Flowerlover,

I suspect that the culprit is botrytis. It is a caused by a fungus. The plants should come back next year but if left untreated and if the desease persist the plants can become very weak. In some locations treatment has to be done every year. It depends a lot on moisture and weather conditions. Some years the problem can be very bad due to wet cool spring conditions and other years the problem may not be evident due to dryer conditions where water did not stay on the sprouts and leaves.

The disease can manifest itself in several ways. The plants can just seem weak and not very energetic. The leafage may be wilted or shrivelled in varying degrees. Buds may set but fail to open.

I would suggest that you treat them next spring with Bordeaux Mix. This is a cheap garden chemical. It is simply a chelated copper compound that will kill or hinder the fungus in early spring at is available at most garden centers. You treat it with a solution of the mix just as the buds are at the surface of the ground then again about 2 weeks later and then a third time in about another 2 weeks. A container of Bordeaux will probably last you several years. To treat a plant just pour a cup full of mix over the plant. If the plant is emerged you may need to spray the mix on the plant. With just a few plants a plastic bottle sprayer may do the trick.

Another important thing to do is to remove all stems and leafage in fall after your first freeze/frost. The botrytis spores will winter over in the old leaf debris. Do not compost peony stems and leaves. Put them in your outgoing trash or burn them. Also make certain all grass and leaves are removed from around the plants in early spring so there is adequate air circulation to dry plants up after morning dew and rains.

Good luck with the peonies.

Peonyman - here in mid-Tenn they won't die back on their own until October or so. Should I cut them down now and clear away the depris? Thanks for your help!!

Sorry Flowerlover, I have not been checking in here very often. Dont cut the stems off until fall after they have turned brown, then completely clean up the stems and all debris.