If you have a peace lily and you are about to move it into a larger container, you might be wondering how you can choose the best pot to ensure that the peace lily thrives. The right pot can make a big difference, so it’s important to consider it before selecting one.
A good peace lily pot will be a little bigger than its current container and will have multiple drainage holes at the bottom. It should be both deep enough and wide enough to accommodate the plant’s root ball, with a little additional space for the roots to grow into, but not too much space.
Choosing the right pot can take a bit of time, but it’s worth doing. You will probably repot your peace lily about once per year, so we’re going to look at pot size, material, style, and drainage holes below!
What Factors Are Important To Think About When Choosing A Pot?
There are quite a few things you should consider when you are selecting your peace lily’s next container. Choosing with care will give your plant the best possible chances of success because it will mean it has the right amount of space and the correct drainage.
When you select your pot, you should think about:
- The container’s diameter
- The container’s depth
- The container’s drainage holes
- Whether the container will fit in the right place in your home
- The appearance
- The material
That are quite a few things to bear in mind, so don’t rush to grab the first pot you see. Your peace lily will be much happier if you select the container with care and make sure that it is a good fit. Let’s look at each of the above factors in more detail so you can make sure your plant goes into a pot that will suit it.
1) The Container’s Diameter
The diameter of the container is important to consider, and it’s often the thing that at least partially determines whether the pot is large enough to accommodate your peace lily or not.
You should make sure that it is a little bigger than your peace lily’s current container, maybe by about an inch, or possibly 2 inches if the current one is very tight.
Most peace lilies will never need a container that is more than 10 inches across. This is because few peace lilies get enormous, although some can reach a few feet. If your plant is a particularly big one, a larger container may be necessary, but on the whole, 10 inches should be sufficient.
However, peace lilies don’t like to be kept in containers that are too big for their current needs, so don’t jump to a 10-inch diameter pot straight away. Scale up gradually until the plant needs the full pot size.
Having a pot that is too large often leads to over-watering and doesn’t benefit the plant in any significant way. You will still need to repot the peace lily about once per year to aerate the soil and replenish the nutrients, so repotting it into a big container has no noticeable benefits.
2) The Container’s Depth
Similarly, the depth of the container matters and you should choose with care. Again, peace lilies do not need particularly deep containers and a very deep pot will often result in watering problems.
In deep containers, water tends to sit at the bottom, causing the risk of root rot. It makes it hard to tell when your peace lily needs a drink.
Select a container that is a little deeper than your plant’s current root ball, giving it room to grow, but not too much space. Make sure it is deep enough to allow the top of the peace lily’s root ball to be around 1 inch or at least half an inch below the rim of the container.
You might find it helps to put your uprooted peace lily in the container to check the size before you start filling the container with soil. As long as the peace lily has a little wriggle room both to the sides and bottom, the container should be suitable.
As mentioned above, excessively large pots don’t offer any significant advantages, so don’t put your peace lily in a huge container. Choose one that is roomy, with a little space to grow in both directions.
3) The Container’s Drainage Holes
The drainage holes are one of the most important things to look at when choosing your plant’s pot. Peace lilies like to be watered regularly and prefer damp compost, but they do not like being waterlogged.
Because you need to water a peace lily quite frequently, a pot with poor drainage poses real risks to the health of your plant. If the roots cannot drain and are in constant contact with water, they will quickly start to rot.
The pot should have more than one drainage hole of a reasonably large size. Having just one drainage hole is risky, because the hole can get clogged up with grit or soil, and then your peace lily will be sitting in water again. Make sure that the pot you choose has several good drainage holes.
No matter how much you like a container, do not use it if it doesn’t have proper drainage. You may be able to drill some holes if you are handy with a tool and the material is suitable.
4) Where The Container Will Fit
You should also think about where the container will fit in your home. If your peace lily is currently standing on a narrow shelf and you want to put it in a bigger container, make sure that it will fit on the shelf first.
If the container doesn’t fit where the peace lily was before, you will need to locate a more suitable spot for it before you decide that the container will work. Otherwise, there is a risk of you potting up the peace lily and then finding out that the pot won’t fit anywhere suitable for the plant.
Peace lilies are quite flexible, but they don’t like direct sunlight, so don’t choose a container that will only fit on a sunny windowsill.
5) The Appearance
Naturally, the pot’s appearance should also be taken into account. Everyone will have different opinions on how they like a pot to look, so choose one that you feel complements your peace lily well.
Peace lilies are subtle, elegant plants, and that means that they can be paired with almost any aesthetic. If you want the pot to be the center of attention, choose a bright, jazzy design. If you would rather create a more subdued look, you can opt for something plainer.
The appearance of the pot won’t make any difference to how well the peace lily grows, but it will make a difference to how much you enjoy your plant – so don’t dismiss the aesthetics as unimportant.
6) The Material
Containers come in many different materials, including terracotta, plastic, ceramic, and wood. Any material should be fine for potting your peace lily in, provided the container is suitable in other ways. Some people prefer terracotta containers because they breathe better and allow for moisture exchange.
On the other hand, some people feel that plastic containers hold water better, and their peace lilies stay watered for longer. Some of this comes down to personal preference and your watering habits. If you need to drill drainage holes, this will be easier in plastic than in clay or ceramic.
How Do You Know If Your Peace Lily Needs Repotting?
Most people repot their peace lilies about once per year, and this can be a good guide if you are uncertain about how often you should do it. However, you may also keep an eye out for signs that the peace lily is outgrowing its current container, as being badly root bound isn’t very good for your plant.
The best way to tell when a peace lily needs repotting is to lift the container and look at the drainage holes. If you can see roots poking through these holes, the plant has outgrown its current space and needs a new container.
Alternatively, pick the peace lily up. If the pot is very light and water runs straight through it, the chances are that most of the soil has been used up and the peace lily needs more space.
Learn more about this subject in this article: 6 Signs Your Peace Lily Needs Repotting and How To Do It.
Conclusion
Choosing the right pot for a peace lily isn’t generally too difficult. You simply need to choose a container that will give the plant a few more inches of space in both directions, and one with good drainage holes so that the water can run out of the bottom.