I know I've often talked about how much I love peonies. Well, what's not to love? They're stunning. They fill the air with spice scent. And they almost never need dividing. Peonies can keep growing undisturbed for upwards of 70 years. I like that in a plant.
Since peonies are going to be sitting around for quite awhile, it's a good idea to give them the best start you can. Where, when and how to plant makes a difference when you're talking about a commitment of so many decades. Most people know that you're supposed to plant peonies shallowly, but then we defeat our efforts by burying them under several inches of mulch. Start your peonies off right, so you too can go decades without dividing them.
Photo: © Marie Iannotti
Comments
This article didn’t make any sense to me. I didn’t get the double negative sentence when she talked about the mistakes people make. Can someone please explain about the mulch and depth you are supposed to plant peonies? Thanks!
Did you rad the entire article? It states – plant 2-3 inches deep and do not mulch over the plant, but around it.
when do you prune and or transplant butterfly bush??
If you have a cold winter, you should prune butterfly bush in the early spring. You don’t want to encourage new growth going into the winter. The best times to transplant are spring or early fall.
I planted my peonies last year … planted them shallow and then covered them with leaves for the winter (zone 3). This spring when they came up I put grass clippings around them and they grew very nicely. I didn’t understand the article either about not mulching. Oh well, go with what works I say.
The point I was trying to make is that peonies planted too deeply will eventually have trouble setting flower buds. So even if you plant them only a couple of inches deep, adding several inches of mulch on the roots will defeat the purpose of planting shallowly. I think perhaps the first writer only read the blog and not the article.
storiemakr, you’re right, go with what works for you. A little organic matter isn’t going to disturb the roots. Grass clippings decompose very quickly.
please remember not to plant too close to the house unless you like ants in your house. These flowers attract ants.
This article makes NO sense at all!
Jan, are you talking about the article or this blog posting? What confused you?
Is it possible to plant peonies in a large container? I just got a new 8″ plant ” Alexander Fleming”. I’m moving soon so I didn’t want to put in the ground yet. Thank you.
You can grow peonies in containers, but it’s not the easiest thing to do. You’ll need a large pot, because they have a large root system. Give them at least a cubic foot of soil to grow in. Use a soil that drains well and they’ll need feeding after they flower.
The biggest headache is finding the balance between cold enough to set buds and warm enough so the roots don’t die. If you have extended freezes in your area, say USDA zones 5 and lower, you should provide a little protection in the winter. Moving them to an unheated garage or covering them with mulch should do it.
Lastly be careful about letting the pot get too hot, in the summer. Dark pots can fry the root system, on a hot sunny day.
I live in Northeast Florida, zone 9. I am getting mixed information on how far south one can grow peonies and have read zone 8 is the farthest south and zone 9 in other articles. Is it a matter of technique? What am I to believe? Any information I can get on this subject would be appreciated.
Zones are only as reliable as the weather, but I believe Zone 8 is the warmest recommended for peonies. Even then, gardeners should choose early blooming varieties, so they bloom before the weather turns hot.
Peonies need 3-4 weeks of freezing weather, to set their flowers buds. It needs to remain cold for a continuous period or there will be no flowers. So some years even gardeners in Zones 7 and 8 may have trouble.