How to preserve peony buds. Lush wedding bouquets. Preparation of planting material

Can't understand why peonies don't bloom? Most likely you are not caring for them correctly.

The nuances of collecting flowers

Beautiful fragrant peonies are good because they can decorate any interior. It is quite difficult to answer the question of how much peonies cost. It all depends on the variety and size of the bouquet. But if you took the trouble to plant these “beauties” in your dacha, then their price will be a pittance.

Country flowers, as in the photo, are no worse than purchased ones

In any case, in order for these luxurious flowers to please the eye for as long as possible, you need to take good care of them. And you should start with the correct cutting.

If you want peonies to last longer, don’t be lazy and get up early in the morning. This is the ideal time to cut plants - the buds have not yet fully blossomed, and the midday heat has not dried them out.

You can also cut fresh peonies after sunset, in the evening. Overnight, the plants will have time to adapt to home conditions.

In addition, consider a few more nuances:

Features of caring for peonies

So, the flowers have been collected. This is just the beginning of the matter, then you should subject them to preliminary preparation and only then put them in a vase.

In order for peonies to last as long as possible, they must be properly prepared and stored.

Preparatory procedures

Before putting flowers in a vase, you need to carry out several simple but very important manipulations:

• "Acclimatization". After you bring flowers into the house, you should keep them in a cool, dark place. Better yet, immerse in a filled bathtub with water at room temperature.
• Preparing water and vase. While the greenery in the bathroom is filling with moisture, it’s worth choosing a vase. For these flowers, vessels made of dark glass that do not transmit light are best suited. Before use, wash it with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Store flowers in a dark, opaque vase

As for water, rain or melt water would be ideal. But I understand that this is not always available on hand, so it can be replaced with the usual settled one.

• Pruning. Before placing the bouquet in the vase, you need to trim each stem at as wide an angle as possible. It is best to perform this procedure under a stream of cold water. This way the plant can absorb as much moisture as possible.

To help the plant absorb moisture better, cut the stems at an angle.

• Removing leaves. Tear off the leaves from those parts of the stems that will be placed in water. This will prevent them from rotting in the vase.
• Selecting a location. A vase with peonies should be placed in a place where diffused light falls.

Remove leaves from the part of the stem that will be in water, this will prevent them from rotting

Five storage rules

When all the preparatory procedures are completed, the question arises of how to extend the life of the flowers in the vase. It’s not that difficult to do, the main thing is to follow a few simple rules.

To make cut peonies bloom, place them in hot water with the buds facing down or add a small amount of alcohol to the vase.

Peonies can successfully coexist with hydrangea, orchid, freesia or lotus

Top dressing

It is difficult to imagine proper care of any flowers without additional feeding. I share the most effective recipes.

To summarize

In the summer, owners like to grow peonies in their dachas and garden plots. These are really very beautiful summer flowers that bring a lot of pleasure with their uniqueness. Freshly cut peonies will be a worthy decoration for any interior and will delight you as a pleasant addition to a holiday gift.

Or you can give a bouquet of peonies to your mother, grandmother or beloved woman for no reason - this will bring great joy to anyone. But cut peonies tend to fade very quickly. What can you do to keep the peony in the vase for a long time?

The most delicate bouquet is considered to be a bouquet of half-opened fresh peonies. Fully opened flowers look spectacular, of course, but they will last a maximum of one day. Wanting to admire peonies for as long as possible, they are cut in the morning. It is advisable to do this in cooler weather. Until the summer heat begins, peony buds do not fully bloom.

If you cut flowers during the day, the moisture will already have time to evaporate, and they will not last even a few days. Peonies are also cut just before sunset so that at night the flowers get used to the room temperature where they will be placed.

If peonies need to be transported somewhere, they cannot be cut in the rain, since rainwater that gets on the buds will cause them to quickly darken. Flowers for transportation are cut at dawn, wrapped in paper and placed in the refrigerator.

To cut peonies, use either pruning shears or garden shears, and you need to cut the stems not straight, but at an angle. It is not recommended to cut peonies too close to the root; it would be better to leave a couple of leaves on the stem. This way, the bud will have something to eat after cutting. Before cutting the flower, you can gently squeeze it with your fingers - the bud should not be too tight.

How to keep peonies in a vase

Before putting flowers in a vase, you need to put them in a dark place for a while, especially if it’s summer outside. This will give the flowers freshness. When choosing a vase, give preference to dark glass - this way the water will not spoil.

The water intended for peonies should stand, or even better if it is rainwater. Its level also matters - for peonies it will be better if the water half covers the stems. It is better to tear off unnecessary leaves. In purchased peonies, you should update the cut diagonally with a knife. This is done in water to prevent air from entering the stem.

To keep the flowers fresh and lush longer, add granulated sugar or boric acid to the water. You will need to dilute 200 ml of the substance in 1 liter of water.

The water in the vase should be changed daily. And by adding a small amount of pine extract to it, you can do without frequent water changes, since the extract acts as a natural antiseptic. In the evening, the bouquet is taken out of the vase, wrapped in paper and placed in a cold place until the morning.

There is another way to preserve flowers in a vase. You can add an activated carbon tablet to the peonies. If you want the buds to open quickly, add a little alcohol or immerse the stems in hot water for a short time.

Peonies should not be mixed with roses, daffodils, lilies, tulips, and lilies of the valley. It is advisable that peonies stand far from these flowers, then they will provide fragrance and aesthetic pleasure much longer.

Rules for caring for cut flowers

Flower companies use large refrigerators to preserve cut peonies for as long as possible. At home, flowers can also be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks. But it is worth considering that after the peonies are taken out of the refrigerator, they can only stand for a few days at room temperature.

Cut flowers in the bud stage are stored dry, packed either in plastic bags or paper, in the refrigerator in a lying position. After removing them from the refrigerator, you should definitely update the cut of the stems.

The most suitable for peonies is rainwater. Before placing flowers in a vase, perform the following manipulations:

• Under cool water, cut each peony stem at an angle.
• Use a sharpened blade to make an incision on the stem, which will allow water to flow freely into the vessels of the stem.
• The stem located directly in the water must be completely without leaves, otherwise they may begin to rot.
• You also need to remove all damaged and wilted leaves.

A bouquet of peonies is placed in a place where light sunlight will fall. If you place flowers in a place that is too hot, or, conversely, in a very cold place, they will not last long. Also, peonies do not like drafts and various heating devices. It is not recommended to place flowers near fruits.

Peonies bloom in the last days of spring. They delight with their lush foliage and showy flowers. Peonies look equally beautiful both in a flowerbed and in a vase. Just a few branches form a magnificent fragrant bouquet. Peonies are unpretentious flowers. If you follow a few techniques, they can be stored in cut form for more than one day.

Properly cutting flowers

Ideal for forming a bouquet are buds that are half bloomed. In this state, flowers are able to maintain freshness longer and delight with an unobtrusive and wonderful aroma. Therefore, in order for the bouquet to last for several days, it is necessary to cut off peonies that have not fully blossomed. Otherwise, they will quickly fall off, although they look great in a vase.

Besides:

• The optimal time to cut peonies is early morning or evening. It is during this period of the day that the air is cooler and the sun's rays are moderate. Flowers picked during the day have almost no moisture, and you won’t be able to admire them for a long time: the petals will begin to fall off almost immediately.
• We do not cut the stem at the root. It is necessary to leave at least two leaves on the part that remains on the bushes. This will help the plant receive moisture and fully develop after the cutting procedure.
• Use large, sharp scissors or garden pruners. Under no circumstances should we tear off the branches by hand: the peonies will receive serious damage and quickly wither. In addition, you can accidentally pull out part of the bush by the roots and harm the growing flower.
• Cut the stems at an angle. The larger it is, the longer the peonies will not fade.

You will be able to inhale the aroma of fresh flowers in your house for at least a week.

Saving cut peonies in a vase

Before placing flowers in a vase, it is advisable to keep them cool and dark for several hours. The ideal option is to lower the bouquet into a bathtub filled with water at room temperature. Flowers will absorb moisture and adapt after being cut from the bush.

Preparing the vase:

• Vessels of darkish tones are more suitable for peonies. The water in them stays fresh longer.
• Rinse the vase with a solution of potassium permanganate. This will protect the stems from the penetration of harmful microorganisms and early rotting.

Peonies, like all plants, love rainwater most of all. But a simple settled one will also work.

Pour enough water so that you can immerse the peony stems halfway in it.

Before putting flowers in a vase, do the following:

• We place each peony branch separately under running water and carefully trim the stem diagonally by a few millimeters.
• Using a thin knife blade, make a vertical cut about 4–5 cm long. After this procedure, the flowers will be able to absorb liquid more intensively.
• Carefully remove those leaves that will drown in water. Otherwise they will simply start to rot.
• We inspect the peonies and remove damaged and broken leaves.

We place the bouquet in that part of the room where the light is diffused. Temperatures up to 22 degrees are suitable for flowers. They, like humans, should be comfortable - neither hot nor cold. Peonies will delight you with their fresh appearance and aroma for up to a week.

Feeding for peonies

In order for the flowers to last for a week or more, they need to be fed - to prepare a kind of elixir of youth:

• Mix a tablespoon (tablespoon) of sugar or the same amount of vinegar with one liter of water. If there is less liquid, we make simple calculations and reduce the amount of added ingredients.
• Dilute boric acid in water (200 ml per 1 liter).

You can add two drops of camphor alcohol or a tablet of acetylsalicylic acid to the liquid. These “seasonings” will disinfect the water and reduce the negative impact of microorganisms. Peonies are extremely sensitive to them, so such additives are appropriate.

Features of caring for cut peonies

It must be remembered that peonies:

• do not tolerate drafts;
• wither faster if they are close to heat sources;
• They are not friendly with fruits, so you cannot place a bouquet next to them.

• At night, the buds should be covered with light paper or a large plastic bag.
• You should not add other flowers to a bouquet with peonies. This will not only kill the wonderful aroma, but will also significantly shorten their life. But there are exceptions: peonies combine well with lotus, orchids, and freesia.
• The water in the vase with peonies needs to be changed daily. Before filling a new one, the container should be thoroughly rinsed.
• If yellow leaves appear on the stem, they must be removed immediately. This also applies to flowers that faded earlier than others. No matter how sorry it is, they will have to be thrown away. If this is not done, all the flowers will fade earlier.

When the buds do not bloom for a long time, they can be helped. You should add a little alcohol to the vase or put the flower heads in hot water. A small miracle will happen: the bud will bloom in a few minutes.

Cut peonies are pleasing to the eye and fill the home with a pleasant and relaxing aroma. With proper care, flowers will last in a vase for at least a week.

Peonies are famous for their aesthetic qualities, so many housewives strive to decorate the interiors of their homes with them.

However, the life of such a bouquet is often calculated not even in weeks, but only in days.

How to extend the life of a bouquet in a vase, how to preserve their aroma and freshness longer, you will learn in this article.

Pruning according to the rules

Before you learn how to preserve the freshness of cut peonies in a vase for a longer time, it is worth understanding the issue of their correct placement. In order to please your eyes for as long as possible, you should cut them early in the morning, before the sun begins to warm in full force.

If you intend to transport yours, then immediately after cutting you should wrap them in paper and place them in the refrigerator for at least a few hours, this will allow them to maintain a fresh and presentable appearance longer without being placed in water.

In order for the flowers to please you with their appearance for as long as possible, it is worth cutting off those buds that have not yet fully blossomed and are only slightly colored.
It is recommended to carry out the cutting procedure using or at a slight angle in relation to the stem.

Before you get into the vase

Before placing your bouquet in a vase, it is worth keeping it in a dark and cool place for at least several hours. The best option would be to fill a bathtub or large basin with water at a temperature of approximately 20-25°C and lower the bouquet into it. This procedure is designed to give flowers the opportunity to absorb moisture and undergo the process of acclimatization after outdoor conditions.

Before you begin the process of placing peonies in a vase, you should perform the following manipulations:

Vase requirements

For peonies, vases painted in dark colors are best suited. In such vases, decay processes are usually less pronounced. It is necessary that the size of the vase is equal to at least half the length of the stem, and preferably even ¾ of the length. The vase must be perfectly clean in order to prevent rotting processes, to which these flowers are very susceptible. Before using it, you can wash the vase with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Feeding flowers

Although the flowers in the vase do not have a root system, it is not a bad idea to apply a little fertilizing to preserve their good appearance. However, keep in mind that these fertilizers differ significantly from the traditional ones used in gardening, since they are aimed at preserving cut peonies in a vase at home, and not at improving the processes of their growth and development.

For feeding you can use:

Important! Peonies are plants that do not tolerate excessive bacterial load well, so disinfection is one of the most necessary measures.

Changing the water

The ideal water that is suitable for these flowers is melt or rain. However, not everyone is able to pamper their bouquets in a similar way, so it’s quite a good idea to use simple settled water. To keep peonies in the vase longer, you need to change the water daily and wash it thoroughly every day.

We monitor the temperature

Cut peonies cannot tolerate either too cold or too hot temperatures. However, if you want your flowers to open as quickly as possible, you can briefly dip them in a small container of hot water, and the buds will bloom within a few minutes.

Important! If you intend to preserve the beauty of your bouquet for as long as possible, then at night, wrap the peonies in wrapping paper and place them in the freezer, after thoroughly drying the stems from any remaining water.

You should not leave a vase of peonies close to a heat source, as constant exposure to elevated temperatures can shorten their lifespan. Also, do not place a vase with these flowers close to fruits; peonies do not tolerate such proximity.

Let's continue the conversation about peonies, about these romantic flowers that so excite our imagination with their unusually bright colors and enchanting aroma.

I always look forward to the blooming of peonies, because when on a warm sunny day you approach a huge flowering bush, inhale this wonderful aroma, touch the fragile and delicate silk petals, you understand how beautiful our life is and all the troubles that happen to us are just nonsense.

In we got acquainted with the history of peonies, their healing properties, biological characteristics and variety of varieties.

Today we will talk about how to properly grow peonies, care for them, and the secrets of lush flowering of peonies.
Peonies are extremely popular among flower growers not only because of their beauty, but also because they can easily and can grow in one place for quite a long time.

And if the plant is planted correctly and in the future you devote at least a little time to it, then the peony will delight us with its lush flowering for many, many years.

Site selection and soil kitchen

The decorativeness of peonies, their viability and longevity depend on how correctly we choose the place for planting peonies. After all, peonies do not particularly like transplanting, and can “live” in the same flowerbed for decades.

Therefore, the place for it must be chosen especially carefully so as not to disturb the plant again.

The peony is very capricious regarding its planting location, and if it doesn’t like it, then it may not bloom. And no matter how diligently you care for it (feeding, watering, loosening), the peony will not bloom. So we quickly dig up our capricious beauty and transplant it to another place.

It is best for this to be an open, sunny place, but at the same time protected from strong and cold winds.

Peonies do not like damp wetlands, so if in the place where you planned to plant them the groundwater comes close to the surface of the soil, then you should plant the plants on raised raised beds.

It is not recommended to plant peonies closer than 2 m from buildings, because this creates very unfavorable conditions for their growth: in spring and autumn, increased soil moisture due to drops from the roof; and in summer, plants can overheat due to the fact that the walls emit heat.

It is also undesirable to plant peonies close to trees and shrubs, since shade and a constant lack of water and nutrients will prevent them from blooming luxuriantly.

I told you, dear readers, about general recommendations for where to plant peonies, but what specific wishes your plant will have will need to be checked in practice.

For example, at my neighbor’s dacha, peonies grow beautifully and bloom magnificently right next to the wall of the house.

Although peonies can grow on all types of garden soil, they will develop differently.

So, for example, on sandy soil they have more stems, leaves and renewal buds on the rhizomes, while the stems grow thin, the leaves and flowers are small.

If your soil is clay, then the plants develop slowly: the number of stems does not increase so quickly and, accordingly, peonies reproduce more slowly, but the stems grow thick, the flowers are very large and the leaves are powerful.

It is believed that loamy soils rich in nutrients, well-drained, but quite moisture-intensive soils are best suited for peonies, since such powerful plants with large leaves simply need water throughout the growing season.

Peony does not like to grow on peat soils, due to the fact that the plant sometimes lacks moisture, sometimes has too much moisture, sometimes overheats, sometimes hypothermia - no consistency.

In addition, the increased acidity of this soil can cause such a dangerous disease as gray rot.

Therefore, if you have such soil, then before planting you simply need to add ash, sand, bone meal, as well as organic fertilizers to it, thereby reducing its acidity.

Sandy loam soil can also be improved by adding some clay and peat and, of course, organic fertilizers.

When to plant?

The time for planting peonies largely depends on the growing area, as well as on what planting material you have.

These can be parts of an old rhizome obtained by dividing it (dividing), or young plants purchased from nurseries.

It is best to plant cuttings from mid-August to mid-(late) September, since during this period the peony has already sufficiently formed renewal buds on the rhizome, but the formation of small suction roots has not yet begun.

If the summer was dry, then the renewal buds may be delayed in their development and then the planting time can be postponed by 1-2 weeks.

It is important to remember that it takes 6 weeks for a peony to take root well.

Of course, if the weather is warm for a long time, then you can plant peonies in October, but it’s still better not to risk it.

A plant planted in late autumn requires special care, since it will go unrooted in winter. Therefore, it must be properly covered for the winter.

First, we sprinkle the roots with peat or loose soil in a layer of 10-15 cm, and then additionally cover the top with leaves or spruce branches. It’s better, of course, to use spruce branches if you have one.

In the spring, covered in this way, be sure to unearth the late plantings and water them thoroughly if the weather is dry.

The good rooting of such a peony and its further development will largely depend on the amount of moisture received.

I strongly do not recommend planting and replanting peonies in the spring. Because the renewal buds of peonies begin to grow very early, when the soil has not yet thawed and, by the time it is possible to start replanting and dividing the bush, the sprouts can already grow to 10-15 cm.

And since they are very tender and fragile, during the planting process there is a high probability that the sprouts will break and bend.

Peony bushes transplanted, and especially those divided in the spring, usually lag behind in development from the bushes planted in the fall for a whole year, and under unfavorable weather conditions the plant may die.

But in the spring it is good to plant young peonies purchased in nurseries or specialized stores, which, with such planting, will have time to acclimatize and grow well before winter.

Preparation of planting holes

Peonies have a fairly powerful root system that grows in depth and breadth, so it is necessary to prepare a planting hole measuring at least 60-70 cm in diameter and 70 cm in depth.

If we dig a hole that is not deep enough, the peony roots will stop growing when they reach solid ground.

Don't forget to put drainage at the bottom of the planting hole. It can be gravel, coarse sand or broken brick.

Then we fill the lower part of the hole with an earthen mixture, which consists of the top layer of soil, rotted manure, compost and peat, it is also good to add 150-200 g of superphosphate or 300-400 g of bone meal or ash, and if your soil is acidic, then It’s a good idea to also add 200-400 g of crushed slaked lime.

Mix the mixture thoroughly and add water. We fill the upper part of the hole with good garden soil without adding any fertilizers, and we will plant the plant in it.

If you were unable to do this and prepare the hole right before planting the peonies, then the soil must be lightly compacted so that after planting it does not settle and then the planted plant may end up not being at the depth required, which will negatively affect the growth of the plant .

Preparation of planting material

The best cuttings for planting are those that have 3-5 renewal buds and the same number of roots.

You may have a question, why should there be the same number of buds and roots?

The thing is that if there are a lot of buds in the division and few roots, then in the spring the stems that grew from these buds will not have enough nutrition. After all, until new roots have formed, the young plant receives nutrients from the old roots.

If the opposite happens - there are few buds and many roots, then the plant in the first year (and even in the next) may not develop new buds, but be content with the existing ones, which will undoubtedly affect the flowering of the bush.

So I advise you to pay attention to the fact that on the cuttings that you are going to plant, the number of renewal buds and roots is the same.

Before planting, we carefully inspect the planting material and very carefully trim all rotten and damaged tissue to healthy parts.

Then, for disinfection, you should hold the roots in a solution of potassium permanganate (7-10 g per 10 liters of water) or copper sulfate (100 g per 10 liters of water) and sprinkle the wounds with crushed charcoal.

You can also improve rooting using the following procedure: dip the roots in a clay mash, then lightly dry them and plant.

We make the mash in this way: dissolve 60 g of copper sulfate, 2 tablets of heteroauxin and 5 kg of clay in 10 liters of water, and you can also add 500 g of wood ash.

Another advantage of this treatment is that planting material can be stored much longer, and it can also be sent by mail.

Planting correctly

Well, we have prepared the planting hole and the planting material too, so it’s time to start planting.

This is a very important stage in growing peonies, because the further development of our young plant, its lifespan and, of course, the splendor of flowering depend on how correctly we plant it.

We plant the peony in the upper part of the planting hole we prepared, which is filled with garden soil.

Particular attention should be paid to the planting depth: renewal buds should be at a depth of no more than 3-5 cm on loamy soils, and 5-7 cm on light sandy loam soils.

And such deepening of the buds must be maintained throughout the life of the bushes, and then our peonies will delight us with their abundant flowering for a long time.

And if the planting is shallow, then in the spring they may suffer from late frosts, in the summer - from overheating, and in winters with little snow - from frosts. And, as a result, some of the buds may die, then we will no longer get good flowering.

If we plant peonies too deep, for example, the topmost bud is at a depth of 15-20 cm, then we will never see the bushes bloom, although they will look completely healthy.

Having established the planting material at the depth we need, we fill it with fertile soil, but do not compact it, so as not to accidentally damage the buds and roots, but carefully squeeze it with our hands, eliminating voids.

Then we water it abundantly, add more soil if necessary, and mulch the plantings.

Peony bushes grow quite quickly, so they should be planted at a distance of at least 90-100 cm from each other.

This will further facilitate the processing of bushes and ensure good air circulation between them, which can prevent the appearance and spread of fungal diseases.

Basic care for peonies

The main care for peonies consists of removing weeds, watering, loosening, fertilizing and protecting them from diseases.

Loosening. It is necessary to loosen the soil around the bushes carefully: directly next to the bush to a depth of no more than 5-7 cm, and at a distance of 20-25 cm from it you can loosen it deeper - 10-15 cm.

If we loosen regularly, a well-aerated mulch layer will soon form, which will prevent the evaporation of moisture from the lower layers of the soil.

In this regard, it will be possible to reduce the frequency of watering in dry weather. Loosening also helps in successful weed control.

I would also like to remind you that it is necessary to prevent the formation of crust; to do this, you need to loosen the soil after each rain and heavy watering.

Watering. After planting, peonies really need regular watering (especially if the autumn is dry), as watering accelerates rooting.

In the future, they can be watered not often, but abundantly, pouring 3-4 buckets under an adult plant, approximately once every 8-10 days.

Peonies really need watering in spring and early summer, because during this period there is rapid growth of bushes and the formation of flowers, as well as in mid-July - August, when regeneration buds are being laid.

It is best to water in grooves, which are made at a distance of 20-25 cm from the bush.

If the bushes are already old and very overgrown, then the distance to the groove must be increased so that water can flow into the zone of young active roots.

Although watering the plant in the grooves can be done at any time of the day, it is still better in the evening, since at this time most of the water is absorbed into the soil and does not evaporate.

On very hot days, you can additionally carry out surface watering of the soil under the bushes using watering cans, trying not to get it on the leaves (to avoid the appearance of fungal diseases), and especially on the flowers, to prevent them from lodging.

We feed. If we properly prepared the soil when planting peonies and sufficiently filled the planting holes with nutrients, then the young bushes develop well for the first two years without root feeding.

In the future, peonies already require regular root feeding.

First feeding It is advisable to carry it out while the snow is melting or immediately after it has melted. At this time, the plant needs nitrogen-potassium fertilizers most of all: 10-15 g of nitrogen and 10-20 g of potassium per bush.

You can also make a solution of mineral fertilizers (dissolve 50-70 g of flower mixture in 1 bucket of water) and apply one bucket per bush.

Do not forget that it is necessary to apply fertilizer to plants only after rain or heavy watering.

It is strictly not recommended to apply fertilizers to dry soil (whether in liquid or dry form), as the plant may die.

Second time It is worth feeding peonies during the budding period and we will need: 10-15 g of nitrogen, 15-20 g of phosphorus and 10-15 g of potassium per bush.

Third time We will feed the plants two weeks after flowering during the period of bud formation.

Here we need a mixture with the following composition: 15-20 g of phosphorus and 10-15 g of potassium.

Carefully monitor the rate of fertilizer application, since an excessive amount of fertilizer (especially nitrogen) can lead to the fact that only leaves will grow well, and the formation of buds will decrease.

This also reduces plant resistance to disease.

It is also very good to feed peonies with a solution of mullein or bird droppings with mineral fertilizers added to it.

You can prepare such a nutrient solution as follows: 1 bucket of fresh cow manure is diluted in a barrel in 5-6 buckets of water (bird droppings in 25 buckets) and, placing it in a sunny place, left for 10-15 days to ferment.

After fermentation, add 0.5 kg of wood ash, 200-300 g of superphosphate to the barrel and mix well.

Before feeding, this nutrient solution must be diluted 2 times with water, and the solution with bird droppings - 3 times.

Let's help you bloom

In the first year after planting (and better yet in the second), you should not allow the peony to bloom, as it will weaken the plant and prevent the root system from fully developing.

Therefore, the buds that form at this time should be removed so that all nutrients are directed to the general development of the plant, and not to flowering.

So prepare yourself mentally for the fact that you will see the first flowers on a newly planted peony only in the third year, and real full flowering with the size and color of flowers characteristic of the variety will only occur in the fifth year.

If you want to get large upper flowers, then the side buds must be removed when they reach the size of a pea.

If you prefer the abundance of flowers on the bush and its long flowering, then you should not remove the side buds.

Faded peonies should be immediately removed from the stem, cutting them down to the first well-developed leaf and leaving a very small stump.

Otherwise, falling petals falling on the leaves can provoke gray mold disease, especially in rainy weather.

During the flowering period, peony bushes with large, heavy flowers need support, since, even with powerful stems, they inevitably begin to lean towards the ground.

And with strong winds and precipitation, the flowers, bending almost to the ground, become dirty and lose their decorative effect.

It is best to install supports before flowering.

Preparing for winter

For winter, we cut off the entire above-ground part of the plant to ground level. But we do this only after the first hard frost, when the peony stems die.

Up to this point, there is still an outflow of nutrients from the leaves and stems to the storage roots.

Therefore, early pruning will cause great harm to the plant.

Some gardeners explain the early cutting of stems by the fact that the leaves have dried out, but the leaves dry out only on sick plants, and if it is healthy, then the leaves remain fresh and beautiful until frost.

After we have cut off the above-ground part, it is worth paying attention to whether the buds at the base of the shoots are exposed.

If this happens, then you need to hill up the bushes by 7-10 cm.

Usually peonies are not covered for the winter. The exception is newly planted plants; it is recommended to cover them with peat or humus with a layer of 10-15 cm. In early spring, before the emergence of seedlings, we remove this covering layer.

Basic mistakes

Sometimes peonies bloom poorly, and sometimes they don’t even bloom at all, although it would seem that the bushes look healthy.

What mistakes did we make when growing peonies?

And they can be as follows:

1. The place for planting was chosen incorrectly - too shady, close to buildings, trees and shrubs, not humid enough or, conversely, too wet (no drainage).

2. The plant is planted too deep or too shallow.

3. The peony was recently planted and the planting material was divided very finely.

4. The peony bush is already old and requires replanting and division.

5.The kidneys were damaged by late spring frosts.

6. Increased soil acidity.

7. Excessive amounts of nitrogen fertilizers.

8.Lack of nutrition and moisture during the period when renewal buds are forming.

9. The leaves were cut off very early in the fall (before they fell).

As you can see, dear readers, caring for peonies is not so difficult: water them on time, weed, loosen the soil and feed them.

And they, in turn, will give us a lot of pleasure during their flowering period, and not only us, but also all those who pass by our gardens will also admire this fantastic beauty.

See you soon, dear readers!