How to plant peony seeds? Detailed explanation of the planting method

When peony is mentioned, everyone is surely familiar with it. Not only are the flowers beautiful, but they also have relatively high medicinal value. Many people like to plant some in their own courtyards, so how are peony seeds planted?

1. How are peony seeds planted?

1. Seed harvesting: If peony seeds are harvested too early, the seeds will not mature; if harvested too late, the seed coat turns black and hardens, making it difficult for seedlings to emerge. After harvesting, never expose the seeds to the sun, as this hardens the seed coat and affects seedling emergence. If they cannot be sown in time, they can be stored in sand with moisture retention, but they must be sown before rooting.

2. Sowing time: Peony must be sown promptly in the same year the seeds are collected. The germination rate will be greatly reduced the following spring, and even if seedlings emerge, they are likely to die easily because the seedling root system is underdeveloped and cannot withstand spring drought.

3. Seed treatment: Although the seed coat of peony seeds is relatively thin and they absorb water and sprout fairly easily, seed treatment before sowing makes germination more uniform and greatly increases the germination rate. The method is to soak the seeds in 50°C warm water for 24 hours, then remove them and sow immediately.

4. Land preparation and fertilization: The land used for sowing and raising peony seedlings should be given sufficient base fertilizer and deeply plowed and leveled. If the soil is relatively moist and suitable for sowing, beds can be made directly for sowing. If the soil moisture is poor, irrigate thoroughly first, then make beds for sowing. The bed width is about 50 cm, and the distance between beds is 30 cm.

5. Sowing method: Peony seeds can be sown by dibbling, broadcasting, drilling in rows, or hole sowing. After sowing, cover with moist soil to a thickness of about 2 cm. The seed rate per mu is about 50 kg for dibbling and about 100 kg for broadcasting. After sowing, cover with plastic film, and remove it after the seedlings sprout and emerge in the following spring.

2. What are the peony planting methods?

1. Soil selection: Peony is suitable for loose, well-drained sandy loam soil. It grows poorly in clay and sandy soil. High soil moisture content and poor drainage easily cause root rot. Neutral or slightly acidic soil is preferable, and saline-alkali land is not suitable for planting.

2. Cultivation and weeding: After peony seedlings emerge, cultivate and weed in time. Do not cultivate deeply, so as not to damage the young roots. During summer drought, cultivate to preserve soil moisture. Cultivate and weed 3 to 4 times each year.

3. Watering management: Peony prefers an open, relatively dry environment with high terrain and does not need frequent irrigation. Because it has fleshy roots, it is especially intolerant of waterlogging. Water accumulation for 6 to 10 hours often causes root rot.

4. Light management: Peony can grow luxuriantly and produce brightly colored flowers only with sufficient light during the growing period, but it can also grow normally under light shade. During the flowering period, temperature can be appropriately lowered and humidity increased to avoid scorching by strong sunlight, thereby extending the ornamental period.

5. Temperature management: Peony is a typical temperate plant. It likes warmth and tolerates cold. It can safely pass the summer even when the extreme maximum summer temperature reaches 42.1°C, and it can still grow and bloom normally under conditions where the extreme minimum winter temperature is -46.5°C.

6. Timely topdressing: In the first year, peony should be topdressed less or not at all. From the second year on, apply fertilizer 3 times each year. In late March, apply 1000 kg of human and livestock manure water per mu; in mid-April, apply 1500 kg of human and livestock manure water and 15 kg of superphosphate per mu; in mid-October, apply 2500 kg of barnyard manure per mu.

7. Bud removal and pruning: Except when seeds are being saved, peony flower buds are generally removed at the bud stage to promote the growth of the plant and roots. To make peony flowers large and beautiful, side buds should be thinned promptly after they appear, so that nutrients are concentrated in the main bud and the desired result is achieved.