Peonies Plants, Roses Without the Thorns

Peonies Plants

Peonies plants, The Roses without the thorns, That’s what I call them. This is my favorite flower of all time!  I love its full and compact flower.  The variety it comes in. The fragrance.  I just love to look and admire them!

CHOOSING PEONIES PLANTS

When choosing Peonies, if you are looking for fragrant and gorgeousness, consider the singles. They don’t require as much staking as the doubles.

There are hundreds of verities of Peonies plants.  Like, Sara Bernheart, Mertle Gentry, Karl Rosenfield, Dr Alexandra Fleming, Abalone Pearl, Bowl of beauty, …and lots of heirloom favorites. Just to mention a few.

There are also the tree peonies which bloom earlier and grow to about 6 feet tall. Their blossoms are also very large.

WARM CLIMATE

Peonies PlantsIf you are in a warm climate, it is good to provide your peonies plants  with some shade. Though they are sun loving, too much sun can cause their bloom to shorten. Or they may not do as well.

They are one of the best loved perennials around. They will delight you with lots of “aha” moments.

So do your research and see which will grow better in your zone. You won’t regret it!  After all, they could outlive you,  This means you can enjoy their beauty year after year!

Peonies plants are known to bloom for 100 years or more!  And with little or no attention.

This means that it’s worth spending the time up front in choosing the right location and preparing the soil.

Peonies plants rarely bloom the first year after planting. But once they start to bloom, you can look forward to a lifetime of beautiful flowers.

PLANTING PEONIES

They prefer well-drained soil. Being in full sun is important.

To prepare for planting, dig a hole about 17 inches.  Make sure the dirt on the sides of the hole is lose. Create a cone with the dirt.  This  will enable the plant roots to move easily through the soil.

Before you set the plant in the hole, add some compost, a hand full of organic fertilizer and  some of the original soil to the bottom of the hole.  Place the tubers down.  Make sure that the eye of the peony is about 2 inches below the surface of the soil.

And don’t forget to water thoroughly. Make sure that the water has reached the bottom of the hole and the soil has settled around the roots. This is important because if the peony is planted too deep, it will not bloom properly. Or it may not bloom at all!  The same principle applies to planting peonies in Containers.

SUPPORT

Most peonies plants require a stake as support.  This used to give support to the plant, so it doesn’t topple from the weight of its blooms. This is done in the early spring when the foliage is starting to grow.

This especially applies to double blossoms. They can be waterlogged and very heavy. It’s almost impossible to add support to them once they start to bloom. So make sure that this is done in the early stage of growing.

PESTS

Peonies PlantsYou may notice that there are lots of Ants on your peony… DON’T PANIC! Peonies produce a sugary syrup.  And that is what attracts the Ants. They are enjoying the sweet nectar. They are doing no harm to the plant.

There is only one problem, that I have found in my research, that affect peonies. It is a disease called ” Botrytis”.  It’s present in most soil. It becomes a problem if the plant is weak.

Signs of Botrytis are blackened buds and stems and sometimes rotting at the base of the plant. If you notice anything that looks like this,  cut it off and dispose of it in the trash.  DO NOT PUT IT IN YOUR COMPOST!  Prevention is the best antidote.

So in summary:

  •  Take the time
  • Do the research
  • Don’t plant to deep
  • Fertilize once a year
  • Keep them in a sunny area

And, most of all– enjoy for years to come!

Happy Planting!