Can you plant peonies in spring

Water your newly planted peony root right away. Be sure to continue watering new peony plants every week or two, providing moisture until the Fall rains take over. Gently check the peony root; if it settled too deeply, lift it up and add additional soil under the root. Be sure it is only covered with one inch to two inches of soil for best results.

Planting peonies too deeply can result in foliage growth with no flowers. Newly planted bare root peonies will establish new feeder roots when you plant them in the Fall. The winter freezing temperatures will not affect roots planted in the ground garden. Peonies like cold winters.

B e sure the eyes are covered with only one inch to two inches of soil. Water the potted peonies; keep moist - but, let them almost dry out between waterings. Keep potted peonies protected from deep winter freezing. How to care for your peonies? Water your new peony plants thoroughly upon planting or transplanting. Water a peony deeply, then let the soil almost dry out between waterings'. The moisture will help the roots establish.

Once a peony plant is several years old, it is fairly drought tolerant ; although they do appreciate a good watering every few weeks in hot summers.

An established peony plant does not need frequent watering. You may also fertilize your peony plants after they bloom. Many gardeners do not fertilize their peonies and others fertilize annually. You may want to experiment for best results with your soil. If you are fertilizing potted peonies - be sure to use a slow release fertilizer, as other fertilizers will burn the foliage. We fertilize in early spring, just as plants emerge. You may trim your peony stems to shape the bush as it pleases you.

If you want to let seed pods mature, leave them on the stems until they crack open in late summer. You can immediately plant the seed in the ground or potting flats and keep moist until the fall rains come. Some seed will germinate the following spring, other seeds will sprout the 2nd spring. Cut peony stems to ground level in the late fall. Remove the stems and leaves from the garden for good sanitation.

Do not compost peony leaves and stems. Dig a wide, shallow planting hole. These will become the stems, and should be placed facing upwards in the hole. Read more about how to plant peony roots in the garden. Potted peonies are generally larger and more expensive than bare root peonies.

Some specialty peonies may only be available in bare root form, in bags like this photo below :. This spring I planted Sarah Bernhardt, Coral Charm, and some other lovely types of peony flowers in my garden. Most common varieties of herbaceous peonies are available in both bare root and potted form in the springtime. Some gardeners will only plant peonies in the fall. Here are some of the drawbacks of planting peonies in spring :. So, a peony planted in spring can certainly be expected to survive and thrive with dedicated TLC — it just may take a year or two for the flowers we all love.

It is completely fine to plant peonies in spring. Spring is perhaps not the ideal transplanting season in general because the heat of summer can be harsh, but the spring season certainly seems to be the best peony shopping season! Peonies may remain in the same place for many years without being disturbed. Should the plants need to be moved, move them in the fall as they are entering dormancy, rather than in the spring when they are starting to grow. Cut back the foliage and carefully dig up the entire root ball, which may be as large as 3 feet in diameter.

Take care to dig deeply and avoid breaking off roots. Replant immediately and water deeply. If you want to divide a plant, it can be done in fall or very early spring. One approach is to dig up the entire root ball as described above and put the clump on a tarp. Then use a sharp knife to divide the clump into sections and replant immediately. Work quicky and gently, damaging as few of the fleshy roots as possible. The other option is to use a sharp spade and cut one or more chunks of root away from the mother plant.

Again, replant these divisions immediately and water as needed during the first growing season. The less the roots are disturbed, the more quickly the plants will recover, though you can usually expect to lose at least one season of flowers. Peonies are rarely troubled by pests or disease. A fungal disease called botrytis sometimes causes buds to blacken and shrivel as if they have been burned.

The disease may also blacken young shoots and entire stems. As with all fungal diseases, wet weather increases infection. Remove and dispose of any affected tissues. The best control is preventative: remove spent flowers as soon as possible, avoid wetting the foliage with overhead irrigation, and encourage good air circulation by not crowding plants.

Right before they bloom, peony buds are covered with a slightly sweet, sticky substance. This will often attract ants, who appreciate the sweet treat.

If you cut the flowers and want to avoid bringing ants into your home, just give the flowers a shake or dunk them in some cool water. To see our selection of peonies, click HERE. To learn more about peonies, you may be interested in reading:. How to Stretch the Peony Season.

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