Planting Bare Root Herbaceous Peonies
Planting Bare Root Herbaceous Peonies
Choosing a location:
Herbaceous Peonies want a sunny spot in the garden (at least 6 hours of full sun) in order to thrive. It’s also important that they are planted in a spot that does not experience standing water otherwise they can experience root rot. If you have Black Walnut trees on or near your property, it’s important to plant your peony at least 50 feet away. Your peony will enjoy a spot that has fertile soil.
Full Sun – Well draining soil – Away from Black Walnut Trees
Preparing the site:
Dig and fluff the soil where your peony will be planted. It will help to place your peony on the ground (with eyes pointing to the sky) to see how much space it will take up. Dig a hole that is wider than the root and 2 to 3 times deeper than the root. Add some aged compost or manure and mix this in with the soil. Replace all the soil in the hole and make it nice and fluffy – this makes it easy for the roots to penetrate the ground as they grow.
Planting:
Move some of the soil in your hole aside with your hands and place your peony root (with eyes pointing to the sky) in the hole and cover back with soil so that the highest eye is only 1 to 3 cm below the soil surface. This shallow depth is critical. The biggest reason that peonies fail to bloom is they were planted too deep. I know this defies all your instincts….but believe me your plant will thrive in these conditions.
In the spring stems will emerge from the soil. At this point, it’s a good idea to provide a cage or other support system so that the stems will grow up into the support and the weight of the blooms can be supported come time for them to flower. Don’t panic if your plant doesn’t flower in its first year - the first year is all about settling in….but keep your eyes open in year two - you should be treated to beautiful blooms that only get better and greater in number as the plant reaches maturity.
If you wish to cut blooms to put in a vase – cut no more than 12 to 18” length stems - this usually gives you a cut flower with 2 to 3 leaves on the stem. The remaining stem on the plant should have as many leaves as possible. This ensures that the plant will still have ample leaves remaining on the plant to photosynthesize and feed the roots and eyes for next year’s growth.
After your plant blooms in the spring - gently top the soil with a thin coating of aged compost/manure. You may also wish to snip the spent heads off your plant. This redirects the plant to putting energy into its root development instead of seed development. Be sure to leave the foliage on the plant all season. Do not worry about powdery mildew that forms in the summer or fall - there is no reason to treat this. After the first frost - cut the stems down to the ground and throw all stems and leaves in the garbage (not your compost- just in case they have powdery mildew). Leaving old stems/foliage at the base of the plant poses the risk of disease affecting your plant early next season.
Most of all – Enjoy your beautiful peony!