How to grow peony flowers

Farming methods

The soil drainage should be good. Peony prefers a cool climate. It is suitable for cultivation in my country's temperate to subtropical regions. It has the characteristics of sprouting in spring and taking root in autumn. In hot seasons, the plant is in a semi-dormant state. It prefers fertile, loose, well-drained sandy loam and avoids saline-alkali soil. Because peony has fleshy roots, it is drought-resistant but afraid of waterlogging. If the soil is compacted and waterlogged, it will easily cause the fleshy roots of peony to rot, so it is not suitable for cultivation in low-lying areas or saline-alkali land.

Therefore, it is better to choose a cool and sunny place for ground planting, and avoid overwatering potted plants. During the entire dormant period from winter to early spring, the soil should be kept moist and not too dry, but the drainage should be unobstructed and water accumulation should be avoided, otherwise the underground tubers will easily rot and die.

Division method

Peonies are generally propagated by division. As the saying goes, "Dividing peonies at the Spring Equinox will keep them from blooming until old age", so peonies are usually divided in October after their above-ground parts have withered, and they should not be transplanted in spring. When dividing the plant, the roots need to be dug out and cut along the cracks of the roots with a sharp knife so that each cluster has 3 to 5 plump buds and the root group below. Be careful not to damage the buds. Then plant them in sandy soil with base fertilizer applied, cover with 3 to 4 cm of soil, keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Generally, the plant will bloom in the second year after division and planting.

Potted peonies can be repotted once every one or two years in combination with division, and more old soil should be retained when repotting. If the plant cluster is not large, do not divide it.

Flowering period

Peony cannot lack water during the growth period of the plant, especially during the budding and flowering stages. At the same time, the buds should be thinned out in time, and the side buds should be picked off after they appear so that nutrients can be concentrated and the top buds can be made bigger. After the flowers wither, the pedicels should be cut off in time to prevent seeds from forming and consuming nutrients.

Fertilization should be carried out half a month after the peony flowers wither, that is, in late June , to replenish the nutrients consumed during the flowering period in time and lay a good foundation for the peony to enter its second vigorous growth period.