What are the cultivation methods and precautions for potted herbaceous peony?

  The herbaceous peony is praised by people as the “Flower Fairy” and the “Flower Minister,” and is listed as one of the “Six Famous Flowers.” It is also called the “May Flower God,” and because it has been regarded as the flower of love since ancient times, it is now honored as the representative flower of the Qixi Festival. The herbaceous peony is graceful and charming, with gorgeous colors, and is also elegant and luxurious, similar to the tree peony. Hence the laudatory titles: “the tree peony is the king of flowers” and “the herbaceous peony is the minister of flowers.”

  The herbaceous peony is a flowering plant with a very long history of cultivation, and it closely resembles the tree peony commonly seen in our lives. Many people plant herbaceous peonies together with tree peonies to improve the ornamental effect. Today we will introduce to you the cultivation methods and precautions for herbaceous peony.

  The herbaceous peony is very similar to the king of flowers, the tree peony. Before planting herbaceous peony, we should have a basic understanding of it, such as its growing environment, climatic conditions, and when it blooms. This can achieve twice the result with half the effort in growing good herbaceous peony.

  The herbaceous peony has a certain degree of cold tolerance and likes sunny, warm and humid climatic conditions. In terms of temperature, it can also grow well under conditions where the average temperature in July is 27.8 degrees and the highest temperature is 42 degrees. It sprouts in March each year and blooms in early May.

  The herbaceous peony is generally propagated by division. As the saying goes: “Divide herbaceous peony at the spring equinox, and it will never bloom till old age.” Therefore, herbaceous peony should not be transplanted in spring. Division is usually carried out in October after the aboveground parts wither. When dividing, dig out the root clump and cut it along the cracks in the roots with a sharp knife, so that each clump has 3 to 5 plump, well-developed buds and the root mass below them (be sure not to damage the bud eyes), then plant it in a wide-mouthed deep pot that has been given base fertilizer, cover with soil to 3—4 cm above the buds, and keep the potting soil moist. After division and planting, it can bloom the next year.

  The herbaceous peony likes sunlight, tolerates cold, and loves fertilizer, and in summer it prefers a cool climate. It requires fertile, loose, well-drained sandy loam and avoids saline-alkaline soil. Potted herbaceous peony is best done in October in autumn, and it needs to be planted with a ball or clump of soil. If it is a divided plant, its tuber must have bud eyes, otherwise after planting it will not grow branches and leaves, nor bloom. After planting, cover with soil 3 to 4 cm above the tuber, apply base fertilizer, and keep the potting soil moist. For potted planting, the soil can be made by mixing culture soil with 1/10 river sand and then planting in the pot.

  After side buds appear, they can be removed so that nutrients are concentrated and the terminal bud blooms beautifully and large. After the flowers fade, the flower stalks should be cut off in time to prevent seed formation and nutrient consumption.

  The cultivation methods for herbaceous peony mainly revolve around the following steps, and I hope this can help flower lovers with the daily care of herbaceous peony.

  1. Temperature

  The herbaceous peony is a typical temperate plant. It likes warmth and tolerates cold, and has a relatively wide range of ecological adaptation. In northern China, it can be cultivated in the open field, and its cold tolerance is relatively strong. In the Nenjiang County area of northern Heilongjiang Province, where the annual growth period is only 120 days and the extreme minimum temperature is -46.5°C, it can still grow and bloom normally and overwinter in the open field. In summer it prefers a cool climate, but it is also quite heat-tolerant. For example, in Bozhou (bo zhou), Anhui Province, where the extreme maximum summer temperature reaches 42.1°C, it can also safely pass the summer.

  2. Light

  Only with sufficient light during the growing period can the herbaceous peony grow luxuriantly and have brilliant flower colors; however, it can also grow and develop normally under light shade, and during the flowering period it can appropriately lower the temperature and increase humidity to avoid being scorched by strong sunlight, thereby extending the ornamental period. But if it is shaded too much, it will cause leggy growth, weak growth, and no flowering or sparse flowering.

  The herbaceous peony is a long-day plant. It differentiates flower buds in the short-day seasons of autumn and winter, and blooms under long-day conditions in spring. Bud development and flowering both need to proceed under long-day conditions. If the sunshine duration is too short (8 to 9 hours), it will lead to delayed flower bud development, accelerated leaf growth, poor flowering, and even failure to bloom.

  3. Soil

  The herbaceous peony is a deep-rooted plant, so it requires deep soil layers, and it also has thick, fleshy roots, making it suitable for loose, well-drained sandy loam. It grows poorly in clay and sandy soil. High soil moisture content and poor drainage easily cause root rot. Neutral or slightly acidic soil is suitable, and saline-alkaline land is not suitable for planting. Fertile soil gives better growth, but note that the nitrogen content must not be too high, to prevent excessive growth of branches and leaves. During the growing period, appropriately increasing phosphorus and potassium fertilizer can promote strong growth of branches and leaves and beautiful flowering. The herbaceous peony avoids continuous cropping. In traditional concentrated production areas of herbaceous peony, continuous planting in the same plot for many years is a very common phenomenon and has caused serious losses, not only severe pests and diseases, but also declines in yield and quality, and even large-scale death. Therefore, a scientific and reasonable crop rotation system must be implemented.

  4. Water

  The herbaceous peony prefers high, relatively dry terrain and does not need frequent irrigation. During the growing period, especially the bud emergence stage and flowering stage, it must not lack water. Because the herbaceous peony has fleshy roots, it is particularly intolerant of waterlogging. Water accumulation for 6 to 10 hours often leads to root rot. Low-lying and humid areas are not suitable as herbaceous peony production areas in our country. Every flood is almost devastating to herbaceous peony, and only those in high, open places that were not submerged have remained.

  After frost, cut off the withered aboveground parts level with the pot and water and cover with soil appropriately. From the beginning of winter to early spring throughout the entire dormant period, the soil should remain moist and not too dry, but drainage must be smooth and water accumulation must be avoided, otherwise the underground tubers are prone to rot and death. During overwintering, the potting soil just needs not to be too dry.

  5. Fertilization

  Potted herbaceous peony should be placed in a sunny place on the balcony, and there is no need to move it indoors in winter. In addition to base fertilizer, the potting soil must also be given topdressing when it sprouts in spring, when it forms buds, and when it grows peony shoots in early autumn. Half a month after the flowers fade, that is, in late June, fertilization should be carried out to promptly replenish the nutrients consumed during the flowering period of the herbaceous peony, prepare material conditions for the herbaceous peony to enter its second vigorous growth period, and ensure brilliant flowering the following year.

  6. Repotting

  Potted herbaceous peony should be repotted once every 1 to 2 years, in early October. When repotting, more of the original soil should be retained. If the clump is not large, do not divide it.

  [Precautions]

  For potted herbaceous peony, 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 it indoors; place it on a balcony or under the eaves in a sunny place, and the potting soil just needs not to be too dry.

  After the herbaceous peony is planted, it should not be frequently transplanted, otherwise the roots will be damaged and growth and flowering will be affected. To make the herbaceous peony grow well, reasonable fertilization is needed every year. After each fertilization, water thoroughly and immediately loosen the soil to reduce water evaporation. In the rainy season, cultivate and weed frequently.

  Before the herbaceous peony blooms, after side buds appear, they can be removed in time so that nutrients are concentrated and the terminal bud produces large, beautiful flowers. After the flowers fade, if you do not plan to propagate by seed, cut off the flower stalks at any time to prevent seed formation and nutrient consumption.