Peonies are my favorite flowers. Therefore, if something is planted in the country, where I go mainly to relax, then these beautiful creatures ... Many people think that peonies can be planted only in August-September, after they have been dug up and divided. But these flowers take root well after planting in the spring. The main thing is to do everything right.

For your information: Peony has two periods of growth of suction roots: autumn (August-September) and spring (April-May). It is at this time that it is recommended to plant plants in the ground.

In the spring, it is necessary to plant peonies until a steady warming begins, so that before the shoots begin to grow, the delenka can take root at least a little.

How to choose good peony rhizomes?

First of all, pay attention to the packaging. A bona fide manufacturer will always indicate:
● name of the variety;
● a brief description of the plant;
● quantity of planting material in pieces;
● a mark on the passage of quality control;
● landing instructions.

After examining the packaging, proceed to inspect the delenki (usually this is easy to do, because peonies are sold in plastic bags with labels attached). It should have 2-3 renewal buds and at least 2 adventitious roots more than 5 cm long. But no signs of damage or signs of disease - this is important!

It is better to refuse a purchase if:
● the division is wet to the touch or, conversely, too dry;
● the smell of mold or rot emanates from the packaging;
● there are outgrowths or nodules on the rhizome (such planting material may be infected with cancer or affected by the root nematode).

Important! If there are only 1-2 buds on a delenka, this does not mean at all that the plant will definitely die. Most often, such peonies simply grow more slowly and bloom a year later.

This video shows how a good peony delenka should look like, ready for landing in a permanent place.

Planting a peony in open ground

In general, the technology of spring planting peonies is not much different from autumn. A planting hole can be dug in advance so that the soil has time to settle a little. But some flower growers do this on the day of planting. If you are one of them, then this guide is for you.

Step 1
We dig a planting hole with a size of at least 60 × 60 cm. Fold the top fertile soil layer separately.

Step 2
At the bottom of the pit we pour drainage (expanded clay, broken brick, river sand, etc.) with a layer of 10-15 cm.

Step 3
We fall asleep in the pit half of the excavated fertile soil, 1-2 buckets of compost or humus, 200 g of superphosphate and 300-400 g of ash. We mix. If the soil is clay, add a bucket of sand or peat, and if sandy - a bucket of clay.

Step 4
We pour the remaining fertile soil on top of the mound so that about 10-12 cm remain to the edges of the pit.

Step 5
We place the peony division in the center, having previously straightened the roots (they should be directed down or to the sides). If the soil on the site is heavy, we deepen the division by 5 cm, and if it is light, by 7 cm from the beginning of bud growth. To visually check the level of the soil, you can attach a shovel handle to the pit.

Important! If you deepen the peony too much, it will not bloom. This is one of the main reasons for the lack of flowering. If, on the contrary, the plant is planted too close to the soil surface, then in winter it may freeze slightly.

Step 6
Gently cover the rhizome of the peony with earth, lightly compacting it with your hands so as not to damage the kidneys. In no case should you trample the ground with your feet.

Step 7
We make a roller around the hole from the remaining soil and water it abundantly. If the soil has sagged, add more soil.

Step 8
We mulch the hole with peat, humus or a mixture of garden soil and peat (1: 1). This will protect the soil from drying out and create favorable conditions for the rooting of the seedling.

At first, peonies need to be watered every day so that they take root faster. The rest of the care is the same as during the autumn planting. And although it is believed that "spring" peonies may lag a little behind those planted in September, but with timely watering, fertilizing and weeding, you can grow magnificent and healthy bushes.

How to feed peonies in spring for lush flowering

If you properly feed peonies during the growing season (and especially in spring), then in the summer they will enchant you with their incredibly lush flowering. We will tell you what drugs to use and how to do it correctly.

Peonies can grow well for a long time and bloom profusely in one place. But for this you need to carefully care for the bushes of the plant. From the third year of development, when peonies begin to bloom, in addition to regular watering and loosening, they need additional feeding.

1) First feeding carried out immediately after the snow melts. At this time, peonies need nitrogen-potassium fertilizers: 10-15 g of nitrogen and 10-20 g of potassium per bush.

2) Second top dressing, which falls on the period of budding, should consist of nitrogen (10-15 g per bush), phosphorus (15-20 g) and potassium (10-15 g).

3) Third time peonies are fed 1-2 weeks after flowering (during the laying of the kidneys), the fertilizer should contain phosphorus (15-20 g) and potassium (10-15 g).

On a note: When applying fertilizers, follow their rate. An excess amount (especially nitrogen) only contributes to the growth of foliage, while the formation of buds is delayed.

What kind of fertilizer to feed peonies?

To make it easier for you to find the right fertilizer, we will tell you which modern preparations are most effective.

● Mineral fertilizer Kemira

Kemira is used 3 times per season. In early spring and a week after flowering, Kemira-Universal fertilizer is used: after watering, a handful of the drug is poured under each bush and embedded in the soil. And the second top dressing is carried out with Kemira-Combi fertilizer. A small handful is poured under the bush and watered abundantly. This fertilizer quickly dissolves in water and goes to the roots of the peony.

In Kemir, all elements are in a chelate form. This allows the plant to assimilate them without additional processing by soil microorganisms.

● Organic fertilizer Baikal EM-1

This is a microbiological fertilizer prepared on the basis of EM technology. It contains living microorganisms that improve soil structure and increase its fertility. Fertilizer Baikal EM-1 is added to the compost and adult plants are mulched with it in the fall. In this case, the layer of mulch is 7-10 cm.

● Foliar top dressing of peonies

In order to admire the spectacular flowering of peonies throughout the season, young and adult bushes are fed foliarly once a month. To do this, the leaves of the plant are sprayed (or watered from a watering can with a fine sieve) with a solution of complex mineral fertilizer. For example, you can use Ideal - the rate of fertilizer used is indicated in the attached instructions.

In order for the nutrient solution to better linger on the surface of the leaves, a little laundry soap or washing powder is added to it (1 tablespoon per 10 liters of solution).

Foliar top dressing is best done in the evening or on cloudy days.

Also, foliar top dressing can be carried out according to the following scheme. For first feeding(it is carried out immediately after the germination of the aerial part of the bush) use a solution of urea (50 g per 10 l of water), for second(a month later) - microfertilizers in tablets are added to the urea solution (1 piece per 10 liters of solution). BUT the third time(after flowering) watered only with a solution of microfertilizers (2 tablets per 10 liters of water).

* * *
Proper and timely top dressing will help you grow healthy and beautifully flowering peonies. But do not forget that for the best effect, these procedures should be accompanied by abundant watering and loosening the soil around the bushes.

Knowing the peculiarities of growing peonies, being able to choose the right planting material, determine the place for planting, prepare the soil and feed young peonies, the gardener will be able to create a colorful, fragrant flower bed. It will be possible to preserve its flowering and health with high-quality care for planted plants.

Peonies are very fastidious flowers. They can be successfully grown only with strict adherence to the rules of agricultural technology, based on the biological characteristics of this plant. And one of the most important roles in the set of these rules is assigned to the choice of a place for a flower bed. From where to plant peonies on the site, their lifespan largely depends. In addition, by planting flowers in an uncomfortable place for them, you will not be able to achieve the appearance of beautiful inflorescences.

Features of growing a peony

Peonies are not just perennial cultivated plants. They are real centenarians among garden flowers. Without transplants, under favorable conditions, a peony bush is quite capable of living up to 60 years (and sometimes more), blooming annually and delighting the eye with delicate flowers. But for this he needs the appropriate conditions. When planning the planting of peonies, you should keep in mind the following points:

1. High soil moisture is unacceptable. Even briefly flooded with water, for example, during spring floods or autumn rains, the roots of peonies quickly rot and the plant dies.
2. Peony loves the sun. So much so that even a few hours of daily exposure to the shade for several weeks will undermine the health of the plant.
3. Peonies cannot be fertilized with peat. It is not even recommended to make a winter shelter out of it. And all because peat strongly oxidizes the soil, which peonies do not like. By the way, it is for this reason that you should periodically check the acidity of the soil where you planted peonies in order to timely identify deviations from optimal indicators. If the acidity index is below the "six", the bed should be limed.
4. The root system of peonies develops only in loose soil, so these plants need to properly prepare a flower bed before planting.

Now let's look at these issues in more detail.

Before you even think about breeding peonies, make sure that there is a suitable site for them on your site. Making a flower bed where you have to is not the best strategy when dealing with this species.

The primary requirement for the site is an abundance of sunlight. Peonies can still endure light penumbra, but if a thick shadow from an apple tree or a house wall falls on a flower bed every day for more than an hour, flowering will become inferior, and the plants will become stunted.

Also, the flower bed should be properly ventilated so that fungal diseases do not appear in stagnant air. In view of this, a flower bed with peonies cannot be broken up surrounded by high walls that prevent natural air circulation. However, the flower bed should not be allowed to be exposed to frequent strong winds. Therefore, in an open field, peonies also do not feel very good.

Finally, peonies are not recommended to be planted close to buildings, because in summer the walls will reflect the heat of the sun and literally incinerate the flower bed. The close proximity of peonies to trees and shrubs is also not desirable, since competitors can leave flowers without moisture and nutrients in the ground.

Thus, it is better to plant peonies in a clearing in the center of the garden, where neither trees nor buildings will interfere with them and where there will be protection from through winds.

In matters of soil composition, peonies are not so capricious and, in principle, can grow normally on most garden soils. However, cultivated loamy soil is best suited for these flowers - moisture-intensive, but well-drained. Peonies need normally moistened land, but in no case damp and swampy, because then their root system rots. In general, the underground environment should be slightly alkaline (pH between 5.8 and 7, optimally 6.5).

Since peony roots grow only in soft soil, in order for the root system of plants to reach normal sizes, the ground where you decide to plant a tree peony must be cultivated to the maximum depth. Otherwise, when dense layers of soil are reached, the roots will begin to grow to the sides. And if, as a result of this, the root system is formed in the upper quickly drying layer of soil, the plants will grow poorly, and you can completely forget about normal flowering. On poor soils, deep cultivation is also needed, if only because the ground will have to be thoroughly fertilized before planting peonies.

How to prepare the soil for peonies?

The preparation of the flower bed should be completed at least 2 weeks (preferably 4) before planting the plants themselves. Then the treated soil will have time to settle a little and compact to an optimal state. Under the peonies, you need to prepare large planting pits with a width and depth of at least 50 cm. The bottom of the pit should also be loosened, after which it can be filled.

A mixture of earth and humus is poured in until the pit is about 2/3 full. To improve the characteristics of the nutrient mixture, it can also be added with a pound of bone meal and 200-300 g of superphosphates. The remaining third of the pit is covered with ordinary earth without fertilizers.

If the cottage is located in a lowland, the only place in the garden where peonies can be planted is a hill. If there is none, it is better to create specially raised flower beds or beds. So you can ensure the quick removal of excess moisture from under the plants and prevent rotting of their root system. If the soil is still too wet, drainage can be arranged in the planting pits. To this end, the pits are deepened by another 15-20 cm, and gravel, broken brick, or coarse sand are poured into this additional space.

By the way, if you intend to arrange a small nursery with peonies on your site for their large-scale breeding, then instead of individual pits, you can use the trench planting method. The trenches are made the same width and depth as the pits, and then filled with a similar nutrient mixture.

Feeding young peonies

There is a fairly common misconception that peonies do not need to be fed in the first couple of years after planting, since they allegedly have enough nutrients that were poured into the pit before planting. Experienced gardeners know that this conclusion has nothing to do with reality.

Since the roots are partially cut off before planting, in the first years of life, the root system of a new plant is still very weak and simply does not reach the nutrient reserves in the lower part of the pit. And while the roots grow to the hidden fertilizers, they need to take food somewhere, which is not enough in the upper layer of the flower bed. So you have to think not only about where to plant peonies in the country, but also about how to fertilize them.

Feeding is recommended to be done with a solution of mullein. At the same time, fertilizer is introduced into small holes around the bush. Thanks to these top dressings, the root system will develop faster, which in turn will contribute to the normal formation of the aerial parts of the plant - stems, leaves and buds. Instead of mullein, you can also use a complex mineral fertilizer dissolved in water.

The optimal time for applying liquid fertilizers is the period between the appearance of the first shoots and up to July.

How to choose planting material?

When planning a flower garden, many inexperienced gardeners only think about how and where to plant a peony with ava, but often do not think about what planting material to take. Many even strive to have a large adult plant so that it begins to bloom in the first summer after planting.

In fact, this approach is fundamentally erroneous, since a good peony can only come from a young plant. But the big old bushes, although they look impressive, hardly deserve attention. If you buy an old bush, it will probably flower in its first year, but it is very likely that this will also be its last year. Since peonies do not take root very well in a new place, it is possible that after such stress the plant will quickly wither.

When it comes to peonies, the best planting material that can take root and will delight you for many years are one- or two-year-old plants grown in a nursery. In extreme cases, you can use seedlings obtained by dividing large bushes. The main thing is that such a “delenka” should have at least 2-3 buds and a viable piece of rhizome.

plant care

Of great importance for the well-being of peonies is the so-called planting depth. It is very important to constantly monitor how much the rhizome is getting to the surface of the earth. The distance from the upper root bud to the soil surface should be within 3-4 cm in heavy soil and 5-7 cm in light soil.

You need to follow this because the root system of peonies tends to grow not only deep and wide, but also up. The situation is aggravated by weeding and loosening the beds, as a result of which the earth is constantly raked out from under the plant. Literally in a couple of years, without proper control, the upper buds of the rhizome will be outside.

The buds that come out of the ground will begin to suffer from frost in winter and from heat in summer, and the plant as a whole will begin to weaken and bloom worse and worse. However, if you plant peonies too deep, the bushes will look quite healthy outwardly, but they will not bloom either.

To avoid these problems, peonies need constant care, including the following procedures:

• obligatory pumping up to the desired depth indicators (how this is done can be seen in the photo);
• loosening the soil in the garden / flowerbed where peonies are planted;
• if there is a shortage of natural moisture on the site, the plants need watering (moreover, to the entire depth of the roots);
• regular weeding and removal of weeds that suck moisture and fertilizer intended for peonies from the soil;
• twice a year watering with a solution of phosphorus and potassium;
• timely removal of faded buds (fallen petals are a life-giving environment for the development of fungal diseases);
• preventive spraying of pions with copper chloride to combat gray rot;
• for the winter, cutting the above-ground part of the plant to the ground (but only after the first frost, when the stems fall down themselves).

Publication date 03/25/2019

These flowers, absolutely stunning in their beauty, shape and color, open the summer lush flowering season. They bloom at the end of May and delight the eye until the end of June.

The peony is called the royal flower for a reason. He is so good that next to him all other flowers fade, except perhaps roses. Although densely double pink peonies can outshine her in their beauty and richness of shades.

In most regions of Russia, mainly herbaceous peonies are grown, giving preference to their large-flowered densely double and Japanese varieties.

In this article, we will tell you how to properly plant peonies, how to care for them and tell you which varieties are best to give preference to.

HISTORY OF THE APPEARANCE OF PIONS

It is known from ancient chronicles that peonies were grown in Babylon and Ancient Egypt at the beginning of a new era.

In China, he was deified and worshiped, considering him a sacred flower. And he grew up only in the imperial gardens, for which he received his second name "imperial flower".

In the middle of the XIII century, it was brought to Japan, where only the most noble people of the country were allowed to plant a peony. Here, he was also considered a magical flower that protects against witchcraft and incurable diseases.

It was in Japan that the amazing healing properties of the peony were scientifically substantiated, allowing it to be used not only as a decoration for a flowering garden, but also as a valuable medicinal plant. Although peony roots have long been used in folk medicine in ancient Greece.

By the way, in Greece, the peony is still considered a symbol of wealth, success and longevity.

The peony was brought to Russia at the behest of Peter I. It is interesting that the tsar was interested in the healing properties of the plant. But, when he saw him during flowering, Peter ordered to build a huge flower garden of peonies alone near the royal palace in order to admire their unearthly beauty every summer.

Since the middle of the 16th century, breeders from England, France, Holland and other European countries have been breeding double peony varieties, creating many simply amazing varieties. In Japan and China, scientists have taken a different path. Here preference was given to flowers with one or two rows of petals, but with a huge center consisting of narrow staminodes (modified petals).

Domestic breeders were also successfully engaged in the selection of peonies. The varieties created by them can compete with the best representatives of the European and Japanese groups. This work continues to this day.

CORRECT PLANTING OF PIONIES IS THE KEY TO THEIR BEAUTY AND LONGEVITY

There are, as it were, two waves of its growth.

The first begins in the spring at the beginning of May. At this time, adventitious roots and thin sucking roots are actively growing. Then they thicken and thicken. It is in them that the nutrients necessary for the growth of the bush next spring are deposited.

The second wave of growth occurs at the end of August. At this time, many new suction roots are formed.

This physiological feature determines the timing of planting pions.

In order for them to take root well, plants must be planted (and replanted) before the massive growth of suction roots, so as not to damage them when digging. Plants with a closed root system can be planted at any time.

Of great importance for the normal growth and development of peonies is the choice of a place for planting. These plants are very photophilous, afraid of drafts and cold winds. Therefore, they should be planted in a sunny, well-protected place from the wind.

Planted in the shade, peonies will grow and bloom poorly. Some varieties may not form buds at all.

Peonies need soils that are very fertile, rich in organic matter, loose with a neutral reaction (pH 6.8 - 7.0). Acidic - these plants are generally contraindicated. They will simply die on them. Plants planted in areas with a close occurrence of groundwater or in flooded lowlands will also look strongly oppressed.

Since the peony's root system is very powerful (the roots can go a meter or more deep), it needs loose earth in the root zone. Therefore, planting pits are dug with a diameter of 60 and a depth of 65 cm. The distance between plants is 80 cm.

At the bottom, drainage is arranged from small broken bricks or crushed stone, mixed with sand in equal amounts, with a layer of 20 cm. The pits are filled with a nutrient mixture of fertile soil, sand and compost or rotted manure in a ratio of 1: 1: 2.

Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers and wood ash must be added to each pit.

When planting, the growth buds located underground at the base of the stem are deepened by no more than 4 cm, otherwise the bushes can grow powerfully, but not bloom at all. Peonies are well watered (2 watering cans for each), and then mulched with humus or leafy soil.

PEONY CARE

Planting peonies is not the most important thing. If the plants are not properly cared for, they can grow and develop poorly.

In the first year after planting peonies, it is better to cut off the buds so as not to weaken the bushes. Then in subsequent years they will grow more powerfully.

In full force, peonies will begin to bloom only in the third year after planting.

Fertilizers are of great importance for peonies. In the first two years, they are limited to only two top dressings, since the fertilizers obtained during planting will be enough for the plants.

At the end of April, after the snow melts, peonies are fed with a solution of urea (20 g per 10 liters of water). The second - with a solution of slurry - is carried out at the end of June.

In February, peony seedlings can already be found on the market, so many gardeners prefer to plant these flowers in the spring, without waiting for the traditional season - autumn. If you choose the right seedlings and comply with all the required planting conditions, then flowering will not take long.

How to choose seedlings?

When choosing peonies for planting, it is important to pay enough attention to inspecting the root system. The number of renewal buds should vary from 2 to 3. It may be possible to root flowers with one or two buds, but their development will be slow. Adventitious roots will need a length of 5 centimeters and in an amount of at least two pieces. Bulbs should be healthy and strong, without wounds and signs of disease. The latter include mold, thickening, growths and formations.

Dried seedlings with already blackened buds should not be taken - naturally, they will not survive any planting, and even growth stimulants will not help them. It is also not recommended to take exotic blue or black peonies - such species do not exist either in nature or from breeders, which means they will turn out to be fake. Finally, it makes sense to avoid too low prices - they usually hide marriage behind them. Whether the peony can take root in the spring in a new place can be determined by the state of the root system.

If the earthen ball is covered with white roots, then everything is in order.

The following information should be checked on the packaging: variety name, brief description of the crop, amount of planting material, instructions and quality control mark. After checking the packaging, it is necessary to evaluate the condition of the delenka. Usually this is not particularly difficult, since peonies are sold in transparent bags. You should not buy peonies if the delenka seems too dry or wet to the touch, the packaging smells bad, or if there is a suspicion of infection with cancer or root nematode.

How to save flowers before planting?

After purchase, most often peonies cannot be immediately planted in open ground, so they should be stored in some way. In this case, samples purchased at the store are recommended to be transplanted into containers with a volume of 2 to 3 liters. They will be stored in a dark room with a fairly low temperature. It is good if the roots are covered with an impressive clod of earth - this way they will last longer. If the flowers have an open root system, then they are allowed to be purchased no later than at the end of March.

After buying peonies, the grafting site, if available, should be treated with a mixture of sand and ash, which can prevent putrefactive processes. Until the buds open, the container is removed to a dark and cool place, and then transferred to a space with an abundance of light and a temperature slightly below room temperature.

Optimal timing

Planting peonies in the spring is not always successful. There is a high probability that the plant will not be able to take root, it will get sick from stress, and the roots will be greatly weakened. Therefore, at each stage, it is worth acting carefully and thoughtfully, including determining the timing of landing. It is better to carry out the procedure towards the end of April. At this time, the snow will melt and the ground will thaw, but the temperatures will not be too high.

With steady warming, peonies begin to actively develop shoots, which, in turn, slows down rooting in a new place. In principle, it is not forbidden to land in May, but then the beds will have to be additionally covered with a film in order to avoid overheating of the substrate.

Location selection

Preparing a site for spring planting peonies is very important. It is important to prevent stagnation of water, as its excess leads to root rot. It is better to take the earth loamy with neutral acidity. If the indicator is below 6 pH, it makes sense to add lime - about 250 grams per bush. The place itself should be well lit, since peonies do not grow at all in the shade.

Even three hours of shading will cause the plant to either not be able to bloom, or die altogether.

The beds should be moderately moistened, since a lack of moisture inhibits development, and an excess leads to decay. Normal air circulation is also important, preventing the occurrence of a disease such as gray rot. The hole is dug about a couple of weeks before planting, so that the earth has the opportunity to settle. But, in principle, you can do without it and complete all the steps in one day.

The place should be protected from strong winds and located away from buildings made of stone or metal. The latter quickly warm up under the influence of the sun and, thus, create an “oven effect”, leading to the death of peonies.

It is best to give preference to a clearing in the center of the garden with protection from the winds, but without the presence of shade.

Step-by-step instruction

Planting peonies in the country in open ground in spring should be almost the same as in autumn. The first step is to properly dig a hole so that the depth is about 70 centimeters, and the diameter reaches at least 60 centimeters. At the bottom, a drainage layer should be formed, the height of which ranges from 10 to 15 centimeters. For drainage, it is recommended to use expanded clay, gravel, pieces of brick or river sand. At the next stage, you will have to lay compost or humus in the amount of one or two standard buckets, potash fertilizers or superphosphates. Superphosphate is taken in an amount of 200 grams, and ash - from 300 to 400 grams.

If the soil is clayey, a bucket of sand or peat is added to it, and the sandy soil is enriched with a bucket of clay.

At the top, the soil mixture is placed so that 10 to 15 centimeters remain from the surface to the edges of the pit. Seedlings with straightened rhizomes can be planted in the center of the pit. Deepening is carried out until the kidneys go into the ground by 5 centimeters in the case of heavy soils and 7 centimeters in light soils. To visually check the level of the soil, you can attach a shovel handle to the pit. As a result, about one meter should remain between the plants. It is important to remember that too deep planting will cause the flowering to stop or at least slow down.

When peonies are planted too close to the surface, when cold weather appears, the roots freeze.

Having covered the roots with earth, the soil will have to be lightly slapped with the palms of your hands. An earth furrow is created around each individual flower, and the plant is irrigated with liquid. If after this procedure the soil sags, then you can add a little more nutrient soil. Experts recommend immediately mulching plantings with peat, humus or a mixture of garden soil and peat, taken in a ratio of 1 to 1. Mulch will protect the soil from drying out and thereby contribute to the fastest rooting of seedlings.

It is worth mentioning that if weather conditions do not make it possible to land on time, then it is better to place peonies in pots that are stored at a temperature of 0 to 20 degrees. When shoots appear, the flower should be rearranged on a sunny windowsill and looked after as a room culture.

With the onset of warming, peonies can be moved to the beds.

It is not forbidden to use peony seeds in the spring. This method is not very common, since flowering can only be expected in the fifth or sixth year of life. Seed material can be purchased at the store or collected with your own hands in early autumn. Seeds are immediately planted in a pot, which, in turn, is left outdoors until spring. Somewhere in early spring, the container is brought into a warm room, where it will stay until the end of April - the beginning of May, when it gets warmer outside. Only then seedlings are allowed to be planted in open ground.

How to care?

The advice of experienced gardeners allows you to provide care for newly planted plants. Irrigation is carried out daily, and after the rooting of the flowers, a regular system is established. Peonies will have to be loosened and weeded. Fertilization is carried out from the moment shoots appear, and until the end of June. Either a mineral complex diluted in water or a solution of mullein should be used.

Regular feeding will contribute to rooting, the emergence of new buds and the growth of green mass.

In the first year, gardeners recommend removing emerging buds, preventing peonies from blooming. The meaning of this behavior is that the plant devotes all its forces to the rooting and development of the rhizome, without spending them on the flowers themselves. It is worth adding that during spring planting it is important to keep the soil constantly moist, since the leaves are already growing, and well-developed roots responsible for absorption have not yet formed. In this case, the tubers begin to thin out, and the plant itself dies.

Give in the spring large fragrant flowers of bright and pastel colors. In one place, a bush can grow for many years, but there comes a time when the grower decides to propagate his favorite variety of peonies, it is very important to do the work correctly so that the separated parts of the plant can quickly adapt and start growing. Gardeners practice planting peonies in open ground in spring and autumn, but it is preferable to time these works for autumn. This article is all about how to transplant herbaceous and tree peonies in the fall.

Why is it better to plant peonies in the fall

Planting peonies in the fall in open ground has several compelling advantages that flower growers are guided by when planning work specifically for this period.

1. When planted in September-October, the plant manages to take root in a new place, get stronger before the cold weather and go into the winter prepared and strong.
2. Autumn time contributes to the rapid development of numerous adventitious roots, which helps the plant to better establish itself in the ground.
3. Properly carried out planting work in the fall contributes to the flowering of young plants in the spring, while spring planting cannot guarantee flowering in the current season.
4. A good rooting of peonies from autumn contributes to the formation in plants of increased resistance to summer heat and drought, which can affect them as early as next season.
5. By August, the above-ground part of the plants is immersed in a state of dormancy, and the replacement buds are already well formed.
6. The time of heat has already passed, thanks to the precipitation, constant moisture is maintained in the soil.

Planting dates for peonies in the fall

When deciding to plant peony bushes in open ground in the fall, it is necessary to clearly define the timing of planting plants, guided by several important criteria:

1. Weather conditions of the region.
2. The onset of frost at a certain time.

Important! Planting work should be completed 25-35 days before the onset of frost.

In each region, frosts occur at different times, so it is not possible to name the exact time for planting peonies in the fall in open ground. We would like to note one more nuance - they begin to prepare the landing hole in advance at the end of summer, and the transplant is carried out in the fall.

Choosing a site for planting peonies

In order for peonies to grow and develop well after transplantation, to delight each year with lush flowering, it is worth choosing the right place for growing a crop.

What we pay attention to when choosing a suitable site for growing peonies:

Peonies should be planted in a site with good sunlight, in the shade the plant stretches, the color of the flowers turns pale, and the flowers themselves become smaller. It is allowed to grow peonies in flower beds with slight shading for several hours a day.

Soil composition

Herbaceous peonies prefer to grow in the garden on slightly alkaline or neutral soil (pH - from 6 to 6.5). Nutrient-rich loams are ideal for growing peonies.

Blowout protection

The culture is very sensitive to drafts - peonies must be planted in calm areas of the garden or protect plants from gusts of wind.

The height of the groundwater level on the site

A high level of soil water can lead to wetting of the root part of adult peonies and delenok, so when choosing a place for planting, you must choose a high area with a low level of groundwater.

Bad predecessors

Predecessors are not often remembered, but this is one of the important aspects of the successful growth of peonies in the garden. It is not recommended to plant new varieties in place of old plants, at least 2 years must pass after the bushes have been transplanted from this site. Proper planting of peonies in autumn should take into account that the culture grows poorly and develops after large perennials, uprooted trees and shrubs, which have depleted the soil for a long time.

Optimal distance from tall trees and garden buildings

Grassy peonies are not recommended to be planted close to the walls of tall buildings, because in summer the heated surfaces intensively give off heat, which negatively affects the development of the peony bush. The minimum distance from the walls of houses is 2 m.

Tall trees often shade peony plantings, so you should pay attention to this factor when planting and dividing bushes.

Seating preparation

When a suitable site for transplanting pions has been determined, they begin to prepare planting sites for plants, and it is immediately worth planning the frequency of the pits - one per 2 m2. With such a planting, maturing peony bushes will have enough nutrients for many years.

Important! If the peony is planted in the fall in accordance with all the rules, flower buds will appear in the spring 2 weeks ahead of schedule.

It is recommended to prepare landing pits for peonies when planting in autumn 1.5 -2 months before the start of work. During this time, the soil should be saturated with useful substances, compacted and settled.

For planting hybrid plants for a long time without planning for quick transplants, you should prepare pits with dimensions:

1. Depth - from 60 to 70 cm.
2. Width - from 80 to 100 cm.

For ordinary peonies, when planting for 2-3 years, a hole measuring 45x45x40 cm is enough. This is how bushes are planted for which a permanent place has not yet been selected.

A significant distance should be left between plants (at least 90 cm), up to 2 m2 of garden space should be allocated for each bush. With such a planting, the plant will be able to freely form a powerful root system, between individual bushes there will be free space necessary for air circulation.

Important! Free planting of peony bushes prevents the development of fungal and other infectious diseases.

The depth of planting peonies in autumn should not exceed the soil level by 2o-30 mm. Plants that are too deeply buried develop poorly, which negatively affects growth and annual flowering. The high location of the bush in the planting hole can cause freezing of the root system and death of the kidneys.

Important! If a high level of soil water is observed over the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe site, the plants are planted on ridges so that the distance from the surface of the poured layer to groundwater is at least 0.7 m. In this case, the depth of the pit should not exceed 40-45 cm, and its sides may be up to 80 cm.

Many gardeners debate whether a layer of drainage is needed when planting peonies outdoors. This is a purely individual feature, which depends on the soil on the site. If the bottom of the pit is lined with a layer of plastic clay, there will be no sense in drainage, because the clay castle will prevent water from seeping down. With sandy soil, water without drainage will quickly go deep into the soil, and the roots will lack moisture.

Local drainage is not able to qualitatively protect the roots of peonies from excessive moisture; to solve the problem, you will have to dig drainage trenches or find another way to lower the groundwater level in the area.

To fill the pit, nutrient soil is prepared, based on good garden soil, to which is added:

1. Well-rotted, fully decomposed manure or compost aged 2-3 years - up to 25% of the volume of the planting pit.
2. Double superphosphate - up to 2 cups per well.
3. Wood ash - at least 1 to 2 cups.
4. Bone or dolomite flour - 1 to 2 cups.

The pit is filled with this mixture to 2/3 of the height, the layer is compacted and a thin layer of quartz sand is made on top of it.

To fall asleep the roots, a light earth mixture is prepared with the addition of a small amount of ash and dolomite flour.

In September, peonies are planted, arranging the rhizomes so that the renewal buds are not deeper than 3-5 cm, and do not protrude more than 2-3 cm above the soil surface. Delenki or young bushes are carefully placed in a pit, sprinkled with soil and watered.

Important! If, after watering, the soil in the pits settles significantly, the soil is topped up, and it is also useful to mulch the surface with peat or leaves to preserve moisture.

Planting tree peonies in autumn

Tree-like peonies - the most beautiful perennial shrubs with charming showy flowers, can grow in one place up to 80 years or more, so the place for planting them should be chosen very carefully. The requirements for choosing a site are almost identical to the rules for planting grassy peonies, but for tree peonies, places with shading from the sun for several hours a day are more suitable. Planting time is usually in September.

Other requirements:

1. The diameter of the landing pit is at least 50 cm. The pit is prepared and the lower part is covered with soil 2-3 weeks before planting.
2. The distance between plants is from 100 cm.
3. Soil - made up of garden soil, peat, compost, humus and sand. All ingredients should be taken for 1 hour. Bone meal and superphosphate can be added to the prepared mixture. The ideal level of acidity is 7.5-8 pH.
4. Deepening of the root neck - no more than 5 cm.
5. Watering - immediately after planting, at least 10 liters of water should be used per plant.