peace lily leaves turning yellow

Question

I have had a peace lily in my office for about a month now and the leaves are turning yellow. What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

There are several things that can make the peace lily leaves turn yellow — letting the soil stay too damp damages the roots so they can’t transport water, and the leaves will turn yellow; letting the soil stay too dry, thus not containing any water for the roots to transport, will turn the leaves yellow; too little light will cause leaves to turn yellow. To decide what the problem is, test the soil in the bottom of the pot with a long skewer or moisture meter. The soil should read (or feel) only slightly damp before you water again. When you water, water enough that you get 1/2″ run off, and don’t worry about dumping it out. If soil moisture seems okay, move the plant so it gets more light. If you can read easily in the place where you put the plant, there should be enough light for it.