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tambo747

Can someone tell me what to expect with my peonies?

tambo747
14 years ago

Hi,

Last summer/fall I pick up two sad looking peonies at a garden center. They were so small and scraggily looking. I didn't know if they would survive, but I felt sorry for them, took them home and gave them a happy home. I just noticed 4 little shoots coming up from each plant.

Can someone tell me what I should do now and what to expect during the growing season. I read they won't flower for 3 years. I wish I could tell you the name of them, but the pots didn't even have tags.

Thanks!

Tammy

Comments (3)

  • maifleur01
    14 years ago

    Enjoy them. It may be possible that they will bloom this year but it will probably be a couple of years. Most peonies sold in this country are sold as red, white, and pink. It is nice to know the name but not necessary for your own personal enjoyment. I have a whole bank of peonies that I had labels wash away before I could add them to my diagram. Some animal also helped by removing some of the labels.

    After the plant blooms or late this fall after the foliage dies down sprinkle arround the plants with a general fertilizer say 10-10-10 or 12-12-12.

    If you fertilize just after the plants bloom you should be increasing the amount of nutrients that the plant stores. If you fertilize in the late fall you will be feeding the small white roots the plant sends out. If you fertilize too early in the fall you might have a lot of fresh growth that will freeze.

    If you like your peonies you might want to join your Canadian Peony Society. You can receive information on peonies and discounts on plants. Who knows you might even meet your neighbor two blocks over that you can trade plants with.

  • tambo747
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thank you for your response maifleur! I can't wait to see what happens. The "shoots are about 5 inches now!!! Lol, I don't even know what color they will be, although I seem to think on of them is red. I love buying the "forgotten" plants that are left over towards the end of the season and give them a home!
    From the great advice you gave me, I assume the best time to fertilize is after they bloom, but what if I don't have any blooms this year? Would it be silly to fertilize after there anticipated bloom time?
    Tks again for all your help! I love this website!
    Tammy

  • maifleur01
    14 years ago

    Go ahead and fertilize after you see the neighborhood peonies end their flowering. I think in Canada that could be the second week of July. The foliage will be helping the roots gather food. At the end of flowering unless you leave the seed pod on the plants start storing food fertilizer at that time will help the storage.

    If you fertilize later in the summer you could trigger the plant to send up new foliage. This is why I suggested fertilizing late in the fall after the plants have gone dormant.

    I too collect the orphan peonies either too small or missing labels.

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