Peony Planting Time-MG

It’s peony-planting time in the Ozarks! Well, not quite, but it’s surely time to choose your site, prepare your soil, and pick out a new variety or two. If ordering from a catalog, do not delay, as most nurseries begin shipping in September and continue through November, weather permitting. Fall planting is almost an imperative for peonies as these plants must have a period of winter dormancy if they are to bloom well the following spring.

Peonies bloom best in full sun. That means six hours or so of uninterrupted sunlight each day. Most varieties will bloom in partial shade, but bloom will likely be more scanty. Avoid a site with large shrubs or trees whose roots may interfere with the nutrients and moisture needed by your plants.

Peonies have been known to live a hundred years in the same spot, so start them out in good, loamy soil. Dig a hole about a foot and a half wide and as deep. Work in plenty of humus. Manure can be used, but it must be well-rotted, placed in the bottom of the hold, and covered with a shallow layer of soil. This will keep the peony roots from coming in contact with the manure too soon and being burned. Peonies do well at a close to neutral pH level.

While peonies are quite easy to please in most respects, proper planting depth is crucial. The eyes on the peony root – the little buds protruding above the main root – must be no more than two inches below the soil surface. An inch and a half might be better, as some settling is inevitable with time and watering, which allows a bit of extra soil to wash in over the root.

A three to four foot spacing between the plants is good, depending, of course, on the mature size of your particular variety. A three foot spacing is fine if your wish is for a low hedge of peonies. The four foot spacing makes a better specimen plant. Mulch lightly the first year after planting. Straw makes a better mulch than leaves as it tends to pack down less. Be sure to remove the mulch very early in the spring.

It will probably take a year or two for your newly-planted peony to look respectful, so be patient. You may not get a typical flower for your variety the first year or so, but unless the peony is improperly planted or the site is poor the problem will resolve itself without action on your part, and you will soon have a plant that will bring you pleasure for years to come.

Peonies need little care. Too much fertilizer is harmful, ‘tho you may use a low-nitrogen all-purpose fertilizer every few years. If you do fertilize, do so right after the plant finishes blooming. This is when energy is being stored up for the next spring’s bloom. Rake up and dispose of the dead leaves and stems each fall to help prevent disease.

Botrytis blight is the most common disease to attack peonies. The spores of the fungus can over-winter in the litter on top of the ground as well as in the soil, so good sanitation is a must. Adequate air-circulation is also helpful. If in the spring your peony should suddenly wilt, turn black, and begin to die, suspect this blight. Get rid of the infected parts at once, and spray with a Bordeaux mixture. Few insects bother peonies, and the ants that are frequently seen on the blossoms are not harmful. They are simply having a good meal on the nectar secreted by the buds.

Peonies come in several forms. They can be single, double, or semi-double, plus a Japanese or anemone-flowered form in which the stamens are replaced with what appear to be extra petals. They are available in many shades of pink and red, in white and ivory, in coral, and in a very few creamy yellows. Their fragrance is memorable, and as cut flowers, they can’t be beat. So, let’s get planting!


		University of Missouri Extension Jasper County jasperco@missouri.edu Web site maintained by: Virginia Bryan bryanv@missouri.edu Last updated: 09/02/2009