A Detailed Guide to Peony Planting Techniques and Methods
SummarySoil: Choose loose, fertile soil with a deep soil layer, and the soil must have good drainage. Temperature: Peonies are cold-hardy but cannot tolerate high temperatures. The suitable temperature is 16-20°C. Light: Peonies like sun but do not like being scorched. Planting: Before planting, deep plowing should be carried out and base fertilizer applied. Watering: Do not water too much; generally do not water in winter. Fertilizing: Fertilize about 3 times a year, respectively when new shoots emerge and leaves and flower buds are extending, after the flowers fade, and in autumn and winter. Pruning: After the flowers fade, cut off the spent flowers.
Everyone knows that peonies are very beautiful when they bloom, so many people now like to grow potted peonies at home to beautify their home environment. However, whether growing potted peonies or planting peonies on a large scale, you need to master good planting techniques. Below we will learn the planting techniques for two kinds of peonies.
Peony Planting Methods
1. Soil: Peonies should be planted in loose, fertile soil with a deep soil layer. The soil's drainage capacity must be good. For pot cultivation, ordinary potting soil can be used. The soil pH value is best neutral; slightly acidic or slightly alkaline is also acceptable.
2. Temperature: Peonies are relatively cold-hardy but cannot tolerate high temperatures. Generally, in East China and central regions of our country, they can overwinter outdoors. When the temperature reaches 4°C, peony flower buds begin to gradually swell. The suitable temperature for peonies is 16-20°C. Below 16°C they will not bloom. During high summer temperatures, peonies will enter a semi-dormant state.
3. Light: What we often say, shade for camellias, sun for peonies, means that peonies like sun but do not like being scorched. When planting peonies in the ground, choose a higher, east-facing sunny spot. For pot cultivation, place the peony on a sunny east-facing balcony. If placed on a south balcony or rooftop platform, then on the west side there must be some shading measures.
4. Planting: Peonies are deep-rooted flowering trees, so before planting, deep plowing should be carried out and base fertilizer applied (such as bone meal, oil cake, chicken manure, etc.).
5. Watering: Peonies should not be watered too much. In winter, generally do not water. After May, when the weather gradually becomes hotter, if there is drought in the weather and the soil is also dry, then water moderately, but note that it is better to be a bit dry than too moist. Be sure to wait until the soil is relatively dry before watering.
6. Fertilizing: The number of fertilizations per year is best about 3 times. The first is when new shoots emerge and leaves and flower buds are extending, mainly with quick-acting fertilizer; the second is mainly after the flowers fade, mainly with quick-acting fertilizer; the third is generally in autumn and winter, mainly with base fertilizer.
7. Pruning: After peony flowers fade, cut off the spent flowers. Later, in order to make the crown low and the flowers dense, pruning can be done before July to avoid branches being too dense and affecting peony blooming. It is suitable to keep 5-6 main branches per plant.
How to Grow Potted Peonies at Home
1. Growing peonies in pots at home is relatively simple. Usually no special management is needed. Just remember to provide appropriate shade under strong light at noon in midsummer, and at other times, especially in winter, provide sufficient light.
2. Peonies have a relatively large water demand during the peak growth period from March to September each year, so they should be watered and misted frequently to increase soil moisture. After autumn, gradually reduce watering to improve the plant's cold resistance.
3. Peonies like a semi-shaded environment. If the location where potted peonies are placed has too strong or insufficient light, the leaves are likely to turn pale green or yellow-green, lack vitality, and lose their proper ornamental value. In severe cases, they may even wither and die. If exposed to direct sunlight and dry air, it is most likely to cause scorching, so potted peonies should be placed in a cool, ventilated place, and attention should be paid to maintaining environmental humidity.
4. Peonies are not prone to pests and diseases, but if the potting soil is waterlogged and ventilation is poor, root rot may occur, and root rot disease may also occur. At this time, be sure to spray pesticide for prevention and control.
5. Usually it is best to place it in a ventilated position with sufficient scattered light. Since winter is not the growing period of peony hanging orchid, in order to prevent root rot, water only when the soil is dry, and water thoroughly when watering, otherwise it is very easy to cause root rot.
Reasons Why Potted Peonies Do Not Bloom
Many people grow peonies, and survival is not a problem, but no matter what, the peonies just will not bloom. In fact, there are many reasons why peonies do not bloom. The specific reasons still require everyone to match them to their own situation, find the specific problem with their own peony, and then solve it according to the method.
1. Improper pruning: This is a problem many beginners make. It mainly refers to improper operation of branch training and bud removal. Branch training and bud removal are important technical measures in peony cultivation. They can control whether it blooms, how much it blooms, whether it blooms at the same time, and whether the roots grow well. Peonies sprout suckers relatively vigorously, and these need to be removed in time. Otherwise, it is easy to make the main branches weaker and affect normal blooming later, or even prevent blooming.
2. Caused by pests and diseases: Potted peonies are relatively susceptible to damage from leaf mold, gray mold, rust, nematode disease, and white grubs, etc. Any pest or disease will affect the normal growth and development of peonies, and in severe cases will cause no blooming or few blooms.
3. Improper fertilizer and water: Peony blooming requires sufficient nutrients. If nutrients are insufficient before blooming, it may cause small flowers, few flowers, or withered buds. During the bud stage, peonies need appropriate control of watering to suppress the growth of branches and leaves. But if too much water is given at this time, it will easily cause excessive leaf growth, followed by the phenomenon of only growing leaves and not blooming.
4. Dividing too late: As the saying goes, “Plant peonies at the spring equinox, and they will never bloom even when old.” Because at this time the climate turns warm, sprouting is rapid, and a large amount of water and nutrients are consumed. If divided at this time, because the root system has not yet healed, nutrients are lost, the tree vigor becomes weak, and therefore it does not bloom.
5. Moving out too early: Moving peonies outdoors too early in spring makes them very susceptible to attacks by late spring cold, causing flower buds to drop and resulting in no blooming.
From the above introduction by the editor, everyone must know now. Although peonies are beautiful, making peonies produce such beautiful flowers requires a lot of effort behind the scenes. Peonies like an environment with sufficient sunlight, so peonies are not very suitable for growing indoors. If you have peonies among your potted plants at home, remember to often put them in the sun and not leave them in a shady place for a long time.