Even though the location and care of your peonies have been chosen and carried out correctly, they still don't want to grow and bloom beautifully? Or would you simply like the flowers to be even more lush? Then you can give the plants a little pampering with our tricks and tips for beautiful peonies.
Tips for beautiful peonies – Have you taken the following care steps into account?
You have certainly chosen the right location for the bushes and ensured that there is an appropriate distance between the individual specimens and you have probably also given the plants the right fertilizer. But are there a few tips for beautiful peonies that are less known or often neglected?
Avoid dividing the plant
Many perennials shouldbe shared regularly. This rejuvenates the plants, which stimulates their growth and also improves flower formation. However, this is not necessary with peonies and would actually have the opposite effect. These plants have the property of becoming more lush and full of flowers, especially as they age.
However, that doesn't mean you can't transplant them if necessary. If after a few years you find that the bush has become too big for its location or you would simply like to have it somewhere else, you are welcome to take this step, and it is best to do it in the fall. And then division is highly recommended so that the plant can get used to its new location. If you leave it as it is, it will not thrive and grow well. The planting depth is also very important! Perennial peonies don't like it that deep. They would repay you with few or no flowers at all. Shrub roses, in contrast, need it deep, but will alsonotdivided.
When it comes to depth, it is best to orient yourself at the original location and choose the same one.
Be careful with the root area
As you know, perennial peonies in particular are only just below the ground and could quickly be injured when working around the root area. But the shrub varieties there are also sensitive, which is why you should work very carefully and superficially when weeding, for example. It is also worth loosening the soil in spring, but to do this you must make sure that the soil is really soft and that you can easily penetrate the top layer without injuring the roots. A longer period of rain offers optimal conditions for gentle soil loosening.
Always remember:If you have even minimally damaged a root, this can cause itFlowering does not occur for several years.
Tips for beautiful peonies – cutting or not?
With most perennials you have a free choice as to whether you plant them in the fallcut down completelyor leave it as a winter decoration and only prune it in spring. However, peonies will benefit more if you simply remove the wilting, above-ground parts. On the one hand, this makes it easier for the plants to sprout again in the new season. On the other hand, in this way you reduce the risk of fungal disease due to moisture collecting in dry leaves.
As you might have guessed, things are a little different with shrub peonies. Pruning is not necessary here. Instead, you only remove parts of the plant when necessary, such as dried or diseased shoots. Topiary cuts are also completely unnecessary.
Simple trick for peonies when it comes to fertilizing
Useorganic fertilizer, which you ideally mix yourself. You get the perfect composition from manure, compost and horn meal, which you mix together in equal parts and work very carefully (!) into the soil (e.g. if you loosen the soil in spring anyway). If you're worried about damaging the roots, simply spread a layer on the surface of the soil around the cane.
