I love peonies. Committed. All in. My wedding bouquet was entirely peonies. To me they say southern and elegant and don’t make me Julia Sugarbaker you. My three pale pink peony bushes were one of the first things I planted in our previous yard renovation, and we moved them with us to this house. I was concerned they wouldn’t survive the yard project, but alas, did I mention they are southern and tough?
They did.
I only got about a dozen or so blooms off of them this spring, but I’m hopeful that by next spring the plants will have recovered and adjusted from the shock and that David will say “there is such a thing as peony overkill.” To which I will say:
“Hold your tongue, young man.”
I have never researched how to care for my peonies until now. This makes me feel ashamed and like I should be referred to CPS. But, I suppose I will give myself a bit of grace, because, well, you know…caring for the real children and all that. But it’s time. That’s what this fall and winter are for. So, without further ado: what I never knew about peonies.
{Going for a swim before coming inside…it gets the ants off.}
They like an inch of compost applied once a year, with no additional fertilizing required
Don’t mulch over the crowns as this can cause persistent damage to the blooms
Can stake them in early spring as they get heavy. I’ve never done this but I have seen some need for it. I just cut and rescue the bloom {read: stick it in a vase} before it hits the mud.
“Deadhead religiously.” If we were still playing Guitar Hero I would go name my band the Religious Deadheaders.
Oh HEY-YA: do not compost what is cut back after the first frost. I totally would have put that into the composter and added any potential disease right on in.
Sidebuds will benefit from removing the central flower or deadheading it. {In my case: just keep doing what I’m doing which is PICKING PICKING PICKING.}
Oh boy…remember that stuff I said about CPS…yeah, that: looks like each time I moved these established plants they should have been divided before I did that. They have been moved a total of two times since purchased about 7 years ago. Guess how many times I’ve divided before moving: zero. #forthewin
Not this year…but maybe next year I could consider trying to divide them? Because, as mentioned before….MORE PEONIES.
So, here’s what’s getting added to the calendar in caring for my children, I mean peonies:
Add an inch of compost to them in March
Set stakes at same time if decide to try that
See this excellent site if diseases show up
We are working on gentleness.
