Peonies (Paeonia spp.) are a perennial favorite and one of the longest-lasting flowering perennials you can plant in your yard. Peonies are a must-have because of their enormous flowers and amazing scent. It’s critical to plant peony tubers appropriately, as they are bulb-like structures that store nutrients that the plant needs to sprout each year.
What is the ideal depth for planting peonies? When is the best time to start them? Do they require more exposure? Is there a certain kind of soil needed? Plant, grow, and enjoy the world’s most expensive flower if you know what you’re doing.
Peonies: The Essentials
Perennial peonies come back year after year, bringing with them a stunning display of blooms that will take your breath away. There are around 30 species of peony in the genus Paeonia. The majority of peonies are herbaceous, with a few exceptions. 100-year-old plants grow here.
Unlike bulbs, the tubers of peony plants have a dense root system that helps them store nutrients for the plant. The tuber’s roots penetrate the earth and draw water and nutrients from it. Whenever you’re planting, moving, or dividing peony, you need to be especially careful with their roots.
Peony Types and Variations
The most common peony found in home gardens is the herbaceous varieties, which come in a wide variety of colors and shapes. In addition to six types of flowers, you’ll find early-season (spring), mid-season (summer), and late-season (fall) variants. Intoxicating flower scents, citrus scents, and even no scent are all possible with peonies.
Some peonies have their own fan clubs in addition to the herbaceous peonies. In contrast to the more common tree peonies, the rarer fern-leaf peonies (Paeonia tenuifolia) are highly sought after.
Peony Customs and Traditions
Perennial peonies grow in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 to 9. Full sun exposure is required for their growth. There won’t be many flowers on these plants, even if they’re allowed to grow in partial shade.
Soil that drains well is another essential condition, as does soil that offers an adequate amount of moisture but isn’t soggy. Peonies that are left in heavy, moist soil can quickly decay. Before you plant, amend the soil with organic compost.
Peony Gardening Tips
Peonies are easy to care for if they are placed and planted correctly, and their splashy blooms will delight you year after year. Perennials dislike being transferred, so getting the initial planting properly is essential. A full six weeks before the ground freezes is the ideal time to sow peonies in the fall.
Your peony bulbs should be planted in the fertile, well-drained soil you’ve already made. To avoid a lack of flowers, don’t put the tubers too deep in the ground. The ideal depth is between 1 and 2 inches below the surface of the soil. Make a huge pile of soil in the hole you just dug. Make a mound by placing the tuber root on top of the mound with the eyes pointing upward and then filling in the hole surrounding it. Peony plants should be spaced between 3 and 4 feet.
Your Peonies Divided
Lifting and separating the root clump is an effective method of propagating peony. Take your time with this. Peonies don’t need to be divided until they’ve been around for at least ten years.
You can divide a mature peony plant in the fall if you see that it is losing its vigor. Get rid of the leaves and wash the entire tuber mass with a hose after you’ve dug it up. Divide the roots into sections with three to five eyes each using your fingers and a sterile knife. Replant the divisions as soon as possible after removing the tiny roots.
Peony Gardening Tips
1. Plant when the season is right.
Be sure to plant peony bulbs in September or October if you live in a northern climate, and even later if you reside in the south. Ideally, you want to plant your peonies about six weeks before the ground freezes. If you wait until spring, you’ll have to wait approximately a year for your spring-planted peonies to catch up.
2. Peonies should be grown in the finest possible setting.
Peonies aren’t picky, but they do have one quirk worth noting: once established, they don’t like to be moved. As far as we can tell, they’ll make a fuss about it and may even refuse to bloom for the entire season. Transplanting them, on the other hand, should be avoided if at all possible, and done in the fall, around the time you would normally plant them in your location. Full sun to a little light shade (especially necessary in hotter locations with the greater sun) and well-drained soil with little extra nutrients are the best conditions for peonies to thrive. They don’t want to fight for water with taller trees.
3. Make sure they have ample area to expand.
Make sure your peonies have ample room to develop and spread over the years because they don’t like to be moved. They won’t take over your garden like groundcovers, but the clumps will grow. (And, of course, you want them to!) Peony bulbs, both traditional and Itoh, should be spaced 2.5 to 3 feet apart.
4. Peonies must be planted at the correct depth.
Peonies aren’t fond of being buried all the way down. It’s a good thing for you because this means less digging! Don’t bury the peony bulbs in mulch, and don’t cover them with more than one inch of soil. In zones 2-4, an inch of mulch in the winter can keep the eyes (where the plant creates new stems) from freezing in the winter. In order to keep the peony bulbs healthy, water them immediately after planting and every few weeks until the ground freezes.
5. Be there for the flowers
Massive peony blossoms (such as the “bomb” or “double” kind) have the potential to tumble over their stems and foliage. Examples include Peony Joker and Big Ben, which feature large, enormous blooms. Install a support system (also known as a peony cage) early in the season when your peonies are still little so that they can grow up through the cages to keep them erect and perky. As an alternative, seek types like Peony Bartzella that don’t need to be staked because of their sturdy stems.