How to Grow Potted Peonies? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Care Methods

Peony is also known as Jiangli, Licao, Yurong, Hongyao, and so on. It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Paeonia in the family Paeoniaceae. It is praised by people as the “Flower Fairy” and “Flower Minister,” and is listed as one of the “Ten Famous Flowers.” It is also called the “Flower God of May.” Because it has been regarded as the flower of love since ancient times, it is now honored as the representative flower of Qixi Festival. Now let us take a look at how to grow potted peonies!

Growth Habits of Peonies

Peonies like sunlight and are drought-tolerant. As the climate rhythms change throughout the year, the plant's staged developmental changes mainly manifest as alternating changes between the growth period and the dormant period, among which the vernalization stage of the dormant period and the light stage of the growth period are the most critical. The vernalization stage of peony requires about 40 days at a low temperature of 0°C before it can be completed, and only then can the mixed buds begin to sprout and grow. It is a long-day plant. Flower buds need long-day conditions to develop and bloom. After the mixed buds sprout, if the light duration is insufficient, or under short-day conditions, it usually only grows leaves without blooming, or blooms abnormally.

Propagation Methods of Peonies

1. Division: Division is the most commonly used propagation method for peonies. Nursery production in peony-producing areas basically uses this method for propagation. It has three advantages. First, it blooms earlier than the sowing method. Seedlings grown from sowing bloom in 4 to 5 years, while divided seedlings can bloom the following year. Second, division is simple and easy to perform, saves labor in management, and is conducive to widespread application. Third, it can maintain the excellent traits of the original variety. The disadvantage is that the propagation coefficient is low. A three-year-old mother plant can only be divided into 3 to 5 daughter plants.

2. Sowing: Peony seeds should preferably be sown immediately after collection. As the sowing time is delayed, the seed moisture content decreases and the germination rate declines. The seeds have the characteristic of double dormancy of the epicotyl and hypocotyl. After sowing, the autumn soil temperature causes the seeds' hypocotyls to break dormancy, and the radicles develop and take root. The better the rooting in that year, the more vigorous the growth in the following year. If sowing is too late, the ground temperature cannot break the hypocotyl dormancy, rooting cannot occur, and the germination rate in the following spring is greatly reduced.

3. Cuttage: For peonies, cuttings taken in mid-July have the best rooting effect. After cutting, they can root in 20 to 30 days and form dormant buds. After rooting, spraying and watering should be reduced, and the plastic shed and shade shed should be gradually removed. Cutting seedlings grow relatively slowly and need to be covered with soil in the bed to overwinter. In the following spring, they are moved to open-field planting.

4. Layering: In spring, pass the young shoots that have just emerged through the drainage hole of a flower pot and lead them into a flower pot with a diameter of 15 to 20 cm. As they grow, gradually fill in soil and keep the pot soil moist. By summer, they can take root. Before winter, cut off the stem below the pot, and a potted peony is formed.

How to Grow Potted Peonies?

1. Soil: Peony has fleshy roots. When planting, choose loose, fertile, slightly acidic sandy soil. It is not suitable for growing in alkaline soil. If the soil is too alkaline, it will cause leaf yellowing and even shrinkage and death.

2. Watering: Apart from natural precipitation, peonies generally do not need frequent watering. Usually, water appropriately only a few times before and after flowering, when water demand is greatest and spring drought occurs, to supplement the lack of soil moisture. Do not water too much each time.

3. Fertilizing: Fertilizing peonies should be controlled. Fertilize three times a year. The first time is when new shoots are rapidly emerging. When the leaves and flower buds are extending, apply mainly quick-acting fertilizer, which is called flower-promoting fertilizer.

4. Shaping: Peony shaping mainly includes trunk determination, pruning branches, removing buds, thinning buds, and cutting off spent flowers. Trunk determination can be carried out after 2 to 3 years of planting. For varieties with particularly strong growth vigor and vigorous growth, they can be pruned into single-trunk peonies. For varieties with weak growth vigor and few branches, generally cut off thin and weak branches and retain strong branches.

5. Pests and diseases: Common pests and diseases of peonies include brown spot disease, anthracnose, rust disease, root rot, root-knot nematode disease, longhorn beetles, red spiders, scarab beetles, mole crickets, and so on. Among them, brown spot disease, anthracnose, and rust disease are fungal diseases. Pest and disease control should focus on early prevention. Once pests or diseases occur, according to the degree of occurrence and the above-mentioned dosage, appropriately shorten the spraying interval and increase the number of applications.

Precautions for Peonies

1. After peonies are planted, they should not be frequently transplanted, otherwise the roots will be damaged, affecting growth and flowering. To make peonies grow well, reasonable fertilization is needed every year. After each fertilization, water thoroughly and immediately loosen the soil to reduce water evaporation.

2. For potted peonies, after Frost's Descent, cut off the withered branches and leaves to prevent the breeding of pests and diseases. During overwintering, there is no need to move them indoors. Place them on a balcony or under the eaves in a sunny place. Just make sure the pot soil does not become too dry.

3. Before peonies bloom, after side buds appear, they can be removed in time so that nutrients are concentrated and the terminal buds produce larger and more beautiful flowers. After the flowers fade, if you do not plan to propagate by sowing, cut off the flower stalks at any time to avoid seed formation and nutrient consumption.