How to Grow Peonies

Growing and Caring for Paeonia

Sep 20, 2009

A simple to follow tutorial on the general care and growing of peonies.

Peonies are one of the most popular plants used in permanent landscapes. These ancient plants offer a wide array of colors and forms in addition to their highly scented blossoms. For every gardener there is a peony to love.

Where and How to Plant Peonies

Peonies do best planted in full sun with rich loamy well draining soil. In early fall plant each division around 18 inches deep in a hole 18 inches wide. Before placing the peonies in their holes, add plenty of organic matter, ½ cup bone meal, and a good slow release fertilizer geared towards blooming plants to the holes. Plant each division with the growing tips 2-3 inches below the surface. If peonies are planted too deeply they will fail to bloom.

The better the planting hole is to begin with the better off these long living perennials will hold up. A good barky compost mixture that can break down slowly over time would be especially suited for peonies. When planted, mulch each plant and water in well.

How to Prune Peonies

Before the first frost hits, check the top layer of soil for any insect or animal activity. Remove and destroy any grubs or rodent nests. After the first frost, trim peonies (not tree peonies) back harshly to a few inches above the soil level.

When the peonies begin to bud out remove all of the side flower buds, leaving the terminal buds intact. This will encourage impressively large flowers for a show stopping landscape effect.

When to Fertilize Peonies

With the first spring growth use a low nitrogen 5-10-10 fertilizer and to encourage large and healthy blooms as too much nitrogen will give good foliage and few blooms.

How to Grow Peonies from Seed

Collect peony seeds as soon as they have ripened. To get the best results possible peonies need cold stratification before planting. This will ensure a large number of seeds germinate. One of the simplest methods is direct planting the seeds ½ inch deep and a 1-4 inches apart in the fall and allowing them to set out over the winter. When spring comes and warms the soil the seeds should begin to germinate.

One can also mix peony seeds with damp sand and keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. Plant out in pots or a garden in the spring. Peonies can take several years to bloom from seeds but the varying colors and forms of open pollination make them well worth the wait.

Common Peony Problems and Pests

When watering, try to avoid wetting the foliage. Keep the soil moist and well draining. Mulch with several inches of compost, try mulch that will break down and provide additional food for the plants as the season progresses.

Do not move peonies once they are planted. In several years as they become crowded divide and plant the offsets in their permanent homes.

Try to quell the need to use peonies as cut flowers. Removing too many blossoms can inhibit their chances of satisfactory future blooming. Choose a variety of cultivators so that blooming can be stretched out over the season. And remember, do not plant peonies too deeply or they will fail to bloom.

Various Peonies for Landscaping

Where to Buy Peonies

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The copyright of the article How to Grow Peonies in Flower Gardens is owned by Jocelyn Wyatt. Permission to republish How to Grow Peonies in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.