I'm a gardening expert, don't make this huge mistake with peace lilies - they hate it

Gardeners make a key mistake with peace lilies that the flowering plants "hate", a gardening expert has warned. Peace lilies are known for their rich shiny green leaves and pretty, flower-like spathes, that normally emerge in Spring.

They're native to tropical regions of the Americas and southeast Asia but have since become a popular feature in gardens all over the world. Peace lilies are known to have air-purifying qualities making them great for inside the home, and also don't require as much attention as other plants, making them a popular choice.

But Chris Collins, head of organic horticulture at sustainble gardening charity Garden Organic cautions green-fingered Britons against an easy but big mistake that could hold them back from reaching their full potential.

Chris told Express.co.uk: "Good quality compost is the essential ingredient in houseplant care, and the biggest mistake people make is to grow their houseplants in poor, stodgy compost.

Spathiphyllums, the botanical name for the plants, particularly "hate this", he continued.

"As they're forest floor plants, they like humus-rich, open soil full of organic matter."

Chris says he likes to "make up my own compost mix using 70% good quality peat-free compost, 20% bark and 10% loam".

He adds that gardeners could also add a bit of silver sand to help keep their lilies happy and well nourished.

And while the plants are known for being more hardy and self-reliant than others, do they need some love to keep them ticking over?

As well as watering, "they like a nice organic liquid feed such as seaweed, or a slow release comfrey pellet, now and again", Chris says.

However, he recommended against artificial fertilizers because, "as well as not being good for the environment, they act like a speedy sugar hit for the plants, creating sappy growth that can increase aphids and other 'pest' insects".