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Peony care and frequently asked questions

Master Gardener

Peonies are one of the best-known and dearly loved perennials. This is hardly surprising considering their beauty, fragrance, trouble-free nature and longevity. Spring and fall are both good times to buy and plant peonies in Minnesota. When you choose plants, consider the flower type and color you want. Peonies have a beautiful display of flowers every spring, and glossy dark green foliage that stays attractive from early spring until a killing frost.

If a peony is well situated and happy, it may bloom for 100 years or more with little or no attention. This means it is worth spending some time before you plant to choose the right planting location and preparing the soil. Peonies prefer a sunny location with well-drained soil. Good air circulation around the plant is also important. Allow at least four feet between standard varieties. To prepare the planting hole for a peony, dig the soil to a depth of 12-18” and use a garden fork to loosen the sides of the planting hole. Add a shovelful of compost and a handful of an all-purpose granular fertilizer, to the bottom of the hole and then add a shovelful of the original soil. Note: It is very important that the “eyes“, or growth nodes, located near the base of the old stem, end up no more than 2” below the soil surface. If the peony root is positioned deeper than this, the plant may grow well, but it will produce few if any blooms.

Peonies rarely bloom the first year after planting. It may take three years before you see an abundant display of flowers. But once the plants do start blooming, you can look forward to a lifetime of beautiful flowers.

Peony plants rarely need dividing. If a clump becomes too large for a given space, or you wish to share some of the plant with a friend, fall is the ideal time for dividing. Cut back the foliage and carefully lift the entire plant out of the ground. Use a sharp knife to cut apart some of the plant, making sure to create generous clumps of roots with at least three to five eyes per clump. Reposition the original plant back in the hole, taking care not to break off any of the relatively brittle roots or leave large pockets of air in the planting hole. Water until you are sure the moisture has reached the bottom of the hole and that the soil has settled around the roots. Plants that have been divided in the fall may not bloom the following spring, but will return to normal the next season.

To prepare a newly transplanted peony for its first winter, apply mulch to the base of the plant to prevent heaving damage during periods of alternate freezing and thawing of the soil. Avoid using manure as mulch unless it is well-decomposed. After establishment, peonies are considered hardy and need little winter care.

There are hundreds of peony varieties on the market today, from heirloom favorites that have been enjoyed for centuries, to exciting new colors (peach, coral, yellow), interesting flower forms (spiders, singles and semi-doubles, doubles and bomb), and different heights and bloom times.

What are tree peonies?

Although tree peonies are related to regular (herbaceous) peonies, their form is actually more like a shrub than a tree. In Minnesota they grow 3 or 4 feet tall. Plants bloom just before the regular peonies; flowers are equally fragrant.

Why don’t my peonies bloom?

Failure to bloom is usually caused by two things: improper planting and/or insufficient light. When planting peonies, make sure to plant the eyes (the point at which new growth emerges) are no more than two inches deep. Also make sure your plants get plenty of sun — 6 or more hours a day. If they’re planted in a shady site, they will not flower well, if at all.

Ants are crawling all over my peony buds. Are they eating the flowers? Should I spray them?

No they are not eating your flowers, they are enjoying the sugary syrup the buds produce and are not harming to the plant. Once the buds have opened the ants will disappear. Since the ants are not harmful and some pesticide residues are, please do not endanger yourself, the plants or the ‘good insects’ with sprays. Some people think ants are necessary to open the flowers, but this does not to appear to be true.

We are moving to Florida and want to grow peonies like we do in Minnesota. Is there a way we can do it?

Peonies are plants of temperate and northern climates. Some varieties even thrive in Canada. The further south you go, the fewer varieties you can grow. So the short answer is NO, you can’t grow peonies in Florida or in most of the deep-south. Zone 8 is the warmest zone for peonies and if you’re growing them in zone 8, check locally to see which varieties are known to thrive. Do not expect to grow the same peony varieties you are growing in Minnesota.

My peonies are gorgeous, but when it rains, the flowers bend to the ground. How can I prevent this?

Most of the old fashioned double flowered peonies were raised for the cut-flower trade. This is especially true for the double or “bomb”-style blossoms, which can become waterlogged and very heavy. The best solution is a grow-through support, which helps keep the top-heavy blooms upright. Be sure to put the grids in place in early spring — before the plants are more than a few inches tall. Once the plant has filled out or blooming, it is nearly impossible to set up an effective vsupport system.

How much should I fertilize my peonies?

A yearly application of all-purpose fertilizer and a top-dressing of compost is all a peony requires for good health. Excessive amounts of fertilizer (especially nitrogen) can lead to poor flowering. If you decide to fertilize, keep the fertilizer 6 to 18 inches away from the crown. Fall application is preferred although early spring is satisfactory.

How many inches of mulch should I add to my peony bushes?

If you mulch your flower beds, be sure to keep the mulch away from the base your peonies. If the base is covered with mulch, the plant reacts as if it has been planted too deep, and will produce few, if any, flowers.

When do I cut peony foliage?

Do not cut down peony foliage until it is damaged by frost. Once the soil freezes, simply rake some leaves over the plants, then remove the mulch in spring.

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