A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 peony pests

My plant is about 5 yrs old and gets beautiful flowers but we do live in a temperate rain forest in Alaska (Ketchikan) and gardening gives us many a problem. One is my peonies have little tiny ants all over the buds. I have never had to use any pest control and so I don't know how to get rid of them. Can anyone give me some advice? thanks, jannet

This was last year. They did well as they are young plants. Didn't have quite the wet, rainy spring that we have this year.

jannet55...the ants are a normal occurance on peonies. They don't do any harm. Some say that the nectar attracts them, and they actually help the buds open. (There was a topic about this...probably in the archives now...I'll try to find it.)
But, anyway, the ants will go away once the flower opens.

Your peonies are beautiful!


Cindy

Don't get rid of the ants - peonies won't open without them. As Cindy mentioned, they'll go away once the flower opens. I have really big ants this year, and I find myself quite excited, as I know they're doing their job!!
I'm strange, I know.