Are your peonies just not blooming as beautifully as your neighbor’s? Then you’ve probably made one of these care mistakes.
Peonies (Paeonia) are jewels of the countryside garden—not only because of their huge blossoms and delicate fragrance. Peonies, which include herbaceous and shrub-like species, are also known for being very long-lived, robust, and easy to care for. These noble beauties can thrive for decades in the same spot in the garden. Peonies do not like to be transplanted. Here, we reveal which other mistakes to avoid when caring for your peonies.
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Mistake 1: Dividing Peonies
The older peonies get, the more magnificent they become, producing more flowers. For this reason, peonies, unlike many other perennials, do not need to be rejuvenated by dividing. Instead, let your peonies grow undisturbed for several years in the same place—they will flourish into their full beauty.
If you want to redesign your garden or if your peonies have simply become too large for their current spot, you can transplant them. The best time to do this is in the fall, from September onwards. For herbaceous peonies, divide the rootstock during this process. If you don’t divide them, the plants often establish poorly in their new location and may languish for years. It’s important to plant herbaceous peonies shallowly in the soil so they will bloom later. Caution: Shrub peonies are grafted and should be planted deeper in the soil when transplanting, but not divided.
Mistake 2: Working the Soil Around the Roots
Avoid disturbing the soil directly around a peony—this is especially important in spring to protect the new shoots. After heavy rain, gently loosen the soil if necessary. Also, make sure to only remove weeds or lightly hoe the soil very close to the surface. Digging too deep can damage the plant’s roots. Hoeing can lead to several years of flowering pauses in peonies.
Mistake 3: Not Cutting Back Peonies in Autumn
Nowadays, many perennials are left standing over winter for their beautiful structure—but peonies are sometimes an exception. Hobby gardeners cut back herbaceous peonies to about a hand’s width above the ground as soon as the foliage yellows in autumn. This helps the plants regenerate well from the base next year. Also, without cutting close to the ground, there is an increased risk of gray mold infecting the peonies and overwintering on the plants.
In contrast to herbaceous peonies, shrub peonies usually do not need to be cut back. You can let them grow like many flowering shrubs and only remove dead or dried branches as needed.
