PEONY PLANTING AND CARE TIPS FOR USDA ZONES 7 AND COASTAL 8

SITE LOCATION

·          Peonies will not tolerate wet feet! A well drained site is imperative! Be careful of lawn sprinklers!

·          Minimum of 8 hours of full sun. Mid-day shade in hot, Zone 8’s. Coastal Zone 8’s okay for full sun.

·          Keep a minimum of 3 to 5 feet distance from trees, shrubs, grass and other peonies. Garden peonies should be spaced 3 to 4 feet on center. Intersectional hybrid peonies should be spaced 4 to 5 feet on center.

·          Area should also offer adequate ventilation.

·          Do not plant your new peony where a previously planted peony has been!

SITE PREPARATION ON RECEIPT OF YOUR NEW PEONY

·          Plant new roots immediately!!! Wash packing material off of roots with water.

·          Start by digging your hole 2 to 3 feet wide.

·          If your peony is going in a mulch or landscape rock bed, your ground level should be equal to the top of your mulch or landscape rock. Make sure to mound your dirt over the entire diameter of your hole. This will offer better drainage for your site location.

·          For garden peonies, dig the hole deep enough with the roots pointed down so the highest eyes are 1 inch below ground level THEN dig an additional 6 to 8 inches.

For intersectional hybrid peonies, dig the hole deep enough with the roots pointed down so the red twist tie on the stem is even with the ground level THEN dig an additional 6 to 8 inches.

·          Add a shovel scoop of composted manure and 1 ½ cup bone meal into hole.

·          Add about six inches of black dirt over fertilizer, lightly water and tamp down to form a solid base.

·          For garden peonies, place the root down and eyes up so the highest eyes are 1 inch below ground level. Add or delete base accordingly.

For intersectional hybrid peonies, place the root down and stems up so the red twist tie is even with ground level. Add or delete base accordingly. Leave red twist tie on plant their first year.

·          Remove debris from excavated dirt and mix in two shovel scoops of sphagnum peat moss.

·          Carefully hold root while filling in half the hole with dirt and water in until it stops settling.

·          Fill in remaining hole with dirt and water in until it stops settling.

·          Add or delete dirt so eyes or red twist tie are at the correct level.

·          Do not water plant site anymore this year!

·          Install peony hoop to protect your new growth next spring.

EARLY SPRING AND SUMMER CARE

·          Add or delete dirt to correct eyes or red twist tie ground level depth.

·          Pinch off all marble size buds their first year. (Optional, however if you do, plants will exhibit more vigorous growth in years 2 and 3.) If you absolutely have to, okay to let one bud bloom.

·          When garden peony is three years old, okay to remove 1/3 of its blooms. At five years old, okay to remove 2/3 of its blooms. Never remove all of its blooms!

·          Cut blooms early and immediately place in vase with lukewarm water and floral preservative.

·          Intersectional hybrid peony blooms are best left on the plant.

·          If you, like us, would like a few intersectional hybrid blooms in their third year, cut the stem one inch below the bloom that is just starting to open and place in a fish bowl vase ½ full of water and floral preservative.

·          In hot Zone 8 locations (not coastal Zone 8), 1” of rainfall a week is recommended 2 weeks after they are done blooming. When no rainfall has occurred, okay to slowly add 1 gallon of water around the plant once a week until Labor Day. DO NOT HAND WATER IF THE SITE LOCATION REMAINS WET! TOO MUCH WETNESS WILL ROT YOUR ROOTS.

FALL CARE

·          Cut stems off 2 inches above the ground on Labor Day.

·          Discard foliage at a non-recyclable compost center or burn.

·          Never re-use soil that has been composted with peonies!

·          Removal of all foliage around your site will protect next year’s peonies from diseases.

Do email us at info@swensongardens.com or call us at 763.350.2051 for any additional information. Enjoy your peonies!