How to grow peonies? Detailed guide to cultivation methods and techniques

Flowers & Gardening Jan 1, 1970 0 views

Light: plenty of light but no direct sunlight. Temperature: fairly cold-hardy but afraid of high heat; once temperatures rise above 25 degrees, it enters a dormant state. Soil: requires well-drained, deep neutral or slightly alkaline soil. Water and fertilizer: manage two key waterings well. Pruning: promptly prune spent flowers and small bottom shoots.

1. Light

The peony is a traditional famous flower of China, with large blooms and brilliant colors, stately and elegant, earning the titles "king of flowers" and "national beauty and heavenly fragrance," and it has long been loved by our people. During cultivation, peonies need to be planted in the ground and are not well suited to growing in pots. Around the Spring Festival we see potted peonies sold as New Year items, but these flowers are in a forced-blooming state.

Peonies are very difficult to grow well in pots over a long period, so when planting peonies you should choose a spot with ample sunlight; generally a southeast-facing location is ideal, and they need fairly strong light while also fearing scorching sun, so it is best to have some tall trees to block the light, for example what we commonly call a dappled-shade environment, for them to grow ideally.

2. Temperature

Peonies are fairly cold-hardy and afraid of high heat; once temperatures rise above 25 degrees, they enter a dormant state. In winter they can overwinter safely in the vast majority of regions, and there are records saying they can withstand low temperatures of more than 30 degrees below zero.

3. Soil

They have strict soil requirements, needing well-drained, deep neutral or slightly alkaline soil; for example, the peonies of Luoyang and Heze are all cultivated on the embankments of the Yellow River.

4. Water and fertilizer

For peony water and fertilizer management, you should manage two key waterings well: first, before winter begins, irrigate once with wintering water; second, after spring begins, water once with green-up water. Also, before flowering, after flowering, and after leaf fall, apply fertilizer once each, which greatly helps the following year's blooming.

5. Pruning

When caring for peonies, you need to do pruning well: promptly cut off spent flowers and clear away small shoots at the base, to encourage strong branches to bear flowers, and do not let the small branches grow too tangled. These are the care measures, but wanting to grow peonies well is a very tedious job.