caring for peonies
The most important thing to know about peonies is the three year rule: first year sleep, second year creep, third year leap. Don’t expect them to bloom before their third year.
This goes for new plantings and for dividing existing clumps: once you disturb the roots, you’re back to square one.
Peonies like rich soils with plenty of humus and neutral pH, but don’t mind heavy clay around their roots and once established they are care free. The clumps require full sun to be at their best and need a lot of elbow room: they will crowd out any plant within their reach and not many can withstand the stifling presence of their mighty foliage.
Dead head the spent flowers to encourage the plant to bloom more and don’t plant them too close to the entrance, they are an ant magnet.
In humid climates the foliage is prone to powdery mildew, an irritatingly stubborn problem that affects the plants in late summer and is not easy to get rid of. Keep the proper spacing and trim the foliage to allow good air movement in order to prevent it.
Plant the roots at the end of fall, with the spring bulbs, in a location that is sheltered from strong winds. Provide support for their heavy blooms in spring to keep them from drooping.
Give a lot of thought to their location before you plant them: once established, peonies will live and bloom for many decades. They grow larger every year and they dislike being disturbed.
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