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Message |
    
Bettina
Citizen
Username: Bettina
Post Number: 149
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 9:55 pm: | 
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My beloved peony plant only gave me five flowers this year. Last year I got much more. Do any gardeners know what I can do to encourage more blooming next year? It's not a sun issue as it gets the same amount of light it got last year. |
bets
Supporter
Username: Bets
Post Number: 23114
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 10:48 pm: |
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Peonies are wild and willful like a youngest child can be. Personally, I leave them alone, where they are, because it's too much trouble to pursue. |
Soparents
Citizen
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 567
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 6:24 am: |
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Bets is right - there is no telling these flowers how to behave...
Last year I got a nicely spaced "show" of these beautiful blooms and this year the things have exploded and they have all come out at once, I am giving them away by the armload to friends!
Next year I am sure they will give you more, but it is sadly up to the plant, not you... |
Oldstone
Citizen
Username: Rogers4317
Post Number: 728
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 7:53 am: |
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here's a question: as the plants get older do the stems that the flowers bloom on become stronger...strong enough to hold the huge bloom up instead of all falling over? i have tons of peonies that i put in last year that are all blooming beautifully...unfortunately every single bloom is kissing the ground. |
Soparents
Citizen
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 571
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 8:18 am: |
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Mine are very well established and a majority of the blooms are on the ground or heading that way. They just seem to be very heavy blooms with long stems..
If it rains, then you have absolutely no hope of keeping any of them upright.... it's such a shame as they are my favourite flower, I wish they lasted all summer long
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MeAndTheBoys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3843
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 8:22 am: |
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That's why they make those little round "cages" you can put around the plant before it grows--to hold up the blooms.
Not that I've ever used one, mind you. My fence does a pretty nice job of holding up my blooms. Every year I say "next year......" |
jasper
Citizen
Username: Jasper
Post Number: 396
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 8:29 am: |
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This year only one out of 5 peony plants bloomed at all, and only a few flowers at that. They are all starting to show signs of fungus on the leaves, and I was told last year that there's not much you can do about it. Much as I love the flowers, I am thinking of replacing them with something a bit hardier. Or maybe they're just poorly located in our yard. They only get a few hours of sun a day, but the landscaper put them there, so presumably he knew what he was doing. Or not. |
Soparents
Citizen
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 572
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 8:35 am: |
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Mine in full-all-the-time-sun do tremendously well. I transplanted some into an area which has a lot of sun but not as much as where they came from and they are behind on blooming and not so many flowers. and I put others under a tree with some sun and there are no flowers at all, and the are now dwarf....
I figure I will leave the rest where they are - I don't know when they were planted but they seem to adore the full sun...
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Oldstone
Citizen
Username: Rogers4317
Post Number: 733
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 8:39 am: |
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i agree, soparents. FULL sun is best for peonies. i hate those metal cage things though. also, as i look around my neighborhood, certain colors seem to stand upright and certain colors don't. i have pale pink (sarah bernhardts) that are huge, pendulous blooms kissing the ground and whites that stand upright. there are a lot of deep magenta/cerise peonies in my neighborhood and they are all upright.
hmmm. i like the pale pink best though ! |
MeAndTheBoys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3844
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 8:46 am: |
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I also have the Sarah Bernhardt, and they seem to do O.K. in partial sun, although I guess they'd do better in full sun, but I don't have any of that!
The pale pink is my absolute favorite too. They were featured very prominantly in my wedding bouquet. A peony is way better than a rose any day! |
jasper
Citizen
Username: Jasper
Post Number: 397
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 8:48 am: |
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Guess the landscaper was a bit misguided. I bet the full sun helps retard the fungus growth as well. Unfortunately, we only have a small patch of full sun on our property and there's really no room for the peonies there.
Ours are also the pale pink, and they do tend to get very heavy when they bloom, hence we also have the ugly cages to keep them upright, but you sure don't need them if they don't flower! |
Camnol
Citizen
Username: Camnol
Post Number: 364
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 10:18 am: |
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jasper,
Peonies do prefer full sun, and they also need good drainage. They don't like wet feet. The only time I had trouble with botrytis was with a peony that was planted in ground that stayed damp.
Sadly, many landscapers don't seem to take a plant's needs and future size into consideration when planting.
http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/botrytis/botrytis_peony.htm |
jasper
Citizen
Username: Jasper
Post Number: 398
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 11:00 am: |
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Thanks for that tip, Camnol. I'll have to tell my husband to stop watering that area so zealously. He sets up a sprinkler to cover the grass, but the peonies are probably getting drenched as well.
I just noticed my neighbor has pale pink peonies growing and they all seem to be standing up nicely. She's got them fairly packed in with other plants, so perhaps that helps them stay upright. |
Bettina
Citizen
Username: Bettina
Post Number: 150
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 11:34 am: |
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Oh the wet feet may account for my trouble with all that rain just before they bloomed. But no one mentioned anything about fertilizing. I've heard they like lots of it. If so, when is the time and what kind? |
Soparents
Citizen
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 580
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 11:51 am: |
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I am probably the worlds worst peonie "parent" I don't do a thing to mine, I leave it totally to nature.....
I am either incredibly lucky that I get such beautiful flowers, or else the peonies realised early on they have to fend for themselves!!!!! |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 949
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 2:03 pm: |
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Peonies are my hands-down favorite flower. Our wedding date was selected so peonies would be readily available! I've actually heard that you don't need to fertilize peonies very much - maybe a bit of manure or organic slow-release fertilizer in the fall after cutting back. Also a handful of lime in the spring couldn't hurt around here. Peonies also like good air circulation and don't do well with over-crowding.
I basically lightly mulch them and leave them be unless it is very dry. Oh, and this year I sprayed all my flowering plants and shrubs with Messenger (Millstone sells it.). It is not a fertilizer, but somehow helps plants be stronger.
I also recommend pinching off one of the three bulbs when they are teeny, tiny little things. My mom told me this will help you have bigger, more beautiful blooms from the remaining ones on each branch.
I use the plant supports found in the link below. My shrubs still tip over when all three bulbs bloom (or in heavy rain), but the flowers don't get ruined and that's when I go out and cut arms-full for indoor vases! The supports are expensive ($29 per), but are well-worth it when you consider they last forever and help you end up with gorgeous bouquets for your home! FYI, I can't even see my plant supports right now, they are completely hidden by the huge shrubs.
http://www.gardeners.com/26-in-Grow-Through-Flower-Supports/default/StandardCata log.FlowerGardening_FlowerSupports.14-320.cpd
Be sure to put the supports around the peony plant as soon as the sprouts are about 6 inches high - they grow so quickly once they get up there that you risk damaging the stems if you wait even a few days. |
Aok
Citizen
Username: Aok
Post Number: 247
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 5:17 pm: |
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Try copper fungicide spray for the leaf mold -- spray every couple of weeks for rest of season and then new growth next year so you don't get it again. Its been the best year ever for my peonies. |
Ink
Citizen
Username: Pageturner
Post Number: 107
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 7:51 pm: |
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How far back do you cut them in the fall? And should you do that the first year or wait a year? |
greenthumb
Citizen
Username: Green_thumb
Post Number: 4
Registered: 5-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, June 1, 2006 - 6:49 am: |
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In the fall (Oct/Nov) cut them to the ground, yes even first year. Dispose of leaves if there has been any fungus, otherwise you can add to a compost pile (if you have one). |
Rose1
Citizen
Username: Rose1
Post Number: 19
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, June 1, 2006 - 2:38 pm: |
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We just moved in to a house with several peonies plants. They are gorgeous, mainly magenta, with a few pale pink ones.
I have two questions:
1. Is the white powder looking stuff on the leaves the fungus you are talking about, or something else?
2. When I want to cut some to bring them in, where on the stem is best to cut?
Thanks so much!
The Clueless Gardener |
Joan
Supporter
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 7532
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, June 1, 2006 - 4:57 pm: |
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Peonies do bloom less as they get older. Dividing them may help but then it may take several years for the "new" plants to bloom. |
MeAndTheBoys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3869
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, June 1, 2006 - 8:26 pm: |
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Never knew you could divide peonies. Thanks Joan. |
Oldstone
Citizen
Username: Rogers4317
Post Number: 740
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, June 1, 2006 - 9:07 pm: |
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rose1, yes the white powdery stuff on the leaves is the fungus. DON'T water the leaves, just the roots !
don't shower the whole mass of green, just go underneath and get the base into the root system.
as far as cutting, i would cut what length i want but cut about a 1/4" above a good, solid offshoot and at an angle AWAY from the shoot (branch). |
Rose1
Citizen
Username: Rose1
Post Number: 22
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Friday, June 2, 2006 - 5:09 pm: |
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Thanks Oldstone :-) I haven't done any watering, and have just left it up to the rain. Is the fungus going to cause damage? Or just be messy? |
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