Spathiphyllum: planting and care

Another name for the indoor plant Spathiphyllum is "Women's happiness". The flower belongs to the Aroid family. The homeland of Spathiphyllum is equatorial Latin America and the Philippine Islands. Besides that flower is able to decorate any room, it has a number of useful qualities: it is able to absorb such hazardous substances in the atmosphere as carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, benzenes, trichlorethylenes, xylenes. It moisturizes the room, eliminates mold spores, enriching the room with ions and phytoncides.

Spathiphyllum - home care

The breeding method is dividing by bushes. It is better to do this in the spring, when a flower transplant is carried out. Leave 2-3 leaves on each bush. Prepare the substrate where you will plant the leaves, it is sold in specialized stores or is prepared on its own.

Components that are added to the ground:

• peat;
• humus;
• sand with perlite.

If there is already a universal soil, then charcoal or coconut fiber is often added there. It so happens that the delenki remain without roots, in this case, root them in sand or perlite. Such leaves hardly take root, so you need to create conditions for them by covering them with a film or placing them in a special greenhouse, so conditions with high humidity will be created. From time to time, the place where the plant is planted is needed, to moisten and air. When the plant takes root, it must be transplanted into a separate container with a pre-prepared substrate.

If you want to plant a plant at home, then you need to know its main features:

1. Do not place the spathiphyllum pot in direct sunlight as the flower will stop growing. The darkened side is considered ideal.
2. The plant withers with abundant watering or with its lack. After a short time, the flower will let you know about it with its unsightly appearance. If you notice this, then remove the plant from the pot along with the roots and see if there is any mold on them. If the decay process has just begun, then the damaged elements should be removed.
3. Spathiphyllum does not tolerate sudden changes in temperature. In winter, do not place the pot close to heating devices, but you should not overcool the plant either. The average temperature ideal for a flower is + 22-23 ºС.

How to transplant Spathiphyllum

Spathiphyllum is transplanted depending on the age of the plant. If the age of the flower is small, then it requires an annual transplant, an adult plant can be transplanted less often, every 3-5 years. In large plants, it is necessary to renew the upper part of the soil before this. The transplant is best done in spring, but this should be done so as not to damage the root system. The pot is selected a few centimeters wider, no more, otherwise a large capacity will slow down the flowering rate of spathiphyllum. First, lay a drainage layer on the bottom of the pot, since this species does not tolerate stagnant moisture.

If the plant is sick and needs to be reanimated, then spathiphyllum is transplanted with a complete change of soil. If you cannot free the roots from the ground, then soak them in a basin of water.

Why Spathiphyllum leaves turn black

Blackened leaves of a flower may indicate disturbances in the underground part of the plant. If you do not take any measures, then the root will begin to die off and the spathiphyllum will soon die. It is worth considering the reasons why the leaves of this type of indoor plants turn black:

1. Lack of moisture in the air and soil. Remember that spathiphyllum is a tropical flower and loves high humidity. And if you have a heating system in your apartment, then think about what your favorite flower is like in such conditions. To prevent the plant from drying out, you need to monitor the following things:
   • you need to wipe the spathiphyllum leaves with a damp cloth;
   • spray it regularly from a spray bottle;
   • from time to time, place the pot in the bathtub and water it from the shower - while the water temperature should not exceed + 20 ° C.
2. If the plant is flooded with water. Most often this happens in winter, when watering must be reduced, since the soil dries longer at this time. The way out in this case is as follows: if you notice blackening of the leaves, then check the flower tray, if there is moisture in it, then reduce the amount of water for irrigation. In cold weather, you do not need to shower the plant with a shower so often, especially with cold water. Remove the flower from the container along with the soil and inspect the root system. If you notice a rotting root, then remove it. Replace the entire primer if necessary.
3. Lowering the air temperature. + 15 ° С for a heat-loving flower will already be a low temperature. In addition, spathiphyllum does not like drafts. Correct these gaps immediately.
4. Too much feeding or, on the contrary, if it is missing. Leaves may turn black due to a lack of nitrogen or complex fertilizers.

Why Spathiphyllum does not bloom  

Many are outraged that they are caring for the spathiphyllum, grooming and cherishing it, but he never once thanked the grower with his snow-white flowers. In this case, there are also some tricks. First, you need to inspect the flower, its leaves, if they are not changed, then perhaps the spathiphyllum is still young, and flowering is expected only in the future.

If the flower has been in your house for several years, and its leaves are small, then most likely the spathiphyllum is cramped in the pot, it is necessary to change it to a wider container. When the flower changes its place, and even after a normal transplant, you may notice dried leaves on it. Do not panic, the plant adapts to new conditions and a slight soreness is a natural phenomenon. Soon, the roots will get used to the new soil, and the spathiphyllum will return to its normal state.

Too much nitrogen in the soil makes the leaves brighter, but inhibits the flowering process of the plant. If you know about this in advance, then you will not begin to add this trace element more than necessary.

Spathiphyllum leaves dry

There are also several reasons why the leaves of the plant become dry:

1. If, having bought a plant, you notice after a few days that its leaves began to turn yellow and the edge dries up, then try to transplant the purchase into a different soil. It is possible that the soil is not fertilized with anything.
2. Spathiphyllum needs to be watered with special regularity. Otherwise, its leaves will dry out and the plant will completely disappear.
3. Another reason for dry leaves is watering the plant with cold water, especially during the winter. Spathiphyllum should be watered with water at room temperature. It is better to pour water into the watering can in advance and leave to settle and warm up for a day.

Now you know the reasons for the dryness and blackening of the leaves of the plant, found out why spathiphyllum may not give flowers, ways of caring for it. With proper care, this representative of the home flora will delight you with regular flowering.