It looks like it needs a good watering. When mine wilt I know they need a good watering which perks them back up in a matter of a few hours or less.

Thank you. the soul is pretty moist and i just watered her friday

What grow medium was used for the repot?

Over-watering can elicit from plants the same symptomatic response as under-watering. When a plant is under-watered, the plant cannot maintain turgidity (its internal water pressure) due to a physical deficiency of water, so it wilts. In the case of over-watering, it's necessary to understand that roots need an adequate oxygen supply in order to take up and move water efficiently. A grow medium that compacts easily or one made of particles so fine that water retention is excessive, can limit oxygen availability, and in doing so limits the plant's ability to maintain turgidity.

Very often, re plants which have been over-watered, turgidity increases/ wilting decreases as night approaches and the plant prepares to enters the dark cycle. One of the plant's natural responses to the dark cycle is closing of small openings in leaves called stomata, which facilitate gas exchange between leaf tissues and the air surrounding the plant. When stomata close, it limits loss of water vapor through the openings, which allows turgidity to increase.

The reason I asked about what was used as the new grow medium centers on the idea that correcting the physiological by changing the grow medium would require using a more appropriate medium if you prefer the correction to be a passive thing (requiring no additional effort by the grower); or additional steps must be taken to limit the volume of excess water the planting can hold. These steps could be active or passive. An example of an active step would be tipping the pot to a 45* angle after a thorough watering.

(Compare B to A below to see how well this works)

A passive way to remove excess water might be by using ballast (see D) or a wick (see E).

How do you know the planting will need water on Friday? Plants are best watered at varying intervals established solely on the plant's actual NEED for water. The best instrument to help you determine when it's time to water is not a finger stuck into the soil, or a "water meter". In fact, using a finger to test for moisture is pretty much a recipe for over-watering, unless the pot is less than 5" deep. A wooden "tell" you can easily make from a wooden dowel rod works admirably.

Using a 'tell'

Over-watering saps vitality and is one of the most common plant assassins, so learning to avoid it is worth the small effort. Plants make and store their own energy source – photosynthate - (sugar/glucose). Functioning roots need energy to drive their metabolic processes, and in order to get it, they use oxygen to burn (oxidize) their food. From this, we can see that terrestrial plants need plenty of air (oxygen) in the soil to drive root function. Many off-the-shelf soils hold too much water and not enough air to support the kind of root health most growers would like to see; and, a healthy root system is a prerequisite to a healthy plant.

Watering in small sips leads to avoid over-watering leads to a residual build-up of dissolved solids (salts) in the soil from tapwater and fertilizer solutions, which limits a plant's ability to absorb water – so watering in sips simply moves us to the other horn of a dilemma. It creates another problem that requires resolution. Better, would be to simply adopt a soil that drains well enough to allow watering to beyond the saturation point, so we're flushing the soil of accumulating dissolved solids whenever we water; this, w/o the plant being forced to pay a tax in the form of reduced vitality, due to prolong periods of soil saturation. Sometimes, though, that's not a course we can immediately steer, which makes controlling how often we water a very important factor.

In many cases, we can judge whether or not a planting needs watering by hefting the pot. This is especially true if the pot is made from light material, like plastic, but doesn't work (as) well when the pot is made from heavier material, like clay, or when the size/weight of the pot precludes grabbing it with one hand to judge its weight and gauge the need for water.

Fingers stuck an inch or two into the soil work ok for shallow pots, but not for deep pots. Deep pots might have 3 or more inches of soil that feels totally dry, while the lower several inches of the soil is 100% saturated. Obviously, the lack of oxygen in the root zone situation can wreak havoc with root health and cause the loss of a very notable measure of your plant's potential. Inexpensive watering meters don't even measure moisture levels, they measure electrical conductivity. Clean the tip and insert it into a cup of distilled water and witness the fact it reads 'DRY'.

One of the most reliable methods of checking a planting's need for water is using a 'tell'. You can use a bamboo skewer in a pinch, but a wooden dowel rod of about 5/16” (75-85mm) would work better. They usually come 48” (120cm) long and can usually be cut in half and serve as a pair. Sharpen all 4 ends in a pencil sharpener and slightly blunt the tip so it's about the diameter of the head on a straight pin. Push the wooden tell deep into the soil. Don't worry, it won't harm the root system. If the plant is quite root-bound, you might need to try several places until you find one where you can push it all the way to the pot's bottom. Leave it a few seconds, then withdraw it and inspect the tip for moisture. For most plantings, withhold water until the tell comes out dry or nearly so. If you see signs of wilting, adjust the interval between waterings so drought stress isn't a recurring issue.

Al

Hello there thank you so much for your response i attached a picture of the soul i used. my plan usually needs watering every 6-8 days so thats why i assumed Friday. i read your post and honestly a lot went over my head but my major take away was to measure the moisture with a tool. do you recommend a tool?

The part under the bold print "Using a Tell" (in my reply above) describes the tool, how to make it for almost nothing, and how to use it.

If there is something you don't understand, ask for clarification. Knowledge is by far the fastest path to a green thumb because you can learn in a day what might take years to learn through trial and error.

Miracle Grow potting medium is very water-retentive, so getting your watering intervals correct and using other methods of limiting how much water a planting can hold is essential if your wish is to offer your plants the best opportunity to to realize as much of their potential as possible.

This Overview of Good Growing Practices was written with less experienced growers in mind. It too, stresses the importance of grow medium choice and good watering habits.

Al

Oh my gosh so let me tell you my peace lilly story and what finally turned it around. i got one from Home Depot, it was gorgeous, but soon got droopy. i thought it needed sun and put it outside on the patio. Huge mistake. The sun made it flop over like it had heat stroke. i moved it under the covered patio where it then got rained on and fell out of its pot. So I brought it in the house and replanted it with fresh soil and miracle grow mix plant feed. It looked better after two weeks then started looking weird again. i thought it didnt like the lighting in the spot it was in and moved it all over the dang house and it didnt improve. I thought maybe it didnt like the chlorine in my well water so i switched to bottled water. then i thought i was underwatering it. it still drooped. then i thought i was over watering it, and still it drooped. i was going to give up and toss it till i found a forum that said some plants are chemically sensitive and to use only distilled water. so for the past 14 days Ive been giving him 8oz distilled water x5 days then nothing for two. then repeated 5 days of 8oz distilled water and nothing for two days and it has been a miracle. the leaves have uncurled and arent drooping but standing straight up and there are two places where it looks like flowers are about to start growing from!!

this is such improvement, two weeks ago the leaves were drooped over so far they were touching the pedastal the plant is sitting on. so my lesson learned. keep them hydrated with room temperature distilled water because they like their soil warm and moist. good luck !

Thank you so much i will do this i was using tap water

I purchased a peace lily with a wick system several months ago. I love it!! It's in a special pot system similar to a self-watering thing. When it needs repotting I'm going to have to figure out how to replicate this system.

Plus, it is in a very visible spot, so I can easily see the beginning of any wilt if the wick has dried out.

Te Peezy, have you seen any improvement?

I have not seen an inprovement. no delicine yet no improvment. i am considering repotting it to a smaller pot

I wouldnt repot it until its healthier, that stresses a plant and it will go into shock. It looks droopy like mine did. i think it honestly needs a lot more water. keep us updated :)

My new growth is standing so tall now

I am very afraid to over water it

She looks wonderful

Peace Lily should not be that difficult to get a response. Has it looked like that since your first post? If so, it seems something else is going on.

I always use a moisture meter. https://www.amazon.com/Dr-meter-Moisture-Hygrometer-Outdoor-S10/dp/B00PTLGKSQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?crid=2V1VQTWPB2OQ1&keywords=moisture+meter&qid=1651415678&sprefix=moisture%2Caps%2C228&sr=8-6

What kind of light is it getting?

Plenty right by the window

Being straightforward, wishing your plant will suddenly turn itself around isn't effective. Fixing the issue requires the grower to be proactive. You already have the information you need, but you must be wiling to implement it if you're to be able to realistically expect improvement.

The key is, if the plant is wilting while you can still detect moisture in the pot, you're almost certainly over-watering.

Al

Thank you for this. i am unsure of where to go. Some say to water it, others say not to. i believe that the moisture is sufficient and cant do every suggestion offered because it would leave me apinning my wheels. so far, ive repotted, measured moisture levels with tools, water regularly, give ample sunlight and shes still droopy. im unsure of what advice im not ”willing to implement” that has been suggested.

Hi Te, so sorry that your lily is struggling. You may have figured this out by now, but I've just used an inexpensive (dollar store) wood paintbrush handle as a "tell" when necessary. Given the list of all the things you've tried, have you thought of moving it? It could be a combination of reasons of course, but maybe there's a draft, or it can't handle direct sun. Not sure, but hoping your lily perks up. It probably takes a bit of time after trying each thing. Hoping for the best for your lily. Peace! ;-)

I once bought a box store plant that I didn't examine very well. When I got it home, I discovered it was waterlogged. It was a pot in a cache pot and it was sitting in excess undrained water.

I removed the rootball from the inner pot and let it dry out in a shady area for a couple of days.

It survived and is doing well.

I'm suspecting yours is waterlogged as Al deduced from the steps you have described.

@tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a) thank you. i went back to your original post and took my time, taking notes and digesting what yiu said. I’ll be honest and say that i experienced information overload and inmediately felt overwhelmed. This information doesnt digest ”easily” for me. what i took from your post is tipping at 45 degrees after watering with distilled water, using a Tell that i can make with bamboo sticks which ive bought to measure moisture. i think the goal is to accurateky measure the moisture, water it effectively then try to problem solve from there? did i get this correctly?

Tipping the pot is ONE method of reducing the amount of excess water a planting can hold, and anything that works toward that end is a good thing. The gist of what I said is, you're over-watering and you must get that under co. The best way to effectively monitor moisture levels deep in the pot (where it counts) is by employing the tell. Water when the tell is nearly dry at the tip after inserting it all the way to the pot bottom. Bamboo is naturally water repellent, so a birch dowel rod or other white wood dowel will work better because it's easier to read.

I use the tool bottom row second from right as a root pick during repotting. A tell looks exactly the same, though it might be longer and sharpened (in a pencil sharpener) at both ends.

Fertilizing should also be included as a regular part of your care regimen. Once you get the watering interval issue settled, that's something to think about. I recommend Foliage-Pro 9-3-6. It's complete nutrition from a single source and there are many good reasons to recommend it, if you're interested.

I left you a link upthread that provides A Basic Overview of Good Growing Practices. If you put the information to good use, it will allow you to avoid all the most common obstacles that almost inevitably befall almost every grower at some point in their journey.

Wendy mentioned her practice of depotting the plant and allowing the root mass to dry down. You can depot and set the root/soil mass on a stack of newspapers, paper bags, old towels ....... for an hour or so. This should 'pull' most of the excess water from the grow medium. From their, monitor with a 'tell' and only water when the plant is almost but not quite dry. It should soon perk up for you. You might notice that before the leaves are fully upright and perky, they might perk up at night and then return to their wilted state during the day for a day or two. View the perking up at night as a sign of progress.

Al

I did think too it might be overwatering/didn't disagree with all of the concerns expressed by other responders about overwatering, but from what Te had responded, it seemed Te was saying that they'd had done many things, including a "tell" check for moisture, and so I was hoping that this did indeed mean that a thorough check for moisture and/or dryness had been done, and adding my comment for encouragement versus browbeating. But definitely if it's too moist then stopping or reducing the watering (PS - whatever Te has described as "regular" watering means, I am not sure as this is subjective; how often? how much?) does seem like a good idea. Best to everyone.

Thank you so much

Thank you so much. @tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a) I just printed this article

HU+digits - watering correctly isn't subjective in the sense that it pivots on the whim of the grower. IOW, given plant A, there is only 1 best way to water plant A, and no one can suggest an appropriate watering interval because that factor is in constant flux due to the fact that how much water the plant uses and weather's impact on evapotranspiration (water use by the plant + evaporation). How much to water: Ideally, a grower should be able to water to beyond the point of complete saturation of the grow medium, completely wetting the soil column, with at least 20% of the total volume of water applied exiting the drain hole, carrying any accumulating dissolved solids out of the pot in the waste water. If a grow medium won't support that type of watering without the plant having to pay a tax on root function/health due to prolonged periods of soil saturation, the grow medium is inappropriate. If watering intervals are much more than 3-5 days, it's a good bet (read a near certainty) the extended interval between waterings means varying degrees of potential are left lying on the table. It's very expensive in terms of energy outlay when saturated soil and the grower's watering habits come together to set up the cyclic death and regeneration of roots. Root growth always precedes top growth, so when saturated soil kills the heavy lifters (fine roots), t he top cannot grow until roots have regenerated enough mass to support additional top growth.

Watering in small sips brings its own issues, namely, it ensures that all dissolved solids (salts) in tapwater and fertilizer solutions remain in the grow medium where they can A) accumulate to the point water uptake by the plant becomes impossible, or B) the ratio of nutrients in the soil solution becomes so skewed that an excess of nutrient X limits the plant's ability to take up nutrient Y - see "antagonistic deficiency".

Watering is an art. When a bonsai master takes on an apprentice, the first thing he is taught is how/ when to water. Once (s)he understands that critical aspect of plant care, only then is the apprentice allowed to start venturing into other areas of plant care.

Finally, if you're talking about me 'browbeating' Te, now that is subjective. I made a judgement call based on what I was reading in this thread and decided I would simply be straightforward and lay out the fact that (s)he is overlooking the remedy. My intent certainly was not to browbeat anyone. In order to come to that conclusion, you must overlook the several sincere and helpful posts, all dedicated to providing resolution to the issue Te is trying to deal with. I think Te fully understands I have his/ his plant's best interests at heart, and I think I was correct in my belief all that was needed was a little nudge.

Al

Water it, do notit soak, allow the leaves-to readjust then repot in a larger pot (2-3 inches larger in diameter and 3-6 inches in height)

I thoroughly disagree with that plan for many reasons, but I'd be very interested in learning what the thought process was that allowed you to make those conclusions.

Al