Grow Your Own Magazine

HI everyone

I tried to plant a peony late last autumn and it didn't make it through the winter. I may have put it in too late and it was a very small plant to start.

I want to try again this spring in an open location with good sun. Does anyone have any tips on this? I have heard that it's good to support it with a sort of cage-type support since the flower heads may be heavy and it might need a sort of globe support around the plant as it starts out.

Any ideas about types of soil preference or growing tips?

Thanks in advance for anything you can suggest. It's my first one, but if it works out, I was hoping to put a few together in the garden to make a little floral arrangement of them outdoors.

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Changing the world, one plant at a time.

I adore peonies. They can be a bit delicate when very young but become much more robust. I may be stating the obvious, but did you plant very deeply? They really need to be planted deeply, right up to the first leaf buds ideally. When I first grew peonies, that was my mistake...

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I don't roll on Shabbos

No, I didn't plant it deeply because the lady at the garden centre said "Don't plant it deeply or above this soil level in the pot, because peonies have some sort of light-sensitive "eye" about an inch above the soil line and if that gets covered, it won't flower".

So I planted it at the same level as the pot soil. Do you suppose that was the mistake?

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Changing the world, one plant at a time.

It does depend on the variety and it is true that one of the reasons for a non-flowering peony if TOO deeply planted, but failure to thrive can also be due to too-shallow planting. Easy isn't it?!

If the soil level in the pot was already quite deep, and you got that advice, then maybe the depth wasn't the problem?

I was chatting to a neighbour last year about his peonies which are beautiful, asking him for his secrets. He told me he just 'lobbed them in the ground and left them.' Not fair, is it?

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I don't roll on Shabbos

WAYYYY not fair!!!

Mine was also fairly close to a path and I think maybe since we are on the way to a pub, maybe someone didn't help by stepping on it.

I plan to use a wire mesh to support it this year if I plant another (and that will hopefully keep any footloose pub crawlers off it too!)

The depth thing is a bit of a worry though. I always put my clematis in about 6 inches deeper than the pot soil line, but with peonies I have no idea what I'm doing. (That is why I'm here begging for advice. )

The real question is, has anyone heard of this "light sensitive" spot on peonies? Or is that an urban myth?

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Changing the world, one plant at a time.

I think your initial advice was wrong Granny. Here is a precis of various advice taken from expert sources. As you can see the 'eyes' want to be buried.

Plant bare root specimens in autumn so roots may have time to become established. Dig a hole about two feet across and at least 18" deep. Mix several shovels of compost or well rotted manure with the bottom soil. Fill the hole 1/2 way with topsoil mixed with more compost and a cup of bone meal. If soil is acidic also mix in a cup of ground limestone as peonies thrive in a pH between 6.5 and 7. "Eyes" should be at a depth of 1-2 inches. Tap gently (protecting the eye buds) to eliminate air spaces and water, gently please. Finally add light mulch. Don't expect too much the first year.

Just editing to say that the 'light sensitive spot' is what you may call an urban myth. I'd call it bleeeep

Hope this helps.

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Why didn't Noah just swat those 2 greenflies?

AAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!

Hahhahaah . . . I liked "Bleep". Yeah. . . let's call it the "eyes" then.

1 - 2 inches below the surface is a lot different to "1 to 2 inches ABOVE the surface". Sigh. Well, at least it's spring and I can start again with a new one.

If I have any luck with this, I'll have you lot to thank, and if it works, I'll plant more.

Fingers crossed, eh?

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Changing the world, one plant at a time.

The depth is important - your advisers here have it right!
Second tip - once youve decided where you want it - don't move it!

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Whoever plants a garden believes in the future.

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated March 11th - My first Seed Guardianship

www.henheaven.blogspot.com - Updated February 27th - Rooftops and Caulis

The planting depth thing depends whether it's a herbaceous type or semi-shrub "tree peony". The former need planting shallowly, the latter deep

It's herbaceous that need to be deep in my experience.
See, ask a question here and you get more answers that you need!

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Whoever plants a garden believes in the future.

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated March 11th - My first Seed Guardianship

www.henheaven.blogspot.com - Updated February 27th - Rooftops and Caulis

Ooops, sorry, I read this as 'Advice on PONIES!'

I do like Peonies though!

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Hi Glutton . . . I like ponies too. Easy enough mistake to make.

All the same, I was hoping for the herbaceous type rather than the "tree" type. The garden centre says they will have some next month, so I was planning on trying one to see how it does.

Thanks, Flummery, and Foxhill too---I'll plant it deeper and give it a bit of love, compost, and support round it and see how it does over the spring and summer. Planting deeper sounds sensible, though. I'll make sure the "eyes" are under the soil this time.

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Changing the world, one plant at a time.

Ask three gardeners, get five answers...

The more the merrier!

Plus, I need all the help I can get. So thanks everyone!!!

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Changing the world, one plant at a time.

I was given a Peony years ago, the woman didn't like it! I cut the lump into two, and planted both in my garden. Clay soil, shaded in the morning, sun after lunch, and they did nothing for a year. I couldn't tell you how far down I planted them, or even if they were the right way up - I hadn't a clue about Gardening at the time.

Anyway, years two onwards (we moved out in year eleven) they grew and flowered their socks off. They were that lovely velvety deep burgundy pink colour. Fabulous!

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Grannysmith, I wouldn't give up on the one you planted last autumn yet unless you've already dug it up, it could be just dormant, they don't usually show any growth until early spring. I noticed you'd put a question about it on the end of the other thread about tree peonies, if it was a tree peony with a graft & short stem above this bulge then yes you probably need to plant it deeper, if you've still got a twiggy stem sticking up then try digging it up now whilst it's dormant & replanting it a few inches deeper. As someone's already said, they don't like being moved around once they're settled & can sulk & not flower for a couple of years anyway so it might be worth giving it a chance. If it was just a herbaceous peony then usually burying it about an inch under the soil is enough. I'd put a 'grow frame'( one of those circular wire frames with a criss-cross top) around herbaceous peonies as they do tend to flop around but a tree peony should be alright by itself or with just a couple of canes & some string.

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Into every life a little rain must fall.

Hi Sue!

Yeah, I don't usually give up until it's dead, but this time it was dead. Bad snow, poor planting advice (I should have checked in here first! AARRGGHH!!! Live and learn!), plus people treading on its snow-covered corpse finished it.

I have a few tempermental clematis which did what you said and appeared dormant and nearly dead, except that when I broke the stem, you could see green still, so I gave them tons of potash and brought them back to life.

Do peonies like potash too? I suspect the answer will be "Yes" but I won't overdo it until it's established, since it usually takes me and a plant time to get to know each other.

As long as the new one (I'll buy it in a few weeks) settles in ok, including cage frame for support as you suggest, I don't mind if it doesn't flower the first year or two. I waited 5 for my wisteria, so I can wait a few for a peony. The main thing is, getting it settled and happy in the garden, with the right mix of soil and nutrients. And making sure no one steps on its snow-covered corpse . . .

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Changing the world, one plant at a time.

Granny. Refer to my first post on this thread. (No.6) Yes peonies like potash.

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Why didn't Noah just swat those 2 greenflies?

Thought so, but it was a hunch. Still, I won't overdo it in the first year, since that stuff can be strong. Thanks sarraceniac.

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Changing the world, one plant at a time.