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peony planting depth and mulch
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Posted by minilaura 5b (My Page) on Mon, Oct 12, 09 at 0:57
| I just bought my first peony rhizomes. The instructions said to plant them so that the crowns were two inches below the soil line. So I did that.
However, the bed that I planted the rhizomes in has a 1- to 2-inch layer of mulch on top of the soil. Have I planted my peonies too deeply? Should I dig them up and plant them higher?
Please help! I don't want these peonies to fail! |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: peony planting depth and mulch
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| I'm a new gardner, but I noticed nobody has responded. I live on the zone 5/4 border, and many gardners here plant for zone 4, so we're colder than you. I planted my new peonies with the tops exposed, and my local nursery said they wouldn't need mulch. Since peonies are susceptible to rotting if they get too wet and because they are so hardy, they said that the tops can be left exposed. In fact, they very strongly recommended it. So, if they're right, then you won't need the mulch. I don't know for sure, but it seems to me that once the peony is established and grown it pretty much doesn't die, so the mulch issue isn't a big one. Since we expect to get vere healthy snow cover this year (yea!) and wetness can be a problem, I feel better not having the mulch on them. P.S. As I was previewing this messsage my kids began to scream because our first snowfall has just begun right now! |
RE: peony planting depth and mulch
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| @deanna Thank you for responding! I ended up raising my rhizomes because I was worried. But they are still covered in mulch. I have huge beds that are completely covered in mulch. I guess I could move the mulch off the areas where I planted the peonies. Thanks again! |
RE: peony planting depth and mulch
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Nobody that I know of has explained why a peony acts the way it does if its depth is more than the 1 1/2" to 2" the eyes are put below surface.....but it is a fact of life.
Too deep, a peony may never bloom.
Put it down to ....that's the way it is...for that plant, no more than 2" the crown is placed below soil surface. Putting mulch over the crown to me, is much like putting soil over it....so I make sure not to do it.
The foliage is cut down anyway....so any amending of the soil I make sure is done in a side-dressing mode only.
Compost, with or without, added well composted manure is appreciated by peony.
But, it doesn't like sitting in wet soil.....good drainage is important. Compost can help a plant's planting hole retain moisture....so that may add a moisture level that should be looked at.
For winter mulching, I use evergreen boughs. It acts as a good insulator for when the snows come. It can keep the soil from heaving during spring thaws. |
RE: peony planting depth and mulch
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| I agree with Jeannie. I don't think I would put any mulch over the peonies, just your 2" of dirt. Peonies can be pretty tough plants, as long as you don't bury them too deeply. We inherited some with our farm and they get no winter protection (and temperatures can get as low as -27 F) and they bloom beautifully each year. They're the white peonies with the burgandy edges..very pretty :) This year we found some burgandy ones coming up in back of the old farmhouse that were probably planted at least thirty years ago. |
RE: peony planting depth and mulch
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| To mulch or not to mulch depends on your soil rather than the depth of your planting. If you have a problem with plants heaving out of the ground because of the freeze/thaw action of the soil you should mulch until the the plant has time to root. You should remove any mulch from the crown area when the buds start to emerge from the dirt. You can rake the remainder of the mulch and remove or leave it. If you look at many peony pictures many will have a mulch of leaves in the background. I will place some on newly planted peonies but allow the leaves to remain where they land rather than raking and removing on established plants. Because my leaves will decompose to a thin layer and we have heavy 4-6 inch rains any extra mulch is washed off the buds and for me causes no problem. If I wish to have them decompose quicker I sprinkle common sugar on the leaves. |
RE: peony planting depth and mulch
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| As I understand the frost heaving, doesn't a thick layer of snow do much to prevent that? From what I understand, this winter should be a nice snowy one. I am brand new to gardening in snow (actually new to gardening in general, but I've always lived in a very temperate climate until now), but I was thinking that if we get generous snowfall that stays through most of the winter then my plants should be protected and insulated. Is that correct? Last winter our snowcover didn't disappear until spring thaw. Very nice! I just considered it to be pretty. But now it seems that it was also healthy. Thanks for your post on heaving. I wouldn't have thought of that with the peonies! |
RE: peony planting depth and mulch
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| Snow will do the same thing as long as it is there. Since no one can guarantee what Mother Nature will do it is best to help her. Last two years places that normally are snow covered most of the winter, think western ski areas did not receive snow until late in the season, February. I just returned from Minnesota and this weekend from Minneapolis South had several inches of snow. I was told that it normally does not snow that much until mid-November. Talk to your neighbors about your areas normal weather. Last year was strange all over. Good way to meet your neighbors if you are not friends already. Side effect of talking to neighbors is sometimes when they split their plants they will think of you when they have extras. A very good plus when plants are involved. |
RE: peony planting depth and mulch
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Peony rockii¡¯s Planting and Management
1. Trimming
The improper conveyance may do damages to seedlings. Prior to planting, upon the damage¡¯s degree, to make seedlings neat or tidy by trimming the broken or damaged roots and branch stems off in part or in whole.
2. Disinfection
To soak trimmed seedlings for 15 minutes in the Hexathane diluted in the proportion of 1£º500 or in Mildothane of 1£º1000 or Allisan of 1£º1000, then followed the water washing. For seedlings with ball clay at roots, spraying their stems with above-mentioned liquor. Prior to planting, the disinfected seedlings shall be soaked for 30minutes in 500ppm rootone liquor (an appropriate amount of rootone liquor should be granted to seedlings with ball clay after their planting).
3.Planting
3.1 Pit digging: Pit shall be dug according to the size of root system and ball clay at the root, it should not be narrow at the bottom so as to prevent bends of roots. The planting depth shall be 30cm deeper than in the nursery.
3.2 Fertilization: Proper surface soil, organic fertilizers (thoroughly decomposed) and chemical fertilizers shall be placed at the bottom of pit so as to benefit the new generated roots.
3.3 Planting:
3.3.1 For seedlings with exposed roots: The surface soil shall be piled at the bottom of pit first, with a loose depth, then an appropriate amount of organic fertilizers shall be sprayed, with fertilizers being covered by a backfilling layer, so as to isolate the root system from fertilizers. Seedling with exposed roots shall be placed at the center of pit with the root system laid down as it is. Backfilling shall be performed around seedling pit, followed by compression as appropriate and seedling shall be slightly lifted with planting depth 3cm deeper than in the nursery, then backfilling layer shall be added.
3.3.2 For seedling with ball clay at the root: Seedling with ball clay at the root shall be vertically placed at the center of pit with the root being placed firmly. The planting depth shall be appropriate. Backfilling shall be performed around ball clay, followed by compression as appropriate. Hemp (straw) bags in the upper part of ball clay shall be cut open and removed.
4.Watering
After planting is completed, it¡¯s necessary to do watering thoroughly.
5.Triming
Trimming may be performed after planting. To clip all broken, damaged, crossed, overlapped stems and delicate ones in overcrowding place as well. The pruning wound shall be smooth. Pruning wound more than 1.5cm in diameter shall be sealed with grafting wax or japan lac to facilitate healing and prevent moisture diminishing and sprout.
6.Maintenance
6.1 Watering: Watering if necessary. An appropriate watering shall go on the premise that the soil moisture status to be kept neither dry nor hydrops. A soaking watering may be wanted prior to the forthcoming winter.
6.2 To loose soil layer around the seedling after every watering.
6.3 Management after leaf expansion and before blossoming
6.3.1 Sprout-plucking and Bud-removing: All other 3cm long sprouts shall be plucked except for one reserved on every stem. As for 5cm long sprouts germinated from rootstalk, only1-2 vigorous and reasonably distributed sprouts shall be reserved upon the growing circumstances of plant. All of them may be plucked, too. The buds number shall depend on the size of plant and its stems while buds start to color, in general, only one bud shall be asked for every 2-3 stems, so as to ensure the quality of view.
6.3.2 Foliage dressing: As long as the leaves expand, to spray them with mixed liquor of 5% Huaduoduo ( Penshibao or Dongli 2004 ) and 3% carbamide for every 7-10days. Prior to blossoming, a spraying of potassium phosphate monobasic shall be granted to seedling 20days in advance.
6.4 Management after blossoming
6.4.1 Buds-removing: To remove flowers immediately after the blossom fall so as to allow the root system to grow well.
6.4.2 Fertilization: An appropriate amount of fertilizers, giving priority to organic fertilizers, shall be granted to seedling immediately after the blossoming. To place 0.05-1kg carbamide and diamine inside the surface oil layer around each seedling (the exact amount shall depend on the size of seedling) in the pit of seedling, the fertilizers shall be sprayed at the upper part around the root system, then followed by watering.
6.4.3 Chemical spray: In the first ten days of July, the tree peony may be infected with anthracnose, brown spot, powdery mildew and gray mold. The spraying of 500-700 ml chlorthalonil or Badistan shall be taken for every 10-15days to prevent these diseases.
7. Reshaping
2-3 years later after being planted, young seedling¡¯s other stems shall be cut off except for 3-5 ones to be reserved the remnant flowers shall be removed after the May-June florescence the flower bud¡¯s differentiation shall commence during the June-September period 50% or so of seedling¡¯s stems shall be cut off starting from the base of a stem, only2-3 buds shall be reserved to ensure 1-2 buds to blossom in the upcoming year. The broken, old, dead and weak stems shall be clipped in every winter.
8. Precautions
Peony rockii has its origin in northwest China. Drought resistance and being easily damaged by waterlogging characterize it. It shall be thoroughly irrigated twice from leaves expansion to the time in buds, watering for other times if necessary. The immediate drainage is essential while rainy season comes, so as to protect its root from soaking which may result in defoliation in advance or even the death to Peony rockii.
For more information please click www.paeoniarockii.com |
Here is a link that might be useful: Paeonia Rockii Gansu peony
RE: peony planting depth and mulch
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| Good advice but does not have anything to do with original posters question. It could also be considered spam. Could you open a new topic using your post it is informative as to how peonies are grown in China but can be used to show differences in growing conditions in different places in the world. |
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