Dear Jessica: I have had a peace lily plant for about eight years. It gets indirect sun from a southern exposure and does produce white lilies every spring. The plant has new shoots and has continued to grow, but I am thinking I need to transfer it to a bigger pot. I have put it off because I don't want to hurt the plant. If you can suggest anything I should do, I'd appreciate your expertise!
_ Audrey Ricken
Dear Audrey: Eight years is a long time to go without repotting a peace lily, so I agree it's time to do so. The plants benefit from receiving fresh potting soil every year _ in winter _ even if replanting into the same pot. Signs a plant needs a larger pot include visible roots at the top of the soil or roots that are girdling, which means growing around themselves. You can check for this easily by slipping the plant partially out of its pot and observing the soil. If there are visible roots encircling each other, the plant can't thrive (in this case, gently tease them apart before replanting, and they will begin to grow outward, as they should.) Another sign is soil that absorbs water super fast and dries out more than once a week.
