Peonies in the garden – everything you need to know about planting and care

Peonies are delightful flowers with a unique appearance. What’s more – by following basic growing rules you can keep them blooming in your garden for years to come. How do you achieve this? Here are some tips!

Where do peonies come from?

The origins of the peony can be traced back to Asia and Europe, where they are found in over 30 varieties and delight with their wealth of colors, scents and petal shapes. Originally, peonies were known in China as early as a thousand years BC.

It is worth taking a closer look at them because of their outstanding decorative values.

Peony characteristics

The main decoration of the peony is, of course, its flowers, which can occur in several variants. The flowers are full, half-full or single – this is what characterizes the varied peony varieties. Another feature of these flowers is the small petals, which, depending on the variety, take on different colors (white, pink, red or sometimes yellow). Small leaves also complete the ornamental character of this plant

Which species of peony are the most popular?

Tree peonies and Chinese peonies are especially noteworthy. Here’s what sets them apart!

• tree peonies (shrub peonies) – occur naturally in Asia, where they can grow up to 4 m high. Obtaining similar values in Poland is not possible. However, it is worth to focus on the diversity of the flower shape in this variety. As for the time of flowering – in the case of shrubby peonies it falls on the turn of May and June.
• chinese peonies – originally found only in the area of China and Siberia, now they are characterized by the greatest variety of varieties. In this case, magnificent flowering takes place in June. They delight with their delicate fragrance resembling that of roses.

Peonies in the garden – where should I plant them?

The best position for a peony is one, which has permanent access to sunlight. They can also be planted in partial shade as long as they are dry and have guaranteed access to sunlight

When choosing a location, it is also worth taking into account that the peonies should not be exposed to the wind

The first step before planting should be to equip yourself with healthy rhizomes and cuttings of reliable origin. Such high quality rhizomes and cuttings are offered by BENEX at https://cebule-kwiatowe.pl/piwonia/.

How to plant peonies?

The next step is to properly prepare the ground – this is expressed by digging holes about 30 cm deep. Then it is advisable to fertilize the soil by pouring in a substrate with a neutral pH or manure

The optimal spacing between plants should be between 30 and 40 cm. The planting process itself can take place in two periods of the year: in autumn (from September to November) and in spring (March to May).

How to care for peonies?

Peonies belong to a group of plants, which do not require a lot of watering. However, it’s worth remembering to avoid flooding the leaves with water – it can lead to the appearance of an unsightly white coating. Systematic irrigation should only take place in case of long-term drought

Peonies – fertilization

Mineral fertilizer is a good choice in spring. Reaching for such a preparation rich in nitrogen and phosphorus will help the plant to develop properly. J

ithin the autumn, it is advisable to mulch and dig the soil with manure. This will help nourish the peony and make it easier to store the necessary nutrients, which in turn will help it grow over the next years.

When to repot peonies?

In a situation where you want to propagate peonies – then it is recommended to repot them. Another option in which this process is recommended is when, despite following the advice and fertilizing, the plants bloom very poorly. It is then worthwhile to proceed with the repotting of the peony on a cool day, while being careful not to disturb its roots.

Peonies are an example of flowers which are definitely worth attention. With proper care they will delight your eyes for many years!

Photo: customer’s press material.