Is it too late to plant Peonies now, 4/May/2006? We've just had our
garden re-landscaped and my mrs. loves them.
In My Garden Blog
Pacific Northwest
April 27, 2006
By
Patt Kasa,
Seattle, WA
If I could grow but one yellow peony, this show-stopper, 'Garden Treasure', would be my choice.
Add Punch to Your Garden with Peonies
Peonies are a theatrical bunch. Their foliage emerges in late spring, followed by big, fat flower buds. Then they wait, poised at the brink of performance, until the weather suits them, when they burst into their full glory. I wait too, in great anticipation of the spectacular and fragrant blooms that will eventually unfold.
Peony Choices
There are two kinds of peonies available in garden centers. Herbaceous peonies have tender foliage that dies to the ground at first frost. These plants grow 2 to 4 feet tall and about 2 feet wide. The tree peony grows to a height of 4 to 6 feet. I've always had better success with herbaceous peonies because tree peonies are woody and susceptible to winter injury.
Flower Types
Peony flowers are grouped according to the shape of the petals. There are five types: single, semi-double, double, Japanese, and anemone. There are many varieties within these types, and by selecting different varieties, you can effectively prolong the blooming season of peonies in your garden.
Planting Peonies
Peonies grow from tubers and are best planted in fall, but I have also had success planting them in very early spring. The tubers should be bright red in color and have three to five buds (called eyes). Plant the tubers so the buds face upward and are only 1 to 2 inches below the soil surface. If planted too deep, few flowers will be produced. Shallow planting also increases the chances of winter injury. Water plants thoroughly after planting, and add a 3-inch-thick layer of organic mulch over the top of the soil. Straw, shredded bark, or wood chips are good organic mulch options.
Peonies are relatively easy to grow and perform best in cool climates where they receive a winter chill. Provide rich, well-drained soil, and a site that receives 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day for best blooming. The plants will grow and produce handsome foliage in a shady location, but will not flower as freely. Good air circulation will reduce the chances of disease problems, especially during flowering.
Care and Maintenance
When plants start to grow in spring and shoots are 4 to 6 inches tall, I apply 1/2 cup per stem of a granular 5-10-10 fertilizer, scratching it into the soil surface and watering well. It's tempting to apply more plant food to encourage even more growth, but it's important to resist the urge to overfeed. Overfertilization results in weak stems and reduces flowering.
To keep the plants producing more flowers through the summer, I remove faded flowers as soon as they're spent. At the end of the season, when frost kills the foliage, cut it away and mulch over the soil to protect the roots during winter.
Following these simple steps will keep your peonies healthy and at peak performance all summer long.
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Comments on Add Punch to Your Garden with Peonies
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We welcome your questions and comments about this column. If you have gardening questions unrelated to the column, please ask them on our message boards.
Gordon
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Patt
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Peonies appreciate being planted in warm soils so you can plant them
now and they should bloom later this summer. They grow quite fast
when the weather is warm so stand back after planting! Hope your
Mrs. enjoys her flowers!
Rhonda
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I planted Peonies for the first time in the fall. I mistakenly
planted them about 3-4 inches deep in soil that was not ammended
with anything . The plants did sprout, and are now about 6 inches
high. Should I dig them up and replant the plants at the correct 2
inch level in better soil, or not worry about it?
Patt
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Peonies really resent having their roots disturbed once they've
begun to grow. I'd leave them as they are right now. Next winter you
can dig them up, amend the soil, then replant. They probably won't
even notice they've been transplanted - and they'll really
appreciate the rich new soil when they wake up and begin to grow.
Enjoy your peonies!
Dawn-Massachusetts
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Could you please tell me how to remove the spent flower, I wasn't
sure if you can cut the flower to bring in the house for a vase.
Will it produce more? When you say deadhead the flower, do you mean
snap it from the stem just underneath the flower? Please reply as
soon as possible, I have some beautiful flowers out there I would
love to be sure to get more once they fade. Thank you.
Patt
Normally, deadheading will encourage new flowers, but for peonies,
no amount of deadheading will trick them into repeat bloom. However,
I cut the blossoms off as they fade to keep the petals from falling
onto the leaves and to prevent seed pods from forming. The plants
look so much better after deadheading that it becomes part of my
regular list of summer chores.
You can start by cutting off individual flowers as they fade. When
the stem begins to look bare, cut some of the stem back. As I
deadhead my peonies, I trim harder than I have to, taking off as
much as a third of the foliage and shaping each plant.
Reducing their height after they bloom makes peonies more sturdy. I
can remove their stakes--metal peony hoops, in this case--and reuse
them somewhere else in the garden. The shorter, bushier plants will
stand straight and look better for the rest of the season without
support.
Training them in this way won't get peonies to re-bloom in the same
season, but I haven't noticed any adverse effects on the following
year's display.
Enjoy your peonies!