A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 peonies

Hi All! Today's balmy 41 degrees got me poking around my yard, where I found my peonies, which I transplanted from my neighbor last year. Should I cut these back? They look dead as can be, but my neighbor said he doesn't cut his back. What should I do?

I always cut mine back.
Like, in the fall, when they turn brown...
I cut 'em back 'cause they look yucky.

Might not be the right thing to do, but they bloom every year so much I have to prop the limbs up, so I must not be doing too bad!

Cindy

Have never tried peonies since I've always gardened in the deep south (between Savannah, GA and Jax, FL) but I have recently moved to Athens, GA, which seems to be the southernmost tip of USDA zone 7. Is it cold enough to grow peonies here? And if so, do they need full sun here, or do they need a good bit of shade?

hi i live in north alabama also zone 7. i grow them they grow just fine here for me. i planted mine so they get a half day of sun in the morning time. they seem to do fine for me.hope this helps you.if you are planting in that red georgia clay you might need to add a littel top soil and some mulch.mine like a lot of water abought twice a week.your friend in gardening.mike57

Oh, this red N. Georgia clay is the bane of my existence!!! Have always had the good alluvial soil of the Altamaha River basin and have never seen anything like this! Almost cried when I first tried to drive a shovel into the ground and it bounced back....

Am thinking of a northeast corner for the peonies - will get sun until around 12:00 - 1:00 PM in the height of summer - is that too much?

Also - Floridata says to plant in the fall - guess I should think about it some more this spring, or do you think a spring planting time will do?

Annie...
I live in Kentucky. I have planted peonies from spring until winter here (I move a lot, and take most of them with me when I move) and they have always done fine no matter when I plant them.

I separate mine a lot, too, at all times of the year...just whenever I get one of those wild hairs that I seem to get so often.

Welcome to the forum!

Cindy

I emailed a peoney nursery this winter.I'm a Tx Z 8b.I was told to go with early spring bloomers.I had tried one before.It grew then it died& returned it.The stems had gone purpleish& this other nursery said to plant some stuff in the hole.i'll have to look around for the e mail,but for us down souther's we have to grow EARLY spring bloomers.They mentioned Fall as best planting time so could be rooted^settled before the southern heat season arrives.

Hey cindy.I know what ya can send me for christmas!!!

Do you want me to send you some???

peonies, i love peonies lol, bought my first ones this month but i am waiting for April 1st to plant since i am in virginia and it is still snowing down here. at walmart i found the Karl Rosefield peonies 3 bulbs for 5.00 dollars. I have never seen them that cheap. I have been reading all the good information about them on the site. And can't wait to try my hand at growing them. I understand they like bone meal in their hole when they are planted along with a compost mixture? A friend of mine that has them in her yard says the color depends on the ph of the soil but i can't find anything about that in what i have read. Do you know anything about that?

Hey, fellow Virginian!

Hmmm... don't know about the pH factor on peonies. Maybe she's thinking about hydrangeas. I may be wrong, but I think the color of the peony depends soley on the hybrid. Go ahead and get yours in the ground as soon as you can. You might have to cover them with leaves to prevent the root ball from heaving up out of the soil while it freezes and thaws during spring's ping-pong temperatures.

They are great plants with big, beautiful flowers. Best of all, they are very long-lived when happily situated.

I always cut off the greenery in late fall or early winter. By this time in spring, I can ususally find their little bursts of new growth popping up from the soil like little red bird beaks. These can be fragile, so mark them well so no-one steps on them!

are peonies hard to get up from seeds? I got some seeds for some and I sure don't want to boo boo with them, one of my bestest friends send them to me.

hi i found this site for peonies. it might help.your friend in gardening.mike57

http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC1170.htm

Thank you all for responding, it was just great. I didn't know I could put them in the ground now, thank you for that information. I'll get out back as soon as I can and get them started. It seems we have several virginia members which is really great. I didn't know you could grow them from seeds, I've never seen any. If I do I will definitely buy them I think they are beautiful. If I wanted to collect the seeds from my flowers when they grow how would I do that?

rozzy221,in my z5b I've trimmed out the brown from my peonies every year. This makes for a neater look and keeps the air circulation around the plants in better quality. If what you are saying looks dead, then that part of the natural process is most likely correct. Your new plants from this year will emerge from the ground.

FWIW, I fertilize mine in spring with triple super phosphate. How big the plant depends on the amount. Mine are 6 to 8 eyes so I use about a 1/4 of a cup around the drip line. They seem to like it. Big beautiful blooms every year. I also cut the dead stalks back every year. Some of mine are grown in containers so I can move them around to the best growing location in summer. The folage is a good contrast after the flowers fade with other container grown plants.

I got my peoneys from cindy& they have even got buds now!I was so thrilled,they get some sun pretty good right now,but when this tree finishes leafing out,will be more shaded in after in afternoon.Once my stems were up about 3 inches I watered in some fertilizer spiked with epson salts& was mowing today when seen the buds.Are 8 3 are big the others starting& my 2nd half of shipment just went in ground this week(well last now.a week monday)