Let’s look at some of the most crucial factors to take into account when cultivating and harvesting peony blossoms.
Planting Location
When planted in the appropriate spot with the suitable soil conditions, peonies are rather simple to grow.
The majority of cultivars thrive in zone 38 and favor a sunny location with good drainage.
In order to protect their plants from the heat of the noon sun, growers in hotter climes may wish to choose a position that receives some partial shade. Peonies will thrive in a sunny location all day in cooler climes.
Carefully choose the location where you will plant your peonies since roots may rot if they are placed in poorly draining soil. Raised beds can aid with drainage problems, and substantially altered clay soils are needed for good drainage in clay soils.
Soil Preparation
For every growing project, including producing peony, the quality of your soil is crucial. Spend the time necessary to ensure that the soil’s pH is close to neutral (6.0 to 7.0) and that nutrients and organic matter are dispersed throughout the soil column before you plant.
Although a professional soil test may seem intimidating, it is actually quite simple to obtain and will provide the finest information for improving your soil. Your local Cooperative Extension agency may evaluate the soil test results and offer guidance on how to supplement any nutrient deficits and how to modify the pH of the soil.
Here’s how to take a sample of soil:
Obtain a “slice” or boring of the soil profile from various locations inside your cutting garden using a clean trowel or shovel and a bucket.
To create a composite soil mix, thoroughly blend each boring in the bucket.
Take about 1 cup of dirt from the composite mix, put it in a bag, and send it to the lab.
Depending on the size of your peony cutting garden, it can be finished in under 30 minutes.
To test samples, there are many excellent soil labs accessible. After choosing a lab, make a plan to continue using it for all future soil samples; this will guarantee that your tests will be similar one year to the next. Most of the growers in our peony cooperative send their soil samples to Brookside Labs in Ohio since we have found them to be prompt, friendly, and reasonably priced.
Take your soil report to your neighborhood Cooperative Extension office for interpretation if you’re having trouble understanding the data when studying it.
They will evaluate the findings and provide you advice on the precise number of amendments required to increase your soil fertility. Before planting peonies (or any other flower or plant you choose to include! ), take the effort to improve the quality of your soil. Your future self will thank you for it.
When to Plant Peonies
The general practice for gardeners has been to order peonies in the spring and receive them in the fall, when planting season is. Depending on your growing zone, there is considerable leeway when it comes to planting time.
Warmer climate growers might wish to stay with fall planting because it enables the peony to establish itself during the winter before the summer’s strong heat sets in.
Many farmers have had success with planting peonies in the spring or the fall in milder climes. If you’re unsure, try planting in the spring and the fall; over time, the health of your plants will show you which is ideal for your microclimate.
Planting Depth & Peony SpacingHow to Plant Peonies
You’ve probably heard that when planting peonies, you shouldn’t plant them too deeply since you risk getting a lot of foliage instead of blooms. On the other hand, you shouldn’t put them too shallow either (or they may not survive winter).
Ideally, the root should be planted so that the “eyes” (or buds, which are found on the root at the base of each stem) are just 12 inches below the surface of the soil, giving them some protection without being buried too deeply.
A potted peony should be easy to put at soil level when being transplanted into the ground because it should already be planted at the right depth in the pot. With bare root peonies, it’s a little more difficult. Every root will appear different, and the eyes might not always be placed on the root as precisely as you might think.
Do your best to get the majority of the eyeballs in this situation at the proper level; mother nature will take over from there. Additionally, it’s critical to backfill the soil as needed around the peony roots to prevent air pockets from forming there, which could otherwise lead to rot from standing water or the plant sinking too far into the ground.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both techniques of planting peony; some gardeners choose to use single rows and others choose to use double rows. Double row plantings increase the yield from the available space, but they are likely to produce rows that are tightly packed and probably more susceptible to foliar disease because there is less air movement around the plants.
Depending on the width of the walkways between each row, peonies grown in single rows benefit from better ventilation but require less space overall.
Additionally, single row plantings may make it simpler to collect cut flowers because the entire plant can be reached from all cutting angles; yet, double row plantings have a fullness that is attractive to look at if you plan to have visitors to your cutting garden.
Plant peonies in a row with at least two feet between each plant because, although this seems like plenty of space, it becomes very close as the plants get older. When planted in two-foot increments, the green leaves of healthy peony will undoubtedly touch within the first few years of growth.
Consider spacing your peonies farther apart as available, and when growing in double rows, consider offsetting each plant to improve air circulation between plants. Raised beds should be at least three feet wide to allow room for roots to spread out throughout the growing area.
Irrigation for Peonies
Peony plants are quite vulnerable to some diseases, especially botrytis sp., which flourishes in conditions of poor airflow and heavy humidity.
Drip irrigation of your peony plants is therefore one of the best preventative steps you can take against foliar disease.
Numerous farmers are unfamiliar with the concept of establishing irrigation, but there are many readily available, inexpensive, and user-friendly systems that may be rapidly installed and endure for many years. The time you invest in implementing drip irrigation will pay off later on in terms of time saved and potential disease mitigation.
Use irrigation line with pressure compensating emitters if you are watering on a slope to ensure that your plants receive an even distribution of water. If you’re on level ground, simple drip tape may be bought for a very low price and, although being thin, may last for several seasons if holes are patched every spring.
Our peony cooperative’s farms get their irrigation equipment in large part from Dripworks. For smaller growers, Dripworks also offers a variety of pre-made kits and can offer guidance on an irrigation plan tailored to your growing setup.
Young Peony Plants: Years 13
A peony cutting garden takes time to grow, and the plants must be given time to stabilize before being harvested. Within the first three years, it is typical for a peony plant to flower very infrequently or not at all.
The plant may benefit from having time for root growth rather than the formation of flower buds, which are theoretically for reproduction, notwithstanding how disappointing this is to the grower. In an effort to promote the strong development of the roots, many seasoned growers would remove all the buds from their plants during the first few years of growth.
Having said that, there is a case to be made for allowing one blossom to open on each young plant to ensure that the root you received is the same cultivar as the one you ordered from the seller (if not, make sure to let the root supplier know so they can correct the issue).
Mature Peony Plants: Years 4+
Many growers say that their peony plants truly take off in the fourth year of growth. It’s an exciting time because the plants are now showing the attention that has been given to them.
Once planted, peony plants are typically simple to manage; just keep in mind to carry out the following essential tasks each season:
Instead of assuming, work amendments into the soil as the soil analysis suggests.
Maintain weed-free and well-watered peonies (note: although they do not like to have their roots in standing water, peonies do need to be watered thoroughly and regularly).
What’s up with ants on Peonies?
People frequently inquire about the connection between ants and peonies at our peony cooperative. In reality, ants visit closed peony buds to gather the nectar that oozes out of the peony bud’s exterior, just like bees do. Although the nectar provides the insects that collect it with carbohydrates, peonies can blossom on their own without the help of ants or any other kind of insect.
Which peony cultivars are right for my area?
How can a grower know which of the numerous lovely peony cultivars available are ideal for harvesting? In a nutshell, it necessitates investigation and testing.
Look for cultivars that grow tall, have strong stems, and may already be recognized for producing cut flowers. Plant features are typically indicated on the websites of root producers.
Double form peonies are suitable for beginning gardeners since they typically produce consistent blooms both on the plant and in the vase.
Planting a variety of bloom types and cultivars of peonies might be a wise move because some peonies are a little more temperamental or delicate than others.
Early flowering types may be preferred by growers in warm locations so that the crop is finished before the summer’s extreme heat sets in. Growers can experiment with a combination of early, mid, and late blooming cultivars in cool areas for a prolonged harvest season.
Our peony cooperative’s eleven member farms collaborated this winter to create a guide that lists the peonies that have served us best throughout the years. The guide specifically highlights 24 cultivars that reliably yield a large number of harvestable stems, can attain the required stem length required to meet USDA criteria for commercial stem production, and are the kinds that florists have told us they enjoy.
In addition, we provide advice on harvesting, cooler storage, and vase life as well as descriptions of bloom size, color, and form. The Passionate For Peonies Guide is available for free download, and we hope it will serve as an invaluable resource as you try to create your very own peony cutting garden.
Where can I buy roots?
Depending on the size of your cutting garden, there are various possibilities for buying peony roots.
Peony roots are widely available online and at nearby greenhouses for a compact and varied peony collection. This is a great approach to uncover roots that are not typically supplied by wholesale root merchants because these enterprises frequently have outstanding variety, including new arrivals.
Our peony cooperative frequently receives calls and emails from growers looking to buy roots, which we do not sell. Nevertheless, we are happy to recommend our preferred retail vendors, particularly those companies that have large collections of high-quality rootstock and offer excellent and prompt customer service.
Here is a list of our preferred retail partners. Aside: After the spring planting rush has subsided, many retail plant nurseries will offer discounts on their perennials, so now could be the ideal time to find locally grown potted peonies in your area.
A sizable peony cutting garden enables the producer to take advantage of greatly reduced wholesale root prices.
Depending on the size of root bought, wholesale peony roots are offered by the crate, which typically holds roughly 5060 bare roots.
In Alaska, we deal with wholesalers like Oregon Perennial Company, DeVroomen Garden Products, and Peony Shop Holland, to name a few, who are prepared to negotiate the convoluted logistical process needed to deliver high-quality roots to the far north.
You may probably locate a wide variety of wholesale growers who are willing to ship to your location if you are a grower in the lower 48 states.
Can a peony be started from a cutting?
Before resetting, most roots benefit from a trim. To prevent congestion and encourage new growth, trim roots to lengths of approximately eight inches.
The peony family is diverse. hybrids have some “roots that may be separated from their rhizome and planted to produce new eyes are known as adventitious roots. After two or three years of growth, these root cuttings can be spread out in rows at a depth of two inches and lifted in the fall.
Knives, scissors, and spades used to cut rhizomes, roots, and foliage should all be sterilized. Fungi and viruses can be killed by a 10 percent or 70 percent solution of rubbing alcohol and water.
Utilize a dipping solution of a “Bordeaux mix, an alternative to fungicide dust, is a mixture of copper sulfate and hydrated lime. Both call for the wearing of thick gardening or rubber gloves.
On fresh plants, don’t compact the soil too firmly. You run the risk of breaking or pushing eyeballs deeper than two inches. When in doubt, overfill the hole and place your eyes as close to the surface as possible.
If you cut the stem sufficiently deep, you can use cuttings to spread soft-stemmed perennials like peonies. Peony stems emerge from “eyes that appear from rhizomes just below the soil’s surface. The most dependable methods of propagating these perennials are by rhizome cuttings and seedling growth. Unlike plants developed from seeds, rhizome cuttings typically blossom one to two seasons after planting and always give rise to a plant that is identical to its parent. For flowers in the spring, take cuttings in the fall.
Fill planting holes with a bushel or two of adjusted soil by mixing equal parts garden soil, peat moss, compost, and manure. For every bushel of filler, mix a small amount of bone meal, superphosphate, or another low-nitrogen fertilizer. For each, create a hole that is one foot wide and two feet deep “To determine how many you will have, divide or plant additional plants. Unused holes can always be filled with dirt. On either side, provide each plant about three feet of room.
- If you cut the stem sufficiently deep, you can use cuttings to spread soft-stemmed perennials like peonies.
If peony roots dry out, the plant will be set back and may not bloom the following season, so pick a day when the soil is damp rather than dry to start. In the fall, after removing the summer mulch and trimming back the dead foliage, dig peonies. Lift the entire root ball by making a deep cut underneath the roots with a spade or garden fork all the way around. Once the ball has been raised, use a hand cultivator or trowel to remove as much dirt as you can. If you are excavating more than one peony, focus on one plant at a time.
Remove any remaining dirt from the roots, fleshy root, and rhizome with care. On the top part of the rhizomes, look for the tiny eyeballs. Avoid breaking any buds at any costs. These stem bases serve as the foundation for fresh peony growth, and once broken, they cannot regrow.
- If peony roots dry out, the plant will be set back and may not bloom the following season, so pick a day when the soil is damp rather than dry to start.
- Lift the entire root ball by making a deep cut underneath the roots with a spade or garden fork all the way around.
Use a sharp knife to cut each rhizome into numerous pieces. Each component needs a set of roots and three to five eyes. Apply an anti-fungal powder, which is readily available at most garden centers, to each portion of the rhizome. If the peony you are dividing is particularly huge or old, use a spray bottle to keep the roots moist as you cut the rhizome.
Trim older or damaged roots on divisions and discard any pieces that are rotted or discolored. Eliminate soggy roots; they can contain nematodes or root rot. Spread roots while suspending the rhizome over the hole and amending the soil in the holes. When the hole is filled, position the rhizome so that the eyes are only a few inches below the surface. More than two inches of eye burying will probably prevent blooming. In southern growth zones, plants should be placed no deeper than 1.5 inches. Water the new plant thoroughly once the hole has been filled.
- Use a sharp knife to cut each rhizome into numerous pieces.
- Spread roots while suspending the rhizome over the hole and amending the soil in the holes.
Most Frequently Asked Questions
Peony stems can be multiplied by cuttings if the stem is cut sufficiently deep.
To lift the entire root ball, use a spade or garden fork all the way around.
Within a season or two of planting, peonies blossom, and each plant is identical to the parent.
Yes, cuttings can be used to reproduce soft-stemmed perennials like peonies as long as the stem is cut sufficiently deep.
Yes, peonies can be multiplied by cuttings if the stem is cut sufficiently deep.