Peonies come in a wide range of colors and are easy to plant and take care of
By Lorraine Kiefer
For many years I have had a tree peony in my garden. It is in the front of my house in a garden that we made when we took up all the grass. We sort of forget all about it except when it is bloom. It gets dappled sun off and on throughout the day. But when it is in bloom people always see it and ask me "what is that?" The blooms are a lot larger than the regular garden peony and really attract attention.
Unlike our bush peonies, the tree has a woody stem and looks like a very small tree (although mine is only a couple of feet high, they can become 5- to 6-feet in good conditions). Once mature they bloom heavily. They do best in a well-drained mostly sunny location. I have been told that hot full sun will make the flowers fade more rapidly, so I guess the dappled sun my plant is in is good for it, but I think it would be larger with more sun. Too much shade will result in weak and very slow growth and probably fewer blooms.
Peonies have large, showy blossoms and come in a wide range of colors. If they like the site these tree peony plants will get wide and often almost as tall as the home owner. Mine usually flower from late April to early May but the flowering season does vary from year to year. Some blooms can be 10 inches or more across. I feed my plant a good, generous dose of osmocote time release fertilizer each spring. This usually lasts about four months so it serves the plant well.
The best soil for them is rich and loose, with a pH between 6.5 and 7.0, which is a neutral to slightly alkaline soil. To remedy our sandy acidic soil we add compost when we have it and lime once a year. I let the leaves fall and stay in these front perennial gardens so there is always a very deep cover of leaves protecting my plant all winter. My plant is not very big, but I think this is because our soil is poor and sandy and it may get a bit too much shade the the summer.
The tree peonies that are planted in large pots in the nursery are much more bulky and have larger flowers. I think the good potting soil, regular food and water and brighter light is the reason.
If you have a good spot to enjoy one of these magnificent plants you should add one to you garden. It will give you years of dramatic color when in bloom!
Peonies have large, showy blossoms, come in a wide range of colors, are easy to plant and take care of, and come back year after year. I also really like regular bush peonies and find that they are fast becoming one of the most popular flowers for bridal bouquets. Since they do not have a real long blooming season it is sometimes difficult to buy them as a cut flowers. I call my floral wholesaler for cut flowers if a bride wants them and sometimes they come from as far away as Alaska, Chili or Holland.
But you can grow your own peony plants for great spring bloom. These old fashion flowers have been gardeners favorites for hundreds of years.
If you want to plant some pick them out now so you can see the colors of the blooms. Always prepare the soil well by turning it and breaking up clumps and adding lots of compost. Choose a spot in full or almost full sun. They need good space so prepare the hole at least 18 inches deep and wide and put good compost or well rotted manure at the bottom of the hole. Fireplace or wood stove ashes are a good top dressing for these and many other plants.
Some folks complain that the stunning blooms have a short season, but the peony has handsome glossy green leaves lasts all summer. Some even have fall color.
Remove dead blooms so the plant will not use up food reserves. In the fall cut the stems back before loosely covering the plants with leaves or evergreen branches. Remove the cover in the spring. Peony plants need winter to set buds and do not grow in places with no winter.
Another question I have been asked is why are there sometimes ants on peony. Well, these are not harmful, but rather are beneficial. They are eating nectar in exchange for attacking bud-eating pests. Do not spray the ants as they're helping your peonies to bloom.
Although you should leave a few feet all around the peony plant, they really look nice planted with other old fashion perennials such as iris, poppies, phlox, and dasies. Most everyone's grandmom had a peony in her garden.
If you email me photos (lorraine@tripleoaks.com) or call and bring photos in I can help you plan a perennial garden. Visit www.tripleoaks.com to sign up for a newsletter or an herb course that begins May 4.
Lorraine Kiefer is the owner and operator of Triple Oaks Nursery in Franklinville. She can also be reached by e-mail at Lorraine@tripleoaks.