Yes, full sun is what peonies prefer, so yours should do fine. If you like, you can top dress the plants with some dehydrated cow manure in the spring. The flowers should be deadheaded when finished blooming and don't cut back the dying foliage until October or November. That's about all there is to growing peonies, except for planting them no deeper than 2", but you probably know that.

They also dislike competition from trees, so make sure they are far away from anything like that.

when you say no deeper than two inches..do you mean, the top of the root ball two inches under the dirst?...I have been promised divisions of several peonies this fall, so Im trying to learn all the right techniques BEFORE hand..lol
Thanks,
Pam

In warmer zones they need to planted higher. Mine are so high the top of the root is exposed. Al

OK, I'm baffled. From everything I have been reading, it seems that peonies like full sun. I just bought my first from a well known nursery here in zone 7b and was told to plant in dappled shade. Which should I do?

In the warmer zones like Georgia, they probably prefer part shade. The local nursery should know what they're talking about.

Mine are planted in full sun. I'm 90 miles west of Atlanta. However, my plants are pass-alongs whose parents have been in Alabama or Tennessee for more than 50 years, so they are well acclimated.

stefgriff, I'd say you may need the 2 inches of dirt over the crown in Zone 5. I suppose part of that could be mulch, but better ask locals. They grow fine in full sun here in zone 6.

I have peonies in full sun and in dappled shade. They do well in both situations. I plant mine as close to the surface of the ground as possible, any deeper and they will not bloom. So if, after a few years you don't get any bloom, you will know you planted them too deep. Try to keep the little red nubs level with the surface or maybe an inch down, but no more.

Peonies are lovely plants and they are scattered everywhere in my perennial beds and come the first of July you can count on a spectacular show. One of my favorite plants.

Good luck with yours.

Valerie

I have one given to me as a gift in 2000. It got moved to our new house in 2002. Last year the buds dropped off. This year so far it looks great, lots of stems with several buds on each. Do I keep it unmulched?

What I've been told about the sun issue is that in the hot and humid zones they appreciate afternoon shade. Mine have done well in such conditions, if that helps.

Peggy

I love peonies. Not only are they beautiful, but they grow forever and are nearly maintnence free. I have bunches of them, named and not. I could have tons more and be happy. The only thing I do is try to put plant rings around them so that the top heavy flowers dont bend the stems when they get wet or blown around. I do deadhead them, and don't always remember to cut off the dead foliage till the end of winter, but they don't mind and then I remember where they are.

One of the coolest plants and look great with iris and roses.

I inherited many peonies a couple years ago when we moved in, the peonies in full sun are awesome, the ones that were on the north side of the house are just okay, they need more sun.

Even in zone 5 peonies should be planted shallow,with those red buds just below the surface of the ground. They are completely hardy and planting deeper can result in nice foliage but no flowers.

New here and only have one peony plant. I have had it for 6 years and only twice has it bloomed. I think one of the reasons is that in spring it does get full sun but once our tree fills out it gets shade the biggest part of the day. I live sw of Chicago. So last week I decided to dig it up and plant it where it would get full sun all summer. But when I replanted it I think I put it in deeper to cover the base. So should I bring it up more? Would it be safe to bother it again? Thanks Stephanie

Have had a peony for many years, only get 3-4 flowers each year. Has any one heard of pinching the flower buds (when?) to encourage it to create MORE buds? Thanks!

Pinching Peony buds will not produce more buds.
Peony buds are removed (it's called "disbudding") from the side stems to encourage a larger flower on the main stem. It is an option of the grower. I do mine, and have maybe less flopping. Some growers cannot bear to deprive themselves of the additional bloom, and so do not disbud.
It is entirely up to you...
If you are only getting 3-4 flowers per year on a mature plant, something is not quite right. Are they getting enough sun? Are they planted too deep? Try a newer variety; it seems like you should be getting MORE out of your plant.

We bought 2 peonies with small buds on them. We planted them in full sun, but after a few weeks the buds dried up and turned black. What would cause this, and how do I keep it from happening again? I'm a newbie at planting peonies; the ones at our old house we inherited and they were trouble-free because they'd been there for years. I love them and want to have many more.

Stef,

How goes the peonies? I am in zone 5/6 NEPA and should be having blooms in another week or two, the tree peonies are just finishing up here. Where are you in NEPA?

Gerry

oh my gosh:-) just wanted to say hi, i'm another stef also in zone 5 in pa (lackawanna county). but i only have one peony and it's not flowering yet -- we just moved into a 7-yo house and i'm not sure how to do with it -- i'm just getting started with landscaping and flower gardening, but am well versed in veggie and herb gardening.

Well, the plants themselves look great. Very full, nice green leaves, etc. However, I have no buds. This is only their second year in the ground--does it sometimes take longer for them to bloom? Or do you think I planted them too deep. I guess it's too late for blooms this year if I don't have any buds by now. Maybe next year.

I'm in Wyoming County in Tunkhannock. We've had a beautiful warm week this week, but now that the weekend's coming, it's going to rain some more. I really need to get the rest of my plants in the ground!

Stef

Pam,
You mentioned that you'll be planting some peonies in the fall. The best thing you can do is prepare the soil in advance at the spot where you've decided to plant them. Mix some compost into the soil now (or sometime in the summer)! It will make a big difference!

In terms of depth, better to err on the side of shallow. ;-D
Judye

If they were planted too deep, can you dig them up and reposition? When would be the best time to do that?

Have have some bare roots that were planted last spring and never came up. This year they have come up but I think they still might be down too deep (especially after we applied more mulch).

Also I bought 2 two-gallon plants (with a number of buds) now I'm worried they were planted too deep...

hi stef! we're in clarks summit! hubby works in mehoopany and we were looking at property over the winter in tunkhannock. cool! so what else do you have in your garden? i've only got a few now (bearded iris, lilac, forget-me-nots, lambs' ears, and veggies) but plan to add more next year. good to "meet" you!

What are the best mail order sources for Peonies? Or is it better to purchase them from a local nursery?

Atmail, yes, you can dig them up and reposition now, just keep them well watered afterwards. They probably won't bloom next year, because they don't like being moved and will pout for a year, but after that you will reap the rewards. And if you don't dig them up and reposition they won't bloom, and you will still have to fix their depth. But it's all worth it!

I was given a couple of peony roots when I moved into my new home. I had not yet amended the soil in the area I picked for my flower garden. So I put them in a pot up they came and they died burnt to a crisp. I am pleased to say that there is growth coming up from the roots, so I have them indoors in a sunny area. I live in So.San Francisco,Ca and all I can fig. out is the patio is to hot and add the wind that is what damaged the new growth. So now I am trying to fig. where to plant them,plus thinking of putting them in a wire basket in the ground gopher problems. I am not giving up! newbie Marisa

Kinseeker, the buds may have dried up due to the roots being disturbed. Keep them watered and they will probably do just fine next year. I moved a couple of peonies last fall and this year they look really pathetic, but at least they still have more foliage coming up.

Hi - hoping for some help. We have great peonies in our back yard, and get about the same amout in the front. It seems like I should wait until the fall. But I need clarification on several items.

Fall -
Does this mean after all the foilage starts turning brown and dying or before that occurs.

Compost -
We don't compost, so can I buy compost? (We're not allowed to have compost where I live) I don't want to ask the gardener if this is a silly question.

My peonie that I'm most interested in moving is quite large. How do I go about splitting it.

Please help, I'm scared to move her, but she really needs everyone in the neighborhood to enjoy her.

Pebbles,

Hi, maybe I can help. Fall means September, October and November. You don't have to wait till the peony dies back to the ground, you just need the nights and days to be a bit cooler than in the middle of July or August.

There are tons of posts in this forum about digging and dividing a peony, and they are written much better than I could possibly do. :) Do a search of this forum and you'll find them. Also, how I might do it may not be the best way of doing it. I have a tendency to just jump right into things and read the directions later. :)

Regarding Compost, yes you can buy it. But I'd probably wander over to the Soil and Compost forum and ask about it there and see if anyone has any specific brands that you should buy or avoid. Let them know that you can't compost in your area.

Remember, peonies are really tough plants and beyond planting them too deep you really can't do to much to hurt them.

Have fun. :)

Diann
IA Z5a

Diann well you're sort of my neighbor!

I searched the forum, so maybe someone can advise. Also it seems like maybe it's time to split my big peonie b/c it's getting crowded.

Thanks everyone!

Pebbles, here is what Iowa State says about how to divide peony..

Horticulture

Transplanting and Dividing Peonies

Peonies can be leftundisturbed for many years. Sometimes, however, it becomesnecessary to move established peonies. Peonies shaded by largetrees or shrubs bloom poorly and should be moved to a sunny site.Large, old plants may become overcrowded and flower poorly. Large,old plants should be dug, divided, and transplanted to improveperformance. The best time to move or divide peonies is September.

Moving established plants is a simple procedure. Cut thepeony stems near ground level in September. Then carefully digaround and under the plant. Try to retain as much of the rootsystem as possible. Promptly plant the peony in a sunny, well-drained site.

Division of large peony clumps requires a few additionalsteps. After digging up the peony, shake gently to remove loosesoil from the root system. Divide the clump into sections, makingsure each division has at least 3 to 5 eyes (buds) and a goodportion of the root system.

Peonies grow best in full sunlight and well-drained soils.Dig a hole large enough for the entire root system. Place thepeony plant in the hole so the eyes are 1 to 2 inches below thesoil surface. (Peonies planted deeper than 2 inches often fail tobloom satisfactorily.) Fill the hole with soil, firming the soilas you backfill, then water thoroughly. Space plants about 3 to 4feet apart. Apply a 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch in late fall.Straw is an excellent mulch. Mulching will prevent repeatedfreezing and thawing of the soil that could damage the plants.Remove the mulch in early spring before growth begins.

Transplanted peonies will not bloom well the first spring.They should be back to full flower production by the third orfourth year.

This article originally appeared in the August 11, 1993 issue, p. 134.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prepared by Richard Jauron, Department of Horticulture
Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.
This information subject to a usage policy. [Search]
[Horticulture and Home Pest News]
[Integrated Pest Management]

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Last updated 12/29/97 by John VanDyk
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1993/8-11-1993/peony.html

The only part of that I'd probably diagree with is cutting the foliage off before I dig the plant. I'm probably wrong here, but I'd probably use the foliage to help me get the plant out of the hole and then cut it off. :) But like I said, I kind of jump into things and then read the directions. :) Oh yeah, and if it's a really old established peony, you're going to have to cut it apart, because most likely it's not going to come apart very easily. I have 4 to do this fall... I'm not looking forward to it.

So, were kind of neighbors? Are you from Iowa? I'm in Eastern Iowa.:)

Diann
IA z5a

Here is a link that might be useful: ISU on Dividing Peony

Diann no I'm from Chicago, but I drive so much for work (25,000 miles/year) Iowa seems close (we go to Galena sometimes which is right on the border)

Thanks for the information.

I just found out from my neighbor that the peony has been tehre at LEAST 30 years. so I assume that I can cut it apart with pruning sheers?

Just was in the beds and realize that I have an additional (so now a total of like 9 peonies) plant. It had been covered with this crazy creeping vine that is bent on choking out everything. Ripped out enough to fill a 32 gallon trash can, and there's still a lot to go.

Oh I'm so bad at this gardening thing.

Thanks so much Diann.

Pebbles, Well, Chicago is like being next door, sort of. ;)

Um, what did the crazy creeping vine look like? You might want to check over in the Weeds forum. I sincerly hope you do not have Bindweed. That stuff is near impossible to get rid of. If you do have bindweed you'll need to go through every peice of peony root to make sure you do not transplant it in to your new bed, or worse yet, give it to someone in a division.

Regarding cutting your peony apart.. You might want to use a large butcher knife. Just becareful that the only thing you cut is the peony. :)

Have fun!

Diann
IA Z5a

I've had peonies for 6 years. Moved them three years ago. They've never bloomed. They do look the healthiest they've ever been though.

Is it necessary to cut the foliage off after you transplant? If so, I didn't! I moved and divided this weekend to a sunnier position.

Thanks
Vera

Here is a fact sheet on the care of peonies.

Here is a link that might be useful: Peonies

Would you advise me about support or staking?

I just moved into a home with several waist-high peony bushes. The one cage I do have was for foxglove and will be useless with these big, full plants. I have been reading about half-hoop supports, but I haven't gone looking around in the garden centers. Is a half-hoop the way to go? My gardening books are still in boxes. Can you share some practical advice for keeping my blossoms "up"? There are several plants, so if there's an easy-to-make support I would like to hear about it. I plan to prune them back for next year, and I hate to invest in lots of big supports that I won't use again. But I will if I have to, cuz I love my peonies.

Looking at the blooms do you really need hoops? If the flower are big doubles or bombs probably but if singles or Japanese type flower maybe not. Look at the plants and see what they are telling you before you go out and invest in hoops.

You can't prune them back to a certain size without loss of flowers. Most bloom on the end of the stem. That said this fall after the plants brown after the first freeze cut the foliage off near the ground and remove.

For transplanting both types of peonies...

Here is a link that might be useful: Peonies

Hi there, I just ordered 4 jap. tree peonies from qvc. They aren't here yet, it says they will ship at the appropriate time for planting. ALso, I was kind of hoping to plant them in pots so that if I move I can take them with me. ANyone here have instructions for planting in pots? I would try to get some large pots...pls give me your opinion as to the size you think i shoudl get. I am not an experienced gardener. THANKS!