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Planting, Growing, and Caring for Peony Flowers
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I just bought the last tuber at Wal-Mart. Will it keep until September in the bag, store it differently, or should I plant it now.
Hi Lea,
Peonies grow nearly all of their roots in the fall. Rooting is triggered by the falling temperatures of the soil and allows peonies to develop the necessary underground support system for the following growing season.
Spring planted peonies generally produce few roots in warming soils. Many spring planted peonies struggle to survive and those that do, are often set back.
You should not leave it in the bag because you run the risk of it drying out before the proper planting time in the fall. What would be best is to plant your peony in a container (in non-fertilized potting soil) for the season, which will keep it from drying out. Then remove it from the container and plant it in the ground in the fall about 6 weeks before the ground freezes.
Unfortunately, many places sell peonies in the spring to catch the attention of gardeners, but it is really best to buy in the fall when it is fresh and ready for planting.
Hope this helps!
Should the soil be kept moist and the container in a dark location until the fall if you are trying o keep peony bulbs after purchasing to early in the spring. This is in regard to your answer to Lea
While waiting for fall to plant the peony bulbs, should the soil in the container be kept moist and in a dark area.
I see in your Peony article that there is no mention of Tree Peonies. I have been growing them in my yard for years. It takes years for them to reach a good size. They have woody type stalks and are shaped like bushes ... mine are somewhat rounded. They are fragrant, come in a whole lot of varieties and colors, are always "ANT FREE," and have tremendously huge flowers.
How about an article on TREE PEONIES ! They are truly majestic !!!
My peonies never bloom. They ate in full sun with sandy loam well draining soil. They get a few buds but they shrivel up before opening. What can I do to fix it?
Hi Eric,
Sorry to hear about your peonies. There are a few reasons why your peonies fail to bloom. If it is planted too deep (the eyes should only be about 2 inches below the soil) it will lead to beautiful foliage but very few flower buds. Depending on your fertilizing schedule it may be receiving too much or too little fertilizer. Also remember not to remove the foliage too early in the season. Wait for the foliage to die back naturally before removing after the first frost.
Peonies need a certain amount of cold weather in the winter to set buds and to flower. If you live in a warmer location, your peonies may be getting just enough cold weather to produce the buds but not enough to make it flower.
Bud blast can also be the cause since it results in buds turning brown and shriveling up. The best thing to do is to make sure it has the ideal growing environment in terms of sun, fertilizer, cold winter temps, and proper planting depth.
Hope this helps!
Hello,
How much water do I give the peonies? I just bought the roots from Costco and they are slowly growing but one decide to dry/die.
Dear Silvia,
We suggest watering your new peonies about an inch of water a week.
Below is a guide to watering vegetables with a section (pasted below) about how to measure how much you are watering:
https://www.almanac.com/when-water-your-vegetable-garden-watering-chart
Happy Spring!
—The Editors
How to Measure One Inch of Water
So, what is “one inch of water” per week? First, an inch of water is defined as a one-inch deep layer of water over the entire soil surface that needs watering. To measure one inch of water, you can either purchase an inexpensive rain gauge or try this DIY trick: Place 4 or 5 small containers (straight-sided) around the garden while the water during the rainfall. A tuna can is a good container to use. Mark 1 inch up from the bottom of the can. When 1 inch of water from rain or irrigation collects in the containers, that indicates that 1 inch of water was applied to the garden. Again, don’t just rely on the “one-inch” guideline. If the soil is dry an inch beneath the surface, your garden probably needs watering. We also find it helpful to keep the following watering formula in mind: 1 inch of water per 1 square foot = 0.62 gallons.
Hi, last spring our home had burnt down and we had to dig up our peonies so we can replant them. By the time I can plant them again it will be a whole year. My question is will they still be okay to since I've had them sitting in a pail