A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 starting peonies

I went to the dreaded Wally World .

Peonies are one of my favorites. They smell so good. I have mine in full sun. I planted mine in the fall, so I imagine that if you plant yours now you have to keep them watered well and mulched. Hopefully you'll have beautiful flowers next year.

Hostas like shade and water. Mine have already started putting up flower stalks.

Daylillies can take the heat and drought.

Peonies take 3 years to bloom so be patient. They are a very long lived plant so that makes up for it alittle bit lol. Yep plenty of water while they are getting situated but once they are well established I've hear then can go 9 to 11 days without being watered. Mine got planted in April and one got transplanted this month because I had inadvertantly put it on top of another bulb lol. I got mine from wally world too but they seem to be fine. I got white, pink and red ones and am really looking forward to when they bloom. I think they are a fantastic looking flower.

Bone meal in the hole was recommended for planting them and loosening the dirt that you make the mound out of so the roots can really crawl around. Also they like the soil a little acidic around 6.5. I can't think of anything else except the ants love them but don't do any harm. They have been crawling all over mine even though it will be years before they bloom.

"Peonies take 3 years to bloom so be patient."...

I never heard that before. What should I expect to see this season from the tubes I planted?

Sometimes up to 7 if they're little enough!!!

Probably only the green leaves...
They'll send up some greenery, soak up
some nutrients, and die off in the fall time
when the frosts/snows come...
And re~emerge in the spring time...

I have some in full sun, and some in shade until late afternoon and still bloom for me...


And Peonies loved to be watered at the roots,
not on their leaves *unless it's rain*
and try not to keep too much stuff on top of them,
it's okay to the side, but not actually over the top of them
(their dirt area),
they'll have trouble blooming...

When mine first came up they were a deep rich red color stems and leaves but then after some time they turned a glossy green and the leaves took on a rounder appearance. If that makes any sense at all. I am not good at explanning things sorry.

Last year mine got thrips, made lots of buds that never bloomed. The buds didn't fall off but they felt like paper and never opened. I called a Master Gardner and was told it was thrips, a sucking insect. This year when the buds formed I sprayed mine with a spray to kill thrips and had big, beautiful blooms. They smell so good.

I also heard that it takes a Peony 3 years to bloom. My gardener friend swears that if you split a Peony before September 15th, it will not bloom for 3 years. I had a huge piece given to me last spring and I made a new garden for it (any excuse for a new garden will do!!) Anyway, it had 7 gorgeous flowers this year!!! I was so impressed that now I want more (and then I can make another garden hehe)