Saturday, August 8, 2015
2015 New Popular Topics, Exhibiting and Tree Peonies
The current popular topics for last month has been updated. I *try* to update this section every month with the previous month's most popular topics. So if you're interested to see what other people are reading about, check it out. Also I have made the topics chart a little easier to read, and added two new topics - Exhibiting and Tree Peonies. This was the first year ever that I brought peonies to the 2015 American Peony Society Exhibition. I've also started growing a few Tree Peonies. Hopefully everyone will find this Popular Topics table helpful, and make it easier to find what you're looking for!
Thursday, August 6, 2015
2015 Dry Conditions Make Peony Foliage Wilt
Peony Wilted from Dry Spell
I think it has been about 3 weeks since we've gotten any measurable rain. Before this dry spell, it had been raining pretty regularly this summer, which was great. The continuous rain kept the grass green, and all of my flowers happy, including my peonies. However now that it's been weeks since it's rained, everything is looking sad - grass, trees, flowers, even the peonies. Peonies are usually pretty resistant to dry spells unless there is an extended dry spell like this one. I usually don't give any extra water to my peonies other than what nature provides. However when it gets this dry, I do try to water the wilted looking ones. There's a 90% chance of rain tonight. So I'm hoping some of that water hits my property! The peonies and all of the plants in my garden could use some relief!
Peony Wilted and Dying Back from Dry Spell
Monday, August 3, 2015
2015 How to Fertilize a Peony
There are two main times of the year to fertilize peonies, before your peonies bloom in early spring and after they have bloomed in the later summer / early fall. This is a good time to add a slow release organic fertilizer or composted cow manure around the drip line of your peony plants. Slow release, organic nutrients will be available throughout the season for your peonies. This includes the early spring when they are expending lots of energy to push up new shoots of foliage, and even into the fall when they are storing energy and nutrients to produce next year's foliage and blooms.
Peony Plant to be Fertilized
The first step in fertilizing your peony is to remove the layer of mulch covering your peonies. This layer of mulch is just another barrier between your peony and the nutrients you are trying to give it. If it is not possible or perhaps too time consuming, you can put the fertilizer on top of the mulch. However the peony will have easier access to fertilizer that is directly applied to its soil. Also less of the fertilizer is likely to get washed or blown away.
Peony Plant with Mulch Removed
Since peony plants only produce one set of foliage per year, you will want to make sure to keep it green and healthy. I don't recommend any quick release water soluble chemical fertilizers. These fertilizers will actually 'burn' the leaves of your peony plant and make them turn yellow. Avoid those types of fertilizers and look for something slow release, natural, or organic instead. Since peonies are not continuously producing new above ground growth throughout the season, they do not need a high nitrogen, quick release fertilizer.
Organic Slow Release Fertilizers are Best for Peonies
Some fertilizers that I like to use are Espoma Organic Plant-tone or EcoScraps Natural and Organic Rose & Flower Plant Food. Both of these fertilizers are slow release and organic. They can both be found at local super stores and hardware stores, or you can purchase them online. I also like to use Black Kow composted manure as a fertilizer for my peonies. If you have your own compost pile, then homemade compost is also a great fertilizer. When using compost, you will want to make sure that you use a very thin layer and don't bury your peony with the compost. Most of the time, I will use the bagged organic fertilizers for herbaceous peonies, and the compost for tree peonies since herbaceous peonies's are sensitive to planting depth.
You can use a garden scoop or measuring cup, whatever you're comfortable with to apply the fertilizer. I like to use a measuring up so I know exactly how much I am putting on each plant. Sprinkle the fertilizer lightly over the soil. Make sure to apply the fertilizer around the drip line of the peony's outer most leaves in a round circle like shape. Be careful not to dump the fertilizer directly on the peony's crown. It likely won't do as much good in this location since most of the storage roots are under the crown, and the feeder roots are generally around the outer edge of the foliage drip line. Optionally you can work the fertilizer into the soil a bit with your fingers or a small garden cultivator, taking care not to disturb the peony's roots. If you are short on time or you are worried about disturbing your peony, you can skip working the fertilizer into the soil.
Replace the Mulch Around Peony
After you have applied your fertilizer, the last thing to do is to replace the mulch around your peony. This will keep the fertilizer from washing away, and give nature a chance to incorporate the fertilizer into the soil during your next few rainstorms. If it has been particularly dry lately, you can also water in the fertilizer yourself with a garden hose or watering can. Now you're all done. This should give your peony a great start to the next growing season!
Peony Plant to be Fertilized
The first step in fertilizing your peony is to remove the layer of mulch covering your peonies. This layer of mulch is just another barrier between your peony and the nutrients you are trying to give it. If it is not possible or perhaps too time consuming, you can put the fertilizer on top of the mulch. However the peony will have easier access to fertilizer that is directly applied to its soil. Also less of the fertilizer is likely to get washed or blown away.
Peony Plant with Mulch Removed
Since peony plants only produce one set of foliage per year, you will want to make sure to keep it green and healthy. I don't recommend any quick release water soluble chemical fertilizers. These fertilizers will actually 'burn' the leaves of your peony plant and make them turn yellow. Avoid those types of fertilizers and look for something slow release, natural, or organic instead. Since peonies are not continuously producing new above ground growth throughout the season, they do not need a high nitrogen, quick release fertilizer.
Organic Slow Release Fertilizers are Best for Peonies
Some fertilizers that I like to use are Espoma Organic Plant-tone or EcoScraps Natural and Organic Rose & Flower Plant Food. Both of these fertilizers are slow release and organic. They can both be found at local super stores and hardware stores, or you can purchase them online. I also like to use Black Kow composted manure as a fertilizer for my peonies. If you have your own compost pile, then homemade compost is also a great fertilizer. When using compost, you will want to make sure that you use a very thin layer and don't bury your peony with the compost. Most of the time, I will use the bagged organic fertilizers for herbaceous peonies, and the compost for tree peonies since herbaceous peonies's are sensitive to planting depth.
You can use a garden scoop or measuring cup, whatever you're comfortable with to apply the fertilizer. I like to use a measuring up so I know exactly how much I am putting on each plant. Sprinkle the fertilizer lightly over the soil. Make sure to apply the fertilizer around the drip line of the peony's outer most leaves in a round circle like shape. Be careful not to dump the fertilizer directly on the peony's crown. It likely won't do as much good in this location since most of the storage roots are under the crown, and the feeder roots are generally around the outer edge of the foliage drip line. Optionally you can work the fertilizer into the soil a bit with your fingers or a small garden cultivator, taking care not to disturb the peony's roots. If you are short on time or you are worried about disturbing your peony, you can skip working the fertilizer into the soil.
Replace the Mulch Around Peony
After you have applied your fertilizer, the last thing to do is to replace the mulch around your peony. This will keep the fertilizer from washing away, and give nature a chance to incorporate the fertilizer into the soil during your next few rainstorms. If it has been particularly dry lately, you can also water in the fertilizer yourself with a garden hose or watering can. Now you're all done. This should give your peony a great start to the next growing season!
Monday, July 27, 2015
2015 Collect Early Peony Seeds
Collect Early Peony Seeds
I can't believe it's already that time of year! Several of my peony's seed pods have ripened and popped open. There are many more varieties that are still ripening and haven't opened yet. However now's the time to collect the seeds that are ready so you don't lose them. They could easily be lost by getting eaten, or just falling to the ground and getting swept away by wind or rain. All you really need to collect seeds are a few bags for the seeds and a marker to write the peony variety name on each bag.
Seed Pod of Peony 'Strawberry Wine'
Also now is a great time to start collecting seeds for the American Peony Society Seed Distribution Program. If you don't plan to grow all or any of your seeds, you can donate them to the American Peony Society. Also as a bonus, donors get free seeds for every two varieties of peony seed they donate. So now is the time to start collecting as many different varieties as possible for donation. People who don't have any peony seed to donate, but would like to try growing peonies from seed, can also purchase seed from this program. :)
Seed Pod of Peony 'Roy Pehrson's Best Yellow'
Friday, July 17, 2015
2015 Saunders Peony Varieties Frozen Bud Blast
Since I have a separate garden dedicated specifically to peony varieties hybridized by Professor A. P. Saunders, it was easily apparent to me that several of these varieties suffered from bud blast due to the late freeze we received in March of this year. Earlier this year I documented how my Early Peonies Suffered Frozen Bud Blast. Now that I have collected some more specific data on bud counts, I wanted to share those findings too. Most of these very early and early blooming Saunders peonies suffered some bud damage fromt the late freeze. However there were a couple varieties that came through unscathed. I have several Saunders peonies that are still a bit immature and or recovering from being divided. So I've chosen not to include all of the Saunders peonies I grow in this table.
There were a few Saunders peonies whose buds werent' affected by the late freeze at all. So if your area regularly encounters late freezes, and you'd like to grow some early blooming peony varieties, these are the Saunders peonies I'd recommend.
| Peony 'Halcyon' | |||
| Peony 'Honor' | |||
| Peony 'May Music' | |||
| Peony 'Nova' | |||
| Peony 'Paladin' | |||
| Peony 'Winterthur' | |||
| Peony 'Lustrous' | |||
| Peony 'Horizon' | |||
| Peony 'Firelight' | |||
| Peony 'Early White' | |||
| Peony 'Lavender' | |||
| Peony 'Sweet May' | |||
| Peony 'Garden Peace' | |||
| Peony 'Lovely Rose' | |||
There were a few Saunders peonies whose buds werent' affected by the late freeze at all. So if your area regularly encounters late freezes, and you'd like to grow some early blooming peony varieties, these are the Saunders peonies I'd recommend.
 |  |  |
| Peony 'Grace Root' | |||
| Peony 'Great Lady' | |||
| Peony 'Rose Garland' | |||