Peonies are gorgeous perennials that can bloom for decades. In fact, these peonies are nearly 70 years old. I’m going to teach you how to grow peonies that will last for generations.
Growing peonies is easy and pays huge dividends. Their beautiful, fragrant blooms can’t be beat and their glossy green foliage adds interest even after the spring display is done. Peonies can last for 100 years if properly cared for.
My great grandmother planted these peonies in 1955 and they still put out huge, beautiful blooms every May. Plus, deer don’t bother them. In my garden, that’s a big win.
1. Garden Peony Care Types
The most common type is the herbaceous garden peony. These are the pretty spring bloomers you see in most people’s gardens. There are also fernleaf peonies, woodland peonies, tree peonies, and Itoh peonies which are a cross between tree and garden peonies.
Here, I’m focusing on the common garden peony.
2. Garden Peony Care Varieties and Zones
There are thousands of cultivars of garden peonies that grow in zones 3 through 9. They are split into five main flower types: single bloom, double bloom, semi-double bloom, anemone, and Japanese.
They come in a variety of colors from blush to bright pink, white, peach, and red.
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3. Garden Peony Care: Planting
You can buy peonies as potted plants or tubers. Potted peonies do best when planted in fall, but you can plant them anytime during the growing season. You should only plant tubers in fall.
Step-by-step planting
Step 1: Choose a sunny spot with enough room for your peony to grow 3 to 4 feet wide and tall.
Step 2: Add plenty of compost to the planting hole.
Step 3: Don’t plant peonies too deep and cover the crown with 1 to 2 inches of soil.
Step 4: Plant potted peonies in fall or anytime during the growing season, but plant tubers only in fall.
Step 5: Think hard about where you want to plant your peony, because once they’re in the ground, they don’t like to be moved.
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4. Garden Peony Care: Feeding and Mulching
Fertilize young peonies for the first couple years in early spring or just after flowering. Older, established peonies don’t need much care.
Just add a layer of compost and mulch around plants in spring, making sure not to pile the mulch around the stems. If blooms diminish, feed plants with a low nitrogen fertilizer or work bone meal into the soil around your plants once every 3 to 5 years.
5. Garden Peony Care: Bigger Blooms
To grow bigger blooms, try disbudding your peonies. Simply pinch off the smaller side buds, leaving the main terminal flower bud.
Disbudding will result in fewer blooms, but each flower will be bigger and better formed.
6. Garden Peony Care: Staking and Support
Flowers may be too heavy for peony stems to support, especially on double bloom varieties. You can stake peonies in spring before foliage leafs out.
There are metal stands made specifically for peonies. If you’re in a pinch, a tomato cage will do.
7. Garden Peony Care: Cut Flowers
Peonies look just as good in a vase as they do in the garden. They make excellent cut flowers that last several days.
Cut blooms just before they open. Gently squeeze buds to see if they are ready. They should feel like a marshmallow, with a little bit of give.
Don’t take more than one-third of the flowers from a peony. This will keep your plant healthy and blooming well next year.
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8. Garden Peony Care: Fall Cleanup and Disease Prevention
Cut back peonies in the fall to about 3 inches high. Throw away any diseased foliage. Don’t put it in your compost pile.
Peonies are generally pest free, but they do occasionally suffer from powdery mildew later in the summer. They may also have trouble with botrytis blight which is caused by cool, wet weather.
Water early in the day and maintain good airflow around plants to prevent problems.
9. Garden Peony Care: Ants on Peonies
They love the sweet nectar the peony buds produce in spring. Many people believe the ants help the peonies bloom, but that’s actually a myth. Peonies can bloom all on their own.
Garden Peony Care: Final Thoughts
Once peonies are established, they are super easy to care for. With just a little bit of work, your peonies will last for generations to come.
What an amazing legacy to leave in your garden.