Here's how to grow them in your own garden.

1. Choose peonies that will grow well in your garden conditions.
2. Plant peonies in full sun in the fall or spring.
3. Prepare the soil by adding Miracle-Gro® Garden Soil for Flowers.
4. Water plants thoroughly, then occasionally through the season.
5. Support plants with peony cages.

Are peonies easy to grow?

Peonies are easy to grow and maintain with little care. They bloom in late spring or early in summer, delighting all that behold with their wondrous floral display. Peony blooms are a staple to spring time are a popular cut flower. ... Be sure to know each peony characteristics before you choose yours!

How do you grow peonies?

Provide shelter from strong winds, as peonies' large blooms can make them top heavy. (Use stakes to hold them up, if necessary.) Don't plant too close to trees or shrubs, as peonies don't like to compete for food, light, and moisture. Grow peonies in deep, fertile, humus-rich, moist soil that drains well.

How do you care for peonies?

Peonies prefer a sunny location with well-drained soil. Good air circulation around the plant is also important. These growing conditions help peonies avoid their only serious disease problem: botrytis. Like other fungal diseases, botrytis is present in most soils.

Do peonies like sun or shade?

Herbaceous peonies prefer at least 8 hours of full sun. They will grow in partial shade, but they will not flower as readily. The only expections are some of the infrequently grown Asian woodland species, which require part shade.

How to plant peonies video with Thompson & Morgan

15 related questions found

Do peonies spread on their own?

No, peonies will not spread out and create new plants on their own. ... It's just best to wait until the peony plant has gotten bigger before you do anything at all. The only way that you can make more peony plants is to divide them.

What month is best to plant peonies?

When to Plant Peonies

The best time to plant peonies is in the fall. If you order peonies from a catalog, this is usually when they'll be shipped. Sometimes you'll find container-grown peonies blooming and for sale in the spring, and it's fine to plant them then.

Can peony grow in pots?

Growing Peonies in Pots

You can successfully grow and flower peonies in pots. Choose a pot at least 30cms (12 ins) in diameter with adequate drainage holes at the base. Use a soil based compost such as John Innes No3. Peonies do not thrive in peat-based composts.

Do peonies smell nice?

Peonies are often esteemed for their intoxicating fragrance. These scents range from sweet and rosy to citrusy and spicy. ... The double form white and pink peonies tend to be the most aromatic. Some semi-double and anemone formed peonies boast an attractive perfume as well.

How far apart should peonies be planted?

(Peonies often fail to bloom satisfactorily if the buds are more than two inches deep.) Fill the hole with soil, firming the soil around the plant as you backfill. Then water thoroughly. Space peonies three to four feet apart.

How tall do tree peonies grow?

The glamorous flowers are single or semi-double and produced on a graceful, open shrub. In height they grow no taller than 120cm high, often less, making them suitable for smaller gardens. There is one downside and that is they can start into growth much earlier in spring than other peonies.

How quickly do peonies grow?

If you want to grow peonies for cutting, patience is needed. Generally it will take up to 3 years for the most cut varieties to produce enough blooms for cutting. But as the flowers are large, the average vase really only needs one or two flowers to look both beautiful and opulent.

How long does it take peonies to grow from bulbs?

Unlike annuals, peonies take 3 - 4 years to become a fully established blooming plant. The first year of growth is focused on root production and becoming established in the garden. If blooms occur the first year, they may be smaller and not of the typical form or color of a mature planting.

Do peony plants multiply?

The only way to multiply peony plants is to divide peonies. ... These will actually be the part that comes through the ground after planting and forms a new peony plant when you divide peonies. After rinsing, you should leave the roots in the shade so they soften up a bit.

Do peonies bloom all summer?

Peonies bloom in late spring - early summer, starting in April and through the months of May and June. ... Therefore, to fill your garden with continuously blooming peonies throughout the season to up to 6 weeks, you may plan to plant a variety of cultivars, from Very Early- to Very Late season bloomers.

When should I order peonies?

Keep in mind, the most common growing season is late April through June. This will always be the most affordable time of the year to purchase for peony bouquets. Quick Tip: Florists can often source peony flowers throughout the year, but you'll pay quite a premium.

Are peony poisonous to dogs?

Peonies. These beautiful flowering shrubs are often planted in as hardy perennials in backyard gardens. Peonies can cause vomiting, diarrhea and decreased energy when ingested by your dog.

Do peonies attract ants?

According to the University of Missouri's Integrated Pest Management, peonies do, in fact, attract ants—but why? Essentially, because they're so sweet (as if we didn't already know that). Budding peonies secrete nectar that ants, in turn, rely on for food.

Why do my peonies smell like fish?

Their perfume changes throughout the day and can depend on humidity, temperature or even the age of the flower. As the volatile essential oil evaporates, so does the peony fragrance. William Cullina, in his book “Understanding Perennials,” blames this elusive smell on “just our Pavlovian response” to ethylene.

Do peonies flower the first year?

Flower buds will follow, although buds don't always form the first spring after planting. The first year most roots will produce up to five leaf shoots, and perhaps just one or two flowers. In the second year the number doubles, and again in the third year.

How do you look after Paeonia lactiflora?

Herbaceous peonies are relatively drought tolerant when established, but water thoroughly during prolonged dry periods in summer. Feed every spring with a balanced granular plant food. Mulch around plants with a 5-7.5cm (2-3in) thick layer of organic matter, such as compost, composted bark or well-rotted manure.

How do you grow peonies in the UK?

Try to plant peonies in full sun and a fertile soil, which has been improved by digging in garden compost or well-rotted manure. They will grow well in a range of soils, including clay, as long as it does not get waterlogged in winter and dry out in summer. They are fully hardy so don't need any winter protection.

Are peonies invasive?

The good news is that there are thousands of attractive plants to choose from that are not invasive. ... For example, hostas, hybrid tea roses, most garden hydrangeas, boxwoods, tulips, daffodils, garden salvias, dwarf shrub junipers, and peonies are all non-native to the region but are not known to be invasive.

What side of the house do you plant peonies?

Peonies love full sun. Mine are planted on the south side of our house, where they receive sun from morning to evening. But if you live in a warmer climate you may want to plant them in partial shade.

What are peony eyes?

The eyes of peony roots are bullet-shaped pink buds growing from the crown of the plant. Each eye represents a potential stem for next year. A new division needs ample roots. Too many eyes with just a little root will struggle to thrive.