How to Grow Peonies in Your Garden
Keeping This Fragrant, Flowering, Long Lived Perennial
Peonies are hardy perennials with large, fragrant blooms and lush green foliage. Once established, they will grace your garden for many years.
Peonies (PAEONIA) are large, hardy perennials with fragrant blooms and dark green foliage. Many varieties are drought tolerant, can withstand very cold winter temperatures (hardy to zone 3), and naturally repel garden pests like rabbits and deer.
Planting Peonies
Occurring in most regions of the world, the peony can grow quite large and needs room to spread out. When preparing a spot for your plants, select a sunny area that receives six to eight hours of sunlight a day. Give each plant rich soil to a depth of fifteen inches and a square yard in area. Peonies develop an extensive root system, so don't stint on providing them with plenty of space, rich soil, and don't make them compete with tree roots.
Fall is the best time to plant. If planting from root divisions, make sure that each section has three to five buds (eyes) attached to its root. Settle the plant so that the highest bud is about two inches below the surface of the soil. Firm the soil into place. Be careful to check for water pooling around the plant. Peony roots are sensitive to prolonged exposure to water, so make sure that there is no standing water near the crown or roots.
Your peonies will take two years to get well established and can reach a maximum height of between 18 to 30 inches. In the second year, they will produce sparse blooms, and by the third year they will be ready to put on a show for you. Once established, you can ensure large blooms by pinching back some of the flower buds in spring.
When harvesting blooms, be careful to avoid stressing the plant by removing too many leaves. Try to avoid harvesting flowers from plants less than three years old, and never take more than half the blooms from any established plants.
The Winter Peony
Peonies need the cold in order to complete their seasonal growth cycle. During this dormancy period, don't provide winter mulch to your plants, as this will invite disease. Trim back your plants to just above ground level in the fall and leave them to overwinter unattended.
The Summer Peony
In hot weather, mulch your peonies to help them retain moisture. Attractive to insects, they may also need more pest control than your other flowering plants. One effective method of natural insect control is to plant peonies with herbs like rue, garlic, santolina, and tansy. As they begin to leaf, peonies will also need a wire or wooden support to contain their lush and heavy growth.
Propagating Peonies
Propagate peonies by division in the fall by removing the plant from the soil and breaking it into pieces with a spade. Each segment you cut should have a portion of root attached with at least three buds, preferably more. Established plants don't become overcrowded as quickly as many other species, so they don't need to be thinned as often.
Peonies are available in many different colors and shapes, from massive, tightly formed blossoms to broad open flowers. Many varieties also have wonderful fragrances that can fill the garden with incredible scents.
Peonies can be the stars of your landscape, providing breathtaking blossoms and wonderful fragrances. If you have enough area for them and can give them a cold winter, they may be the flower you've been looking for. Some peonies can live upwards of 70 years, making it worth a little extra effort to give them a good start in your garden.
