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clickermel

Freezing temps predicted -- affect on peonies?

clickermel
16 years ago

We've had temps in the 60s-low 80s for the last 3 weeks. The peonies are going crazy and some shoots are over 2' high. These are well-established plants, at least 15 years old, probably older.

We are going to get night temps from 28 to 23 degrees (or less) starting tomorrow night for about 5-6 nights. Will this wipe out the peonies' blooms for the year? I'm sure they'll survive, but what should I expect?

(I'm going to try to purchase frost blankets tomorrow, but am not sure whether I'll be able to find them!)

Thanks for any knowledge you might have to share!

:-) Mel

Comments (6)

  • sauls35
    16 years ago

    We are going to have the freezing temps tonight and my Peonies (36 bushes) are up and ranging from 4" - 8" tall. Just wondering if these will survive or not?

  • jqpublic
    16 years ago

    given that peonies live for over 50 years the freeze will not kill them, but what will happen to the buds? someone help :(

  • flowergirl70ks
    16 years ago

    I think they will blast, and no bloom this year. Where I live it has been just too many cold nites in a row, one down to 19.

  • goodhors
    16 years ago

    Thanks all, for the different posts on cold Peony shoots. Mine are coming along, some sprouted quite well. They got cold last weekend, but were just showing on top of the dirt, so I fluffed the leaves up and left them alone. Snowed and cold for 5 days, very windy, with temps down to 20F at night. Daffodils were quite pitiful, laying down with snow on them.
    Then temps got a bit warmer, up to 50F+ this week, SUNNY, so the shoots are GROWING. With snow and cold at 30F predicted, I went out and put old plastic pots over all the shoots that were up. I used big pots over the new Tree Peonies, some had buds showing! I may go put some sheets over cages on the largest Tree Peonies, too big for pot covers. I am hoping the pots prevent wind burn, snow sitting on the foliage to freeze and break the cells. I did find one Peony with a very wilted leaf turning black. I am not sure if it is a herbacous leaf or a new Tree sprout. All the others look pretty well for being snow covered and out in the bitter cold.
    Not much we can do to change the weather, but I hope that covering the new growth with pots, gives me enough protection to get some flowers this year. Glad I hadn't tossed all those old plastic pots!

  • birdinthepalm
    16 years ago

    As in a previous post, mine are doing fine and continue to grow with no damage and similar temperatures here in Port Huron!

  • rett
    16 years ago

    It's a bit late for me to answer this post, but I just wanted to say that I experienced those freezing temperatures, as well, and my peonies are doing wonderful with big round buds on them. Lucky for me, they were short enough at the time of the freeze, that I covered them all with small plastic trashcans or empty plant pots. Out of everything in my yard, my peonies and my Fairy rosebush are the only things that seemed to be unharmed by those freezing temps. My mulberry trees STILL are brown and icky. Here's hoping for a better spring next year!
    Rett

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