Peony Seed Planting Methods and Field Management Techniques

Peony, also called Luoyang flower and wealth flower, is a plant of the genus Paeonia in the family Paeoniaceae. It is a valuable woody flower unique to China, widely cultivated in China, and long ago introduced to various parts of the world. So how do you plant the seeds of the “king of flowers”, the peony? What are the field management techniques?

I. Peony seed planting methods

1. Sowing time

Peony seeds are best sown during the period from August to October each year. It should not be too late, nor too early. If sown too early, because the temperature is still relatively high, the soil is difficult to keep moist well, and the water in the soil is easily evaporated, which is unfavorable for the rooting and sprouting of peony seeds. Whether sown in late autumn of the same year or in the spring of the following year, only young roots can grow in that year, and it is necessary to wait until the spring of the next year before they can sprout and emerge. Under normal circumstances, peony seeds sown in spring will also not sprout and emerge in that same year.

2. Pretreatment before sowing

Peony seeds need pretreatment before sowing. Remove the impurities contained in the seeds and the seeds that affect the emergence rate, then soak the seeds in warm water at about 50C for 1-2 days. Soaking the seeds in warm water can, first, remove the floating, plump-less peony seeds, and second, soften the seed coat. After absorbing water, peony seeds will have a higher germination rate. When sowing the soaked peony seeds, an appropriate amount of plant ash can be added and mixed evenly before sowing, which is more conducive to the germination and emergence of peony seeds.

3. Sowing methods

There are mainly 6 sowing methods for peony seeds, namely: bed sowing, hole sowing, drill sowing, broadcast sowing, box sowing and pot sowing. Among them, broadcast sowing and drill sowing are not conducive to field management after the peony seeds emerge, as fertilization, weeding and so on will be much more troublesome than hole sowing, so in many regions oil peony seeds are sown by hole sowing.

II. Field management techniques

1. Cultivation and weeding

If you want peonies to grow well, growers should ensure there are no weeds in the peony field. Weeds in the peony field should be removed early in normal times; do not wait until the field is overgrown with weeds before weeding. In spring and the rainy seasons of summer, after each rain, when the ground is dry, it is necessary to carry out hoeing and loosening the soil once to prevent the soil from hardening after rain, which would affect the normal growth of peony seedlings. When hoeing and loosening the soil in normal times, be sure to be careful and avoid bruising the young buds of the peony seedlings.

2. Fertilization and topdressing

Under normal circumstances, peony seeds should be given topdressing once in late autumn and early winter of the sowing year and once in the spring of the following year. Rapeseed cake or decomposed human urine can be selected as fertilizer. At the same time, an appropriate amount of compound fertilizer and urea can also be used together. It is best to fully dilute before applying. In winter, an appropriate amount of rapeseed cake and organic fertilizer can also be applied in the gaps between the peony seedlings.

3. Drainage and drought resistance

Water accumulation should be avoided in peony planting plots, as water accumulation will cause root rot in peony seedlings. In rainy seasons, be sure to drain the accumulated water in the peony field in time! Too high a summer temperature easily causes drought in peony planting plots. Growers can irrigate in the morning and evening, and can also cover the soil surface with straw to cool the surface, prevent evaporation of water in the soil, ensure soil moisture, and achieve the purpose of drought resistance.

4. Thinning seedlings

When raising seedlings, peony growers should insist on quality over quantity for peony seedlings, mainly cultivating strong seedlings, and should pay attention to thinning seedlings in time, removing weak seedlings, and avoiding unnecessary loss of nutrients that would affect the growth of strong seedlings.

5. Freeze and cold protection

After winter begins, growers should also take corresponding warming measures for peony seedlings to prevent freezing injury to the peony seedlings, such as covering them with straw in time.

The above are the peony seed planting methods and field management techniques introduced by Tuliu.com. If you want peonies to grow well, growers should adopt correct planting methods and sow at the right time. At the same time, field management is also indispensable.