Peonies are fantastic flowers that don't require excessive care, so they are a great choice for those who don't want to have to rearrange their garden every spring. These plants, in fact, are able to bloom continuously every year, for decades or even for over a century. If you plant them at the right depth in well-drained, organically-rich soil, you will be able to enjoy their flowering for a long time and with very little care.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Choosing the Place to Plant Peonies
Step 1. Plant them in the fall
Peonies grow more lush if they are planted in the fall, before the first frost. They can also be planted in spring, but in this case they tend to develop more slowly and there is a risk that they will not bloom for one or two years.
Step 2. Choose a place that is exposed to the sun for 6-8 hours a day
Failing that, you can plant peonies even in a less sunny area, but growth and flowering will be slower.
Peonies grow best in continental climates, which are characterized by rather severe winters. If you live in a very cold region, they might benefit from afternoon shade, after enjoying full sunlight in the morning
Step 3. Plant them 90cm apart
Try to place each root system 90 cm away from each other. Peonies are often used in flower beds, but they must be kept away from trees and bushes, which with their woody roots can steal the organic substances they feed on from these splendid flowers.
- To avoid fungal infections, it is important to keep peonies apart from each other and to eliminate weeds to ensure air circulation.
- Tree peonies grow best when spaced 1.2 meters apart. If you don't know which variety your peony plants belong to, check out the growing section in this article.
Step 4. Avoid areas where you have already planted other peonies
These flowers can cause problems if they grow in areas where other peonies were present that have depleted the soil of nutrients. By following the steps in the section concerning cultivation, it is possible to neutralize this effect, but in any case do not underestimate the risk of fungal infections, so make a reasoned choice.
Step 5. Try to shelter peonies from strong winds
This is especially true for tree peonies, which grow into small bushes that can break in the wind. If you live in an area with particularly strong winds, plant any variety of peony under the shelter of a wall or fence. Even a large tree could provide sufficient protection, but it should be placed at least 3 meters away, so that the roots do not compete with the peony for the supply of nutrients present in the soil.
Part 2 of 3: Planting the Peonies
Step 1. Identify the variety your peonies belong to
Peonies are divided into one variety: herbaceous and arboreal. The former are generally sold in the form of dry bulbs and develop flowers on herbaceous green stems. The latter are usually characterized by woody stems connected directly to the root system and develop in the form of bushes. The latter type also has a wrinkled protuberance at the roots, which assumes a consistency very similar to that of the bark where there was a grafting of two different varieties of tree peonies aimed at obtaining a hybrid of superior quality. Read the following instructions for growing both varieties, but be prepared to plant them at different depths:
- Herbaceous peonies grow when the bulb is planted to a depth of 5 cm.
- Tree peonies grow best when planted 10-15cm deep, with at least one tip of the main stem sticking out of the ground.
Step 2. If the soil needs to be enriched with nutrients, dig a hole 30-45cm deep and equally wide
Peonies should not be planted at this depth, but unless the soil is rich in nutrients already at this distance from the surface, such a deep hole serves to enrich it and make it fertile so that it welcomes the roots of peonies that will develop in depth over time.. For the same reason it is recommended that the hole also has a minimum diameter of 45 cm.
If the soil is already rich in nutrients, well drained and at least 45 cm deep, skip to the next step
Step 3. Add well-drained, nutrient-rich potting soil to the bottom of the hole
Put 5-10 cm of dark-colored compost, seasoned manure or pine courtes on the bottom. If the soil is not well drained or is low in nutrients, mix it with the organic material at your disposal in equal parts and set aside to fill the hole later.
To test the degree of water absorption by the soil, dig a 30 cm hole and fill it with water. Wait for it to absorb, then refill it a second time. Estimate the amount drained in an hour or after fifteen minutes (in this case multiply by four) in order to understand how much water it can absorb in an hour. Well-drained soil suitable for peonies should absorb 2.5-15cm per hour
Step 4. Add fertilizer and other nutrients (optional)
To accelerate the growth of peonies, you could add 60ml of balanced fertilizer to the bottom of the hole. Some gardeners also mix 120ml of bone meal or superphosphate to further nourish the soil.
If the pH test detects that the soil is acidic (pH below 6), add two handfuls of lime to rebalance it
Step 5. Fill most of the hole with rich, compact soil
Once you've enriched the soil by preparing it for root growth, fill most of the hole with organic, draining soil, leaving a few inches of space at the top. Mix the compost or any other material used to cover the bottom of the hole with the soil from your garden in equal parts, and then use the mixture obtained to finish filling it. Compact with a shovel as you go, pressing hard.
Step 6. Plant the herbaceous peonies so that the buds protrude 5 cm from the surface
Place the peony bulbs in the hole, with the tender buds facing up and the long roots down. The buds should not be more than 5 cm from the surface, otherwise the plant risks not sprouting. Continue adding soil around the peony until the soil is level, pressing gently to remove any air pockets that may dry out the plant.
Peony varieties that bloom early, especially in warmer climates, tend to grow best when planted just 2.5cm deep, as they sprout early during the growing season
Step 7. Plant the tree peonies 10-15cm below the surface
Tree peonies, with woody branches attached to the root bushes, are sold with a stem grafted onto the roots. Locate the wrinkled bump where the stem and roots have joined and proceed to plant the bump so that it stays 10-15cm deep.
Step 8. Water generously
Give the newly planted bulbs a good watering to help the surrounding soil stabilize. Until the first frost, or until the plant emerges if buried in spring, keep the soil moist, being careful not to soak it with water.
Step 9. Mulch only in winter
A 5-10 cm layer of mulch or a protective plastic film can protect peonies from winter frost. In any case, this protection should be removed after the last frost before spring, otherwise the peonies risk not being able to cross this additional barrier.
There is no need to water when the plants are dormant during the winter
Part 3 of 3: Caring for Peonies
Step 1. Water sporadically
Peonies are hardy plants that tolerate drought and only need about 2.5cm of water per week during the summer. Only increase the amount if they look dry and withered.
Step 2. Fertilize infrequently
Fertilizer is optional, but you may want to apply one that is low in hydrogen, such as a 5-10-10 mix, or organic compost, no more than once every couple of years. Apply it by forming a circle around the peonies and avoiding direct contact with the base of the plant.
The various manuals on peony growing provide different information on fertilization. In this article you will find conservative indications: peonies grow well without fertilizer and can develop weak stems and fewer flowers if the use of fertilizer is excessive. If the stems are weakening so much that they cannot support the flowers, consider a gardener's tripod with a metal ring to support them
Step 3. Get support if needed
If the peony grows a lot or develops particularly large flowers, it is preferable to use a cage or a plant stand. A metal cage in the shape of a tripod or with a grid is perfect. Create the support in the spring.
Step 4. Leave the ants on the peonies
You will see several of them feeding on the nectar of the flowers, but they rarely harm the plant. Peonies are resistant to most pests, but if you notice an infection from other insects, or the development of a fungus, consult a gardener or botanist with expertise in local parasitic species. As for the diseases, generally those affecting the peony are caused by the humidity present in the environment.
Step 5. Remove the withered flowers
Remove the flowers as soon as they wither. If you leave them on the plant, you will encourage the development of seeds that will take away a large amount of nutrients. Immediate cutting of dead flowers will promote stronger growth and prolonged flowering.
Step 6. Remove leaves from tree peonies in the fall
If they turn into a bush with woody branches, they are tree peonies. Remove the leaves in the fall, when the cold and frost season begins, leaving the branches bare: more flowers will bloom next year.
If the bare stems have holes, it could be a sign of pest attack. Contact a gardener or botanist who can give you precise instructions on pest control methods
Step 7. Cut the herbaceous peonies down to ground level in the fall
Since peonies are perennials, the roots survive for several years, while the flowers grow, bloom and die each spring. When the green stems of the herbaceous variety turn brown and die in late spring, prune the plant to ground level. To do this, wait until the first strongest frost.
Warning: Do not put dead peonies in the pile to make compost as they can transmit fungal infections and in this way spread them to other plants. Instead, burn them or throw them away
Advice
- After no less than ten years try to dig up the roots, cut them in half or into three parts with a sterilized knife and plant them again as separate plants. Each section should have at least 3-5 buds. This operation must be carried out in autumn, following the instructions provided previously. Keep in mind that once divided plants may not bloom for the first two to three years.
- There are several varieties of peonies that sprout in early, mid or late spring. If you want them to bloom all spring, plant three different varieties with different flowering times.
- It is possible to prune and reduce tree peonies to six or ten main stems, but normally this is only necessary once every couple of years.
