck with indoor plants anymore with the cats and dogs - I went to plastic plants.

DVFlyer replied: Ok... moved it under a window. I can adjust the blinds throughout the day so the less harsh morning sun shines on it during the say and then turn them up as it gets hotter.

Talking with a friend, she said she's seen Peace Lily's in glass vases with Beta fish in them. Now THAT would be cool. I'll have to look into it.

Thanks all.

my2monkeyboys replied: The betta vases are cool, just remember that the fish has to have access to the surface, both to eat (you do have to feed them food, regardless of what some folks think) and to breathe (they are labyrinth fish).
Keep the water changed out once a week (be sure to dechlorinate it) and you're good to go.

DVFlyer replied: More plant info...

When I moved it under the window, I figured the dead parts that I had trimmed to tops off of should probably be removed. They pulled right out of the soil and had little to no roots. They just pulled right out...

Then I noticed little worms in the soil... Reading on the internet, it appears I have bad soil so I will have to re-pot this...

Edit:

Looking on the internet, it appears having Betas in a vase isn't really healthy for the fish. To do it right, you should have an actual fish tank with a heater and filter.

Looks like I'll focus on just the plant in a regular pot for now.

cameragirl21 replied: Betas don't need a filter, you just have to change the water regularly, usually weekly. The plant roots oxygenate the water, which is all the fish need. And I doubt in Southern Cali that you'd need a heater. Most betas live in a tiny bowl where they can barely swim, plants or not, so if you get a large enough bowl and put the plant in, the fish should be fine.
And if you have worms in the soil, then yeah, that's pretty gross and probably not good for the plant...although worms are in principle, good for gardens. But what kind of worms are they...maggots? If so, then that is bad, bad for the plant and just bad all around.
If you get some organic soil with fertilizer in it, your plant will grow nicely but it needs light. Also, don't get fertilizer with too much nitrogen or all you'll have is greens and no flowers. I prefer rose fertilizer for any flowering plant as I find it creates the most blooms. Also, you can add some ironite and copper if your leaves start to turn brown or get spots on them.

DVFlyer replied: I don't think they are maggots, but I guess they could be. They are very little thin white worms. I only saw a couple but I also think I saw a couple small flies too.

I used Miracle Grow Potting soil. I found some info on a better soil mix recipe on a plant forum that I might try. I guess Peace Lily's need a very coarse mixture because their roots can't travel through dense soil. So a mix with bark and some other stuff allows space for them to grow more easily.

coasterqueen replied:
Can you use diatomacious earth on them to get rid of whatever bug there is?