Peace lily leaves turning brown or yellow can often be traced back to insufficient light, according to houseplant specialist Darryl Cheng. One owner sought advice on the Houseplant Journal forum after their peace lily developed dry leaf tips and discoloured foliage.
Owner's Peace Lily Struggles
The owner posted a photograph showing yellow and brown foliage, explaining: "It has started getting dry tips of leaves. It's in the kitchen, I water it approximately once a week with 60ml of stale water, the temperature in the room is around 21°C to 22°C, and it is not in direct sunlight."
Cheng identified that lighting was the root cause. He recommended: "Put the plant where it can see as much of the sky as possible, and if the sun will shine directly on the plant for more than two to three hours, shield it with a white sheer curtain."
Move the Plant to See the Sky
Cheng pointed out that from the location the owner had positioned the houseplant, it has no view of the sky whatsoever. As a result, it is receiving minimal light.
He said: "Do not think of 'light' the same as 'direct sun'. You should move the plant to be right in front of that window so it can see the sky. If you have a larger window elsewhere, I would move it there."
Watering After Repositioning
After repositioning the plant, the peace lily can begin functioning properly and performing photosynthesis. Once the plant is operating effectively, watering can start.
Adding small amounts of water on a fixed timetable isn't the best watering approach. Provided the plant is now receiving enough light, the soil's moisture level should be checked daily. Cheng added: "Once you get accustomed to how quickly water gets used up, you won't need to check every day. Once it is about half as heavy as when fully soaked, you should fully soak the soil - that is, you water thoroughly and evenly and let the excess water drain away."
He also warned: "If you let a peace lily's soil get much drier, it will dramatically wilt. Just give the soil a thorough soaking immediately, and it will bounce back - avoid letting it wilt like this."
