How Long Can Peace Lilies Go Without Water?

Peace lily plant isn’t fussy and known for its ability to thrive in low light. But, this doesn’t mean that this houseplant needs no care.

Watering, sunlight and the growing medium plays vital role in growing any houseplant and peace lily isn’t an exception.

As a gardener you might be curious to know how often to water and how long peace lily can survive without water.

There is no straight forward answer for this, because while watering you must consider many factors which include climatic conditions, potting soil and location of the plant (indoor or outdoor).

Peace lily plant does well in temperature ranging from 65 to 85 F. If you kept the plant indoors, then watering twice a week will be enough.

It can survive for 10-12 days without water, but your plant will have drooping leaves signaling that it may die without water.

I highly recommend that you read this article till the end. So you can also know about the best potting soil, location and fertilizers for peace lily plant.

Also Read: Can You Put a Peace Lily Plant Outside?

Peace Lily Plant : Know About Your Plant

Known as Spathiphyllum, peace lily plant was found in wild where it got consistent water and dappled sunlight.

All you’ve to do is to replicate a similar atmosphere in your room.

With its white space flower, peace lily plant can improve your mood and contribute in adding aesthetic look to your living space.

Peace lily is a tropical plant, but long exposure to sunlight can burn its leaves. Below in this article I’ll discuss about its favorable growing conditions.

You can find different cultivars that grow from 3-6 feet long.

If you’re looking for an indoor houseplant, then go for the medium range peace lily cultivar.

How Long Can Peace Lily Plant Go Without Water?

Peace lily plant doesn’t love to stand in water all the time. But it needs water to survive.

Depending on your climatic conditions, watering twice in a week is enough for this plant to thrive.

But, will this plant survive when you’re on a vacation?

Based on experience, peace lily plant can survive 10-12 days without water.

It can vary for you because of your plant’s growing climatic condition.

Only way is to spend time with your plant and know about its requirements.

Watering schedule and the time any houseplant can survive without water varies. You can’t take 10 days as a thumb of rule for all your indoor plants. (1)

Also Read: How Often Should I Water My Prayer Plant?

Signs that Your Plant is Dying without Water

It’s a known fact that your plant under goes photosynthesis to grow and survive.

Water, sunlight and carbon dioxide, along with soil are essential for the plant to make its food.

Without water your houseplant will eventually die.

Lack of water for longer period results in:

• Drooping leaves
• Stunted plant growth
• Wilted leaves
• Dull leaves
• Dying plant

Inadequate watering will affect root system of your plant and its growth will be stunted.

Regular watering will help the plant to absorb the nutrients in the soil. When you stop watering, the plant’s root system fail to feed the required nutrients and it will affect the growth.

How to Recover from Underwatered Peace Lily Plant?

As mentioned above, drooping leaves is a major sign that your plant is fight hard to survive without water.

However, it can recover when you water them. How much it takes to recover?

• Depending on severity, if the plant is mild stressed due to lack of water then within few days you can see the plant is completely out of danger. Its foliage will be back to life with its astonishing white blossoms.
• When the plan is affected severely without water, then it may take more time may be weeks. If you continue to water and the plant at regular intervals it will be back with its dark foliage.
• However, in third case when you didn’t bother to water the plant for many weeks, then the plant will die.

Also Read: Why Is My String of Pearls Plant Dying?

How to Tell My Peace Lily Plant Needs Water?

Testing the soil with your finger is the cheapest and reliable way to know when your plant needs water.

Insert your finger in the soil up-to first knuckle. If you feel moist then it’s too early to water. If the soil is dry, then it’s time to water.

You can also use high-tech gadgets to check if the plant needs water.

Else, a skewer stick can be used to check the moisture. Insert the stick in the soil without disturbing root system and remove after 2 minutes to see the moisture marks on it.

Drooping Leaves Indicate Your Plant Needs Water

Apart from testing the soil for moisture, your plant leaves droop indicating that it is struggling for water.

Drooping or wilting of leaves can be due to disease, so if you see drooping leaves even after regular watering then you must check possible disease associated with it.

Apart from drooping, leaves turn yellow and start to drop.

Even the soil color can tell you that it needs water. As a gardener, you must keep an eye on your houseplant and plan to water at regular intervals.

Also Read: Why is My Peace Lily Turning Yellow?

Watering Peace Lily Plant

You must consider opting for the best growing medium before watering of peace lily plant.

This houseplant need well drained soil that holds moisture and is packed with nutrients.

Potting soil must include garden soil, coco peat and vermicompost.

• You can use tap water to moisturize your plant.
• Water generously, till the water follows through the drainage hole of the container.
• Watering twice in a week is recommended, but according to your climatic conditions you can regulate the frequency.

Note: Peace lily plant don’t like to sit in water, this can lead to root rot.

Water when you see the surface of the soil is dry, but don’t wait it the soil become bone dry.

Overwatering

Though, water helps the plant to prepare its own food, excess amount can result in diseases.

Test the soil as mentioned above before watering your plant.

In some cases, tap water when blocked in the container can lead to accumulation of fluoride that damages your plant. To save your plant, you’re recommended to use distilled water.

Underwatering

When you don’t water or water less, you’ll see a droopy plant.

Underwatering results in yellow edges on the foliage. This can be the sign of Underwatering.

Start watering regularly and within few days the foliage becomes new. You must trim the yellowed foliage after watering.

How to Water Peace Lily While on Vacation?

If you’re a traveler or you’re super busy person who have to travel often, then you must initially choose the houseplants that fits your lifestyle.

Prefer houseplants that don’t require lots of water and easy to care.

Peace lily can also be easy growing houseplant. But, how do you plan the vacation and watering the plant?

Arrange a Substitute Person to Water Your Plants

• If you’ve a person who can water and take care of your plants in your absence, then train him/her before leaving.
• You can place a sticky note on the plant container specifying watering schedule extra.
• Or you can actually video tape the instruction for taking care of your plant. So that he/she can go through it when needed.

Self-watering system

If you’ve more plants and have no one to look after then its recommended that you make a self-watering system for your plants.

Check out the video here.

Relocate your plant to dark location and mulch the soil, so that the moisture is locked for longer time. However, they can’t withstand more than 15 days in this case.

Conclusion

Your peace lily plant can survive without water for about 10 days. Water your plant generously with water before leaving and mulch the soil and shift the plant to darker location.