A Detailed Guide to Growing Peonies in Pots, Easy for Beginners to Learn

The peony is praised by people as the “Flower Fairy” and the “Flower Minister,” and is listed as one of the “Six Great Famous Flowers.” It is also called the “May Flower God.” Because it has been regarded as the flower of love since ancient times, it is now honored as the representative flower of Qixi Festival. The peony is not only a precious flower, but its root is also a highly effective traditional Chinese medicine. Peonies can be planted in the ground or grown in pots at home to decorate a balcony, or used as cut flowers kept in water in a vase.

Potted peonies are best planted in autumn, during October, and should be moved with a ball or clump of soil. Below, we introduce the methods for growing peonies in pots.

1. Soil Selection

The peony has fleshy roots, so when planting, choose a loose, fertile, slightly acidic sandy soil. It is not suitable for growing in alkaline soil. If the soil is too alkaline, it will cause the leaves to turn yellow and even shrivel and die. For potting soil, you can use cultivating soil mixed with 1/10 river sand and then plant it in a pot.

2. Propagation

Potted peonies are usually propagated by layering. In spring, guide the young stems of the peony through the drainage hole at the bottom of a flower pot about 15 to 20 cm in diameter into the pot, lightly tie the lower part of the stem with hemp twine, place soil in the bottom of the pot, and keep adding soil to the pot as the stems grow.

3. Watering

Apart from natural rainfall, peonies generally do not need frequent watering. Usually, water appropriately only a few times around the flowering period, when water demand is greatest, and during spring drought, to supplement the shortage of soil moisture. Do not water too much each time.

4. Fertilizing

Fertilizing peonies should be controlled, with three applications per year. The first is when new shoots are growing rapidly. When the leaves and flower buds are just extending, apply mainly quick-acting fertilizer, which is called flower-promoting fertilizer.

5. Shaping

Shaping peonies mainly includes establishing the trunk, pruning branches, removing buds, thinning flower buds, and cutting off spent flowers. After 2 to 3 years of planting, the trunk can be established. For varieties with especially strong growth vigor and vigorous growth, they can be pruned into a single-trunk peony. For varieties with weak growth vigor and few branches, generally cut off the thin and weak branches and keep the strong ones.

6. Repotting

Potted peonies are repotted once every 1 to 2 years, in early October. When repotting, keep more of the original soil. If the clump is not large, do not divide it.

The peony's flower forms are graceful and varied, combining color, fragrance, and charm, and can express a flower posture as elegant and charming as a graceful lady. Below, we introduce the key points for selecting peony cut flowers and the pruning method.

Key points for selection:

Usually they are cut for use as cut flowers when the flowers have not yet opened, and it is best to choose ones with vivid coloring and no damage. Flower stems generally have 1 to 4 heads; the more heads, the smaller the buds.

Pruning method:

① Measure the height of the vase, then starting from the base, remove all leaves that would be below the water.

② Using a diagonal cut, trim 2 cm off the bottom of the flower stem before inserting it into the vase to improve water absorption.

Tips for keeping in water:

① Carnations are quite sensitive to things that release ethylene, so avoid placing them together with fruits that ripen after picking, such as apples, bananas, and mangoes, to avoid speeding up wilting.

② Change the water frequently, and every 2 to 3 days cut 3 to 5 cm off the flower stem at a diagonal.