How to grow gorgeous peonies on your site? Peonies in the country - features of growing How to grow peonies in the garden

PeoniesPionary In beauty and aroma it is second only to a garden of roses. These are some of the most the most beautiful flowers on garden plot, so they are very popular among gardeners.

• • Growing peonies
    • Soil for peonies
    • Preparing to plant peonies
    • Planting peonies
  • Caring for peonies
  • Fertilizing peonies
  • Peony propagation
  • Varieties of peonies
  • White peonies in the country

IN Lately deservedly favorite tree peonies. The conditions for their cultivation are somewhat different from keeping them in the garden. herbaceous peonies. The collection of tree peonies must be placed in slightly shaded areas during the midday and well protected from the wind, since their winter hardiness and overall stability in windy areas is noticeably reduced. These flowers also make good arabesques.

Growing peonies

There is an opinion that with proper agricultural technology and subsequent care, peonies can grow in one place for more than 20 years, while each year giving country cottage area with its magnificent blooms. This gives us an incentive to create for peonies good conditions and provide flowers with decent care.

How to grow peonies in your summer cottage?

Soil for peonies

The peony garden can be located on almost any soil, but preference is given to loam, clean and cultivated. Only swampy and too damp soils do not tolerate peonies. You should also pay attention to the level groundwater, which should be at a distance of at least 50-70 cm from the soil surface. If the groundwater level is closer, then peonies can be planted on artificial beds of greater height, or special ones can be arranged around the peony garden. drainage ditches. Ignoring such facts and actions leads to rotting of the root system and death of plants.

Location of peonies in the garden

Experts recommend planting peonies in sunny places, since these plants are very light-loving, but it is also possible to grow them in partial shade. Be careful when choosing a location, as the amount of sun regulates the flowering of peonies and its abundance.

It is advisable to determine the place for planting peonies a few meters from trees or shrubs, since they need complete freedom, but lack of moisture or nutrients, due to the development of a number of other large plants, can affect growth and flowering. Also, the place where peonies are planted should be well protected from winds and sharp drafts.

Preparing to plant peonies

So, first of all, we prepare holes for planting. This should be done a month and a half before planting, so that the soil inside settles well. The holes are dug at a distance of 80-100 cm from each other, 60-70 cm deep, and 55-70 cm in diameter. Correct scheme Planting peonies will help not only the plants themselves in their development, but also the owner of the peony garden in caring for the flowers.

Original peony garden in the country: planting and care

Planting peonies

The best time for planting peonies is considered to be from mid-August to the end of September. If you plant peonies in given time, then the winter cold will give the plant time to take root and develop a root system, and this is very important.

Caring for peonies

If the pits and the soil in them were prepared correctly before planting, then for the first two years your peony garden does not need feeding and can develop well due to fertilizers applied in advance. What is most needed during this period is timely loosening of the soil, watering and weeding.

Timely and systematic watering is also important, approximately once a week, 25-40 liters of water for each adult peony bush. Watering is especially important at the beginning of summer, during active growth plants and budding. Carefully monitor the drying of the soil around the bushes during the summer heat; due to the high evaporation of moisture, additional watering of the peonies may be necessary. If watering occurs in grooves, you can use the same temporary scheme, but if watering from a watering can, then it can be done daily.

Growing peonies in the garden: planting, care, propagation

Fertilizing peonies

Feeding of peonies is carried out already in the third year after planting, when the plants begin to actively bloom. A total of three feedings are carried out per season.

First feeding of peonies

Second feeding- nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. It is carried out during the budding period of peonies to improve the quality of flowering. The amount of nitrogen-potassium-phosphorus fertilizer is 10 g, 12 g and 15 g, respectively.

Third feeding

Video about planting and growing peonies on the site

Peony propagation

Reproduction of peonies is possible in several ways, but we most often use the simplest and most common - propagation of peonies by division.

Varieties of peonies

Herbaceous peonies and tree peonies come in many varieties., not to mention the fact that every year this number grows significantly. We decided to tell you some of them, so that you know exactly what to start from when planting a peony garden or propagating peonies on own plot.

The best varieties of peonies for your garden plot

White peonies in the country

White peonies are considered one of the most popular in our country, so we decided to devote a small section of our article to them.

Experts advise taking these colors very seriously and devoting enough time to them., because only by following the rules of agricultural technology and providing white peonies with proper care, you can achieve not only the correct bushiness of the plant, but also beautiful, long-lasting flowering.

• White peonies should be planted in partial shade or even a sunny position, as they require a minimum of 4-6 hours of direct sunlight per day;
• When planting white peonies in the ground, make sure that they are root system was not too deep, as this is wrong. If the roots of the plant go far into the ground, then flowering may be short-lived, painful, and this will also negatively affect the development of the plant as a whole;
• When white peonies reach the age of 7-10 years, they need to be replanted, or simply renew the bush. The plant is dug up and carefully divided into several strong parts, leaving only 3-4 roots, no more than 15 cm long;
• Try to monitor not only the flowering and development of peonies, but also the quality of the flowers. It will improve, and, accordingly, improve the appearance of the white peony bush, if faded and dried buds are removed in time;

White peonies are wonderful plants for your garden

Peonies growing and care in the garden

Peony (lat. Paeonia) - representative herbaceous perennials family Peony. The culture is decorative, used to decorate the garden. Growing peonies in the country and in the garden is popular, since caring for them is not difficult, and some varieties of shrubs can delight you for up to 50 years.

Peony propagation

The culture is propagated by dividing the bush, both green and root cuttings, layering, and even seeds.

Propagation by seeds

This method is more often used by breeders, since plants obtained from seeds do not have the varietal characteristics of their parents. Seed collection begins in August and ends in mid-September.

Peony propagation - collecting seeds in August

They are immediately sown in the ground, buried 5 cm. Thus, the seeds go through 2 stages of stratification:

• warm - when the daytime temperature rises to 30 degrees Celsius and at night drops to 15;
• cold - for 2 months the seeds are exposed to a cold temperature of 5-10 degrees Celsius.

This technology guarantees a high probability of germination, but some seeds will germinate only in 2 years.

Acquired planting material has a dried out hard shell, which makes germination much more difficult. Before sowing, it is necessary to soak the seeds in warm water for 2 days, then sow in September-August using the above technology.

Peonies - propagation by root cuttings with bud

The preparation of root cuttings begins after flowering is completed - at the end of June:

• choose a young shoot with adventitious roots and a replacement bud;
• cuttings are cut off sharp knife, and shorten the top, leaving a few leaves;
• the root is placed in a growth stimulator for 12-14 hours;
• The cuttings are planted in a shaded place, deepening by 10 cm.

Peonies, propagation by root cuttings

Around September it will take root, and before wintering it will need to be cut off, and the rhizome with a replacement bud will need to be covered for wintering. Propagation of peonies by cuttings is a long process; the first flowering will occur only in the 5th year.

Propagation of peonies by stem cuttings

It is necessary to prepare a large number of cuttings, since not all will take root. Cutting is carried out a week before flowering:

• choose bushes 5-7 years old;
• selected internal shoots (inside the bush) are cut at the root;
• then they are cut by cuttings so that each segment has 2 internodes (one cut is made under the leaf itself, and the second is 2-3 cm above the top leaf);
• the cuttings are soaked in a root stimulator solution for 8 hours;
• planted in the shade of trees: a bed filled with compost is sprinkled with a layer of sand, the cuttings are deepened 3 cm at an angle, at a distance of 0.15 m from each other;
• the planting is covered with a portable greenhouse;
• plants need high humidity, therefore, abundant spraying is carried out 2-3 times a day;
• after 3 weeks, the greenhouse begins to be ventilated, increasing the time every day;
• In late autumn, rooted cuttings are cut off and the rhizomes are covered for the winter.

Propagation of peonies by stem cuttings

Reproduction of peonies by vertical layering

Early April base 5 summer bush dig up, exposing the vegetative buds. The bush is covered with a box 0.5 by 0.5 m without a bottom, and covered with fertile soil to a height of 0.2-0.3 m. The soil in the box should always be moist. The buds developing on the shoots must be pinched, then the plant devotes energy to the development of the root system.

Peony propagation scheme by vertical layering

At the end of summer, the shoots can be cut off, and the resulting roots with new vegetative buds can be separated and planted in a permanent place.

Mandatory transplantation and propagation of peonies by dividing the bush

Propagation by division is suitable for bushes that have reached 5-7 years of age. The procedure is carried out from August 15 to September 15. For this:

• the bushes are dug up, washed with water, and left in the shade for a while (dried roots become elastic and do not break);
• all shoots are cut 10-15 cm from the root;
• the rhizome is divided into parts so that each of them contains 3 or more renewal buds;
• the divisions are soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate for 2-3 hours;
• diseased and growing roots are removed, and the sections are treated with an ointment made from ash and clay;
• Then the cuttings are planted in new places; they will have time to take root before frost.

Transplanting peonies is combined with dividing the bush for rejuvenation and reproduction

It is necessary to divide and replant peonies, which are grown and cared for in the garden according to all the rules, every 5-7 years. This promotes plant rejuvenation.

Reproduction of peonies by dividing the bush

The root collar of adult bushes (over 10 years old) ages and becomes hollow, and ants, worms and slugs settle in it. And over time, vegetative buds are laid deeper and deeper, which negatively affects flowering.

Reproduction of peonies by dividing a bush video

Preparing the site and planting peonies

Peonies are unpretentious to the soil, most suitable option- clean loamy soil. A nearby layer of groundwater is undesirable; in such cases, an artificial embankment with good drainage will be needed for cultivation. The location should be sunny or slightly shaded. The closest neighbors should be a few meters away from the planting.

A week before planting, pits for peonies should be prepared; cultivation from ready-made seedlings is carried out only in the fall - in September. Required size recesses: 60x60x60 cm, and the distance between them: 1 m. The bottom layer is filled with drainage from broken bricks (0.2 m). The next layer consists of compost and mineral fertilizers.

Peony planting scheme

A week later, when the soil has settled, the seedlings are placed in planting holes and sprinkled with garden soil. Vegetative buds should be no deeper than 5 cm from the surface. Deeply planted bushes do not bloom.

Caring for peonies in the garden

From early spring, it is necessary to water the peony frequently; growing and caring for it requires the presence of moisture, but not an excess. For watering, use 2-3 buckets of water per adult bush. Loosening and weeding are required.

Fertilizing peonies

Feeding peonies is carried out in 3 stages:

• as soon as the snow melts: 10 g of nitrogen and potassium are scattered around the bush and watered;
• during the budding period: 10 g of nitrogen, 12 g of potassium, 15 g of phosphorus (added in a similar way);
• 2 weeks after flowering: 12 g of potassium, 20 g of phosphorus for 1 bush.

Diseases and pests of peonies

In early spring, peony bushes can be damaged by diseases such as: gray rot (lat. Botrytis cinerea) and powdery mildew(lat. Oidium). For both prevention and treatment, it is enough to treat the plants with a soap solution or copper sulfate.

Peonies need it in spring preventative treatment from fungal diseases

Common peony pests include the bronze beetle (lat. Cetoniinae), root-knot nematode (lat. Meloidogyne) and turf ant (lat. Tetramorium caespitum). Insects feed on the roots, leaves and flowers of plants. To combat them, insecticides should be used: Kinmiks, Aktara.

Pruning peonies after flowering and preparing for winter

Peonies finish flowering in June. Faded shoots are cut off and another feeding is carried out. Further care for the flower garden is regular watering.

Peony pruning

Pruning is carried out in late autumn, before frost. All stems must be removed. They should not be cut too low, leaving several leaves on the shoots - the formation and development of replacement buds depends on this. Fresh flowers should be cut in a similar way - not too low.

In autumn, the peony is completely cut off

Preparing a peony for wintering

After autumn pruning, the bushes must be covered for the winter with a layer of peat mulch, especially young plants and plants transplanted this year. Mature bushes are not afraid of frost and easily endure winter.

Bottom line

A perennial like peony is easy to care for. The most important procedure when growing is regular replanting, which can be conveniently combined with division for propagation. Long awaited beautiful bloom and the longevity of the shrub fully justifies the time spent growing peonies.

Peony - wonderful flower family Peony. What are the main points to consider when caring for this plant so that it long years made me happy beautiful flowers and healthy appearance?

There are approximately 5 thousand varieties of peonies of different colors in the world. It is advisable to plant peonies in a sunny place, as they love warmth and a lot of light. If the area is shady, the likelihood of seeing huge shaggy balls of wonderful flowers is sharply reduced. Peony tolerates winter cold well middle zone, it is durable, it can not be transplanted to another place for about 10 years. Although, based on my own experience, I note: if the plant is not replanted for a long time, the flowers gradually become smaller.

How to propagate peonies?

There are several ways to propagate peonies. Amateur flower growers often choose vegetative, since plants grown from seeds produce flowers only in 6-7 years, or even later. Breeding work is very long and painstaking, so it is mainly used by breeders to develop new varieties.

The most common method of propagating peonies is considered bush division for several divisions. The bush is divided when the plant reaches 5-7 years of age. Best timing landings – from mid-August to mid-September.

The overgrown bush needs to be dug up, washed and placed in the shade for several hours. After this procedure, the roots wither a little, lose their fragility and break less when dividing. There should be at least 3-5 buds and several adventitious roots left on the division. After preparing for transplantation, the divisions are dipped for some time in a solution of potassium permanganate (3-4 g per 10 liters of water) to protect against root rot.

Rhizome of peonies

Features of planting peonies

In order for peonies to quickly form an above-ground mass and bloom, it is necessary to properly prepare soil. If the soil is heavy, then peat and sand are added to the hole for planting.

The underground part of the bush has an overgrown root system, so landing pit should be large: 60 cm deep and up to 70 cm wide. The bushes should be no closer than 70-100 cm from each other. This distance will allow unhindered processing of the bush and ensure good air gap, thereby preventing the occurrence of fungal diseases.

After landing peonies, plant roots are pressed tightly with your hands, avoiding voids. The soil should be in good contact with the roots. It is not advisable to compact the soil around the bush with your feet, because the roots are very fragile and can be easily damaged. You can simply compact the soil after compressing the roots. watering. Each bush should receive about 5 liters of water; after settling, add garden soil to the required level.

Be careful! If, when planting, the renewal buds are deeper than 5 cm, the bushes will not produce desired flowering. If planted shallowly, peonies will get sick due to lack of moisture.

Proper care

Peony loves good things feeding. This can be magnesium, boron, manganese, zinc and other trace elements. It needs clean, loosened soil, so it needs regular weeding. If you prepare the soil correctly, the bushes can survive without root feeding for up to 2 years. All you need is frequent loosening of the soil and watering. Soil is necessary loosen both after heavy rains and after watering.

Buds, in the first 2 years you need cut off so that plants use nutrients for the development of the root system. Closer to the third year of life, the bushes grow strongly and can be allowed to bloom. At this time, plants need mineral supplement, which is carried out in full mineral fertilizer. From now on, they increase and irrigation norm: 3-4 buckets of water per bush once every 2 weeks. Do not forget that the soil should be loosened after each watering.

It is impossible to use sprinklers when watering, as they may develop fungal diseases. When flowers appear, the method of watering with sprinklers is generally unacceptable; the flowers immediately become wet, their heads droop, and spots appear on the petals.

The Greeks added peony root to various potions; they believed that by doing so they could protect themselves and their home from evil spirits. Peony tincture was used to treat epilepsy, insomnia, and was given for calming nervous system. And from the roots of the flowers, they made beads and wore them around the neck as an amulet, personifying wealth and good luck.

The peony garden is second only to the rose garden in beauty and aroma. These are one of the most beautiful flowers in the garden, which is why they are very popular among gardeners.

Peonies are favorite garden flowers, and this is not surprising. Lush and bright flowering usually lasts two to three weeks, but different varieties comes in different time. Therefore, the flowering of a well-chosen collection can last up to three months. Starting from the first days of May and ending last decade In July, your garden will be filled with bright colors and a wonderful aroma.

In this flower garden, a large collection of herbaceous peonies is arranged on the lawn in the shape of concentric semicircles. In winter, the leaves of these flowers completely die off and must be pruned, so the plants overwinter well under the snow. The only thing they don’t like is seasonal soaking and fresh organic matter. Both can lead to the death of the flower.

These garden flowers vary in color, size and flower shape, and can be single or double. They have a rich range of aromas, most of them strongly pronounced and unusually pleasant. The leaves of these flowers are openwork, ornamental, decorative in early spring: Even in an empty garden, before flowering, they stand out in reddish and purple hues. Their attractiveness remains in the summer, after flowering - pruned bushes keep their shape perfectly. And in the fall, with the onset of cold weather, the leaves of peonies again acquire reddish, bronze and purple shades.

Recently, tree peonies have deservedly become a favorite. The conditions for their cultivation are somewhat different from keeping herbaceous varieties in the garden. The collection of tree peonies must be placed in slightly shaded areas during the midday and well protected from the wind, since their winter hardiness and overall stability in windy areas is noticeably reduced. These flowers also make good arabesques.

Also read: Ampelous plants in the country and at home

Location of the flower bed in the garden

Experts recommend planting peonies in sunny places, since these plants are very light-loving, but it is also possible to grow them in partial shade. Be careful when choosing a location, as the amount of sun regulates flowering and its abundance.

It is advisable to determine the place for planting peonies a few meters from trees or shrubs, since they need complete freedom, but a lack of moisture or nutrients, due to the development of other large plants nearby, can affect growth and flowering. Also, the peony garden should be well protected from winds and sharp drafts.

How to grow peonies (video)

Preparing for landing

The planting scheme for peonies is very simple, and the work itself will not take much of your time and effort, but careful preparation should be carried out before planting peonaries, since the growth of the plant, its development, flowering and life expectancy depend on this.

So, first of all, we prepare holes for planting. This should be done a month and a half before planting, so that the soil inside settles well. The holes are dug at a distance of 80-100 cm from each other, 60-70 cm deep, 55-70 cm in diameter. The correct planting scheme will help not only the plants themselves in their development, but also the owner of the peony garden in caring for the flowers.

Now that the pits are ready, you need to add a special mixture to them - compost, peat and rotted manure with admixtures of 150 g of potassium sulfate, 350 g of bone meal and 170-200 g of superphosphate; if the soil is clayey, you can add 140-170 g of slaked lime ( crushed). All such composition is mixed with top layer earth, removed in advance, and compacted. As a result, you should receive approximately half a pit of the nutrient mixture, which will serve as a reserve required quantity nutrients for the future.

Planting peonies

The best time for planting is considered to be from mid-August to the end of September. If you plant peonies at this time, the plant will have time to take root and develop a root system during the winter cold, and this is very important.

Next, the prepared planting material is planted in pre-dug holes according to the diagram, and the planting depth is adjusted. It is necessary to place the planting material in the soil so that the renewal buds go into the ground no more than 3-4 cm, provided they are grown on loam, and no more than 5-6 cm on sandstone.

When planting, you should not compact the soil around a new bush, as this will not break the young roots, and also, do not change the depth of the bush into the soil, which may affect its development and flowering in the future.

Caring for peonies

If the pits and the soil in them were prepared correctly before planting, then for the first two years your peony garden does not need feeding and can develop well due to fertilizers applied in advance. What is most needed during this period is timely loosening of the soil, watering and weeding.

Loosening is carried out very carefully so as not to damage the bush. The depth of loosening is no more than 5-7 cm, the distance from the bush is 20 cm, the total diameter of the loosening strip is about 15 cm. It is advisable to carry out loosening after watering or rain, this will prevent the formation of a crust and create an aerated mulch layer around the plant.

Timely and systematic watering is also important, about once a week, 25-40 liters of water for each adult bush. Watering is especially important at the beginning of summer, during the period of active plant growth and budding.

Carefully monitor the drying of the soil around the bushes during the summer heat; due to the high evaporation of moisture, additional watering may be necessary. If watering occurs in grooves, you can use the same temporary scheme, but if watering from a watering can, then it can be done daily.

Try to remove weeds in the peony garden in a timely manner, which has a positive effect not only on the appearance of the plants, but also on their development.

Fertilizing peonies

Fertilizing is carried out already in the third year after planting, when the plants begin to actively bloom. A total of three feedings are carried out per season.

• First feeding- nitrogen-potassium, in early spring, possibly immediately after the snow melts. 10-15 g of nitrogen and 10-15 g of potassium are scattered around the bush. Fertilizer should be sprinkled only on the soil, avoiding contact with the bush.
• Second feeding- nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. It is carried out during the budding period to improve the quality of flowering. The amount of nitrogen-potassium-phosphorus fertilizer is 10 g, 12 g and 15 g, respectively.
• Third feeding carried out 12-15 days after flowering, it is necessary to stimulate the formation of large renewal buds, which will ensure good growth and flowering on next year. Potassium-phosphorus fertilizing, 12 g and 20 g of fertilizer, respectively.

Video about planting and growing peonies on the site

Peony propagation

Culture propagation is possible in several ways, but we most often use the simplest and most common - division.

First of all, a mature white peony bush is pruned so that it can be dug up. The trunk and stems are tied and, carefully dug up so as not to damage the roots and buds, removed from the hole. Next, the root system is washed with a weak stream of water from a hose to make it easier for you to deal with the division.

Now, with the help wooden stake and a hammer, the bush is divided in two, then each part is divided into two, and then with garden shears into full-fledged planting material. A high-quality division is formed, without old or damaged roots, about 30 cm long, with 1-2 good roots and several buds.

Red peony cuttings are placed in prepared planting holes; after sprinkling with soil, the top bud should be several centimeters under the soil layer.

After planting, there is no need to compact the soil around it; it is important to water the peony seedling abundantly and mulch the soil around the future bush with peat or humus.

Varieties of peonies

There are many varieties of herbaceous and tree-like peonies, not to mention the fact that this number grows significantly every year. We decided to tell you some of them, so that you know exactly what to start from when planting a peony garden or propagating a crop on your own site.

So, the most popular today can rightfully be considered: Altai News, Maxima Festival, Cruiser Aurora, Corina Versan, Yellow Peony, Pink Peony, Sarah Bernhardt, Pink Reidians, Mercedes, Albert Cruz, Mont Blanc, Longfellow, Eugene Vardier, Philippe Revoir, Clemenceau, Anchantress, Angustifolia Peony and many other varieties that are not only in demand among gardeners, but will also qualitatively complement any garden.

White peonies in the country

Experts advise taking these flowers very seriously and devoting enough time to them, because only by following the rules of agricultural technology and providing white peonies with proper care, you can achieve not only the correct bushiness of the plant, but also beautiful, long-lasting flowering.

• Flowers should be planted in partial shade or even in a sunny position, as they require a minimum of 4-6 hours of direct sunlight per day;
• When planting in the ground, make sure that the root system is not too deep, as this is incorrect. If the roots of the plant go far into the ground, then flowering may be short-lived, painful, and this will also negatively affect the development of the plant as a whole;
• Be sure to provide white peonies systematically and proper care. Beautiful and majestic plants prefer timely watering, loosening the soil and correct feeding, which have a beneficial effect on the internal biorhythms of the plant and its appearance, in particular, the flowering of the bush;
• When the flowers reach the age of 7-10 years, they need to be replanted, or simply renew the bush. The plant is dug up and carefully divided into several strong parts, leaving only 3-4 roots, no more than 15 cm long;
• Try to monitor not only the flowering and development of peonies, but also the quality of the flowers. It will improve, and, accordingly, improve the appearance of the bush, if faded and dried buds are removed in time;
• During the flowering period, pay close attention to the buds. Only one, largest and strongest bud should be left on the peduncle. In this case, he will have enough juice and vital energy to show beautiful flower. The rest, buds of small size and strength, will only hinder its development, and will not show any special results.

This short list of tips experienced summer residents will help you not only grow white peonies on your own plot, but also, over time, create a whole peony garden that will delight abundant flowering and pleasant aromas for many years.

Where to plant peonies in the country?

Guessing where to plant is half the answer to the question “How to grow peonies in the country?” Planted in the right area, peonies will actively grow and bloom, and for so long that they will even have time to get bored, because the life of a bush can last more than a dozen years. What is it - an ideal peony place? Firstly, well-lit, because strong shading even for 2-3 hours a day can lead to a significant reduction in flowering. Secondly, closed from the wind. Thirdly, and this is perhaps the most important, it is not subject to stagnation of groundwater. Peony roots have an excellent safety margin; they are not afraid of long-term droughts, summer heat, or frost. But under the influence of water they begin to rot, which leads to the death of the plant.

How to plant peonies in the country in spring?

The second half of success when growing peonies lies in following all the rules for planting them:

1. Only young (2-3 year old) bushes grown from cuttings with completely renewed buds are suitable for propagation. Older plants have difficulty acclimatizing and are unlikely to bloom.
2. Peonies are planted in deep (at least 80 cm) planting holes, the preparation of which should be taken care of at least 14 days in advance, filling them two-thirds with a mixture of organic and mineral fertilizers. The last third of the hole must be filled with ordinary soil.
3. The peony bush is placed in a hole so that the top bud on the rhizome is 5-7 cm from the soil level. In the future, this distance will need to be carefully monitored by adding or raking the soil.

In this article we will continue the conversation about our favorite peonies and reveal some secrets of growing and caring for them. How quickly can peonies be propagated?– There are several ways to quickly propagate peonies, but they are not easy and do not give a mass effect. If there was a way to quickly propagate peonies, they would have used it long ago. How do you care for your peonies? Tell us in detail about agricultural technology, reveal secrets.– Peonies have been growing in our conditions for 65 million years and have perfectly adapted to local conditions. They are not demanding on soil fertility and watering, and are frost-resistant. The only thing they can't stand is getting wet!

You can also say that peonies are plants of hills and mountain slopes; they are accustomed to water draining quickly and not stagnating. Therefore, if you have a wet area, plant peonies on “platforms” of soil 15–25 cm high. Fill the hole with crushed stone or other drainage material does not make sense, because if there is no outflow of water from the hole, for example drainage pipe, then it just turns into a mini-swamp with rubble. In addition, water from the surrounding heavier soil additionally flows into such a pit. So the basic rule is: drain, drain, and everything will be fine!

Peonies are plants of hills and mountain slopes; they are accustomed to water draining quickly and not stagnating.

Of course, if you add peony fertile soil, it will respond with more luxuriant flowering and flower size. There is no need to bury the peonies; leave 3–5 cm of soil above the buds. When some mature bushes begin to produce buds to the surface, they need to be mulched with soil. You can use foliar liquid fertilizing at the time of budding and spring complex fertilizing mineral fertilizers+ organic.

old peony buds on the surface

mulching peony buds with soil

Watering is also important when the leaves grow and buds form. Sometimes good rain at the time of budding has a greater effect than all the fertilizers and fertilizing.

Sometimes good rain at the time of budding has a greater effect than all the fertilizers and fertilizing.

But it should be remembered that if the peony is not loved, fed and watered, it will be very unhappy. We have experience when people mowed the peony along with the lawn for several years, but it survived, and when the mowing was stopped, it grew and bloomed beautifully.

How I grow peonies

We must, of course, remember that the example of growing any plants in a specific area is suitable specifically for this area or an area with similar conditions. For any other sites, it is necessary to assess the conditions in which plants grow in natural environment. And make sure that the conditions of your site correspond to what the plant needs. My site is located on the hillside of the Klinsko-Dmitrovskaya ridge. My peonies grow in several functional landscape zones.

Peony semicircle- this is part of a large round clearing, which we leveled by pouring up to 1.8 m of soil in height. In the center there is a large circle of lawn (with a radius of 8 m), along the periphery there is a circular path of different types paving and at different levels. From the south, between the lawn and the path, a semicircle of peonies is planted, since the flowers turn to the south and the peonies face the path the best side. Here we planted a selection of peonies simple shapes. On the northeastern side of the large round clearing, due to the topography, the clearing had to be cut into the ground. Between the circular path and the clearing there was a slope that turned into a flower garden.

Here the first row from the clearing consists of hostas, the second row is daylilies, and the third is peonies. Groups are planted between all the plants small bulbous primroses. In the spring, primroses bloom, then peonies, then hostas open, after peonies daylilies bloom - planted in groups, they produce flowering comparable in abundance to peonies. Well, hosts are wonderful any time. We are now adding fall anemones and asters to this flower garden for late fall blooms. Behind the north-eastern path of the Big Glade, in the resulting corner, we are forming a white garden. We plant perennials and shrubs there that bloom in white. But, in our opinion, a pure white corner will be monotonous, so we decided to add plants with pink flowers there for shading.

corner of the “white garden”

Our site is a moraine hill of the Klinsko-Dmitrovskaya ridge. Covered with a clay “cover”, although in some places there are sand outcrops - apparently the result economic activity. The thickness of the heavy clay layer ranges from 15 to 30 cm, followed by a layer of red heavy loam and sand itself. The layer of loam is from 0.5 to 1 m. The soil is very difficult to cultivate and during rains it absorbs water like a sponge, remaining wet for a long time. This creates a problem because on a steep slope like ours the plants can get wet.

When planting a peony, we usually prepare a shallow hole; over time, its roots go into the clay horizon, which the peony really likes. Usually, when the roots reach the clay, the bush begins to bloom very well. And the moisture that accumulates in the clay makes it possible not to water the plants in the second half of summer, which prevents the development of rust and other fungal diseases. At the same time, when planting, we try to plant the peony on a platform of 8–15 cm so that the buds are higher than the level of the lawn - in case of heavy rainfall, this will help to avoid them getting wet.

When the roots reach the clay, the bush begins to bloom very well.

We use peat and compost as a loosening component. We tried mixing wood chips, but we didn’t like the result - when wood residues decompose in the soil, nitrogen binds and requires application more nitrogen fertilizers. The soil in our area is acidic, so we add it to the mixture. dolomite flour. It is known from the literature that liming promotes the decomposition of soil colloids, and the clay turns from monolithic to crumbly.

in a prepared hole with fertilizer

So, the usual composition of the mixture is for a wheelbarrow 1 bucket of local soil from a pit, 1 bucket of peat, 1 bucket of compost, 1 glass of fertilizer (Italian Universal) and 1 large handful of dolomite flour.

An example of a planting pit arrangement

● We remove the turf, dig a hole 25–30 cm deep. Add slowly soluble complex fertilizer. Previously it was the Finnish Kemira Station Wagon, now the new Italian Station Wagon.

● To prevent the peony roots from getting burned, sprinkle the fertilizer with soil or compost.

● Usually for peonies we mix our local soil with peat and compost, adding dolomite flour, since we have acidic soils. Sometimes we mix fertilizer into this mixture. Mix the soil in a wheelbarrow.

● We form a cone from the soil. We lay a section on the earthen cone. We check the bud level and the lawn level.

● We fill the hole and put a tag. When working in the garden, it is convenient to use plant containers to store soil removed from the hole so as not to spoil the surface of the lawn. You can take away or bring extra or required soil. Sometimes buds appear on the surface of old peony bushes from the ground; it is better to cover them with soil to protect them from frost. There is a myth that when whole large bushes are transplanted into peonies in a new place, the plant does not develop roots after stress, but feeds on reserves from old roots, becomes depleted and does not feel well. And that it is necessary to replant only in small sections. Over 20 years of landscaping work, peonies have been replanted many times, both in bushes and in large divisions - ½–⅓ of a bush. There were no problems observed.

adult peony preparing for transplantation

By foliar feeding (Kemira Lux, Nutrisol) at the time of bud growth, you can achieve an increase in the size of the flower. But fertilizer stains may appear on the leaves. If signs of rust disease appear, we treat the plants with copper-containing preparations (copper sulfate, Bordeaux mixture, Hom). The surface of the ground under the peonies should be mulched with bark and wood chips from branches ground on a shredder. The mulch layer is 5–8 cm. This helps in the fight against weeds, there are almost none, and those that grow are easily removed. For example, wheatgrass develops rhizomes in the bark and is removed with one movement of the hand. Also saved soil moisture, the mechanical composition of the soil improves due to the decomposition of the mulch; worms live right under the mulch, loosening the soil. At 5–6 years old, adult peonies have buds that appear on the surface. They may freeze, and such peonies bloom worse. It is necessary to cover them with soil with a layer of 5 cm.

What are the most common problems with peonies? Usually these are botrytis and rust. Due to the fact that our site is located on a southwestern, well-ventilated, dry slope, we only encounter peony rust. The disease usually appears after peonies bloom. Appear on top of the leaves brown spots, below are orange and then brown small coral-shaped outgrowths. With severe damage, the leaves curl and dry out. The development of the disease is favored by humid, warm weather. Under such conditions, the pathogen spreads intensively, causing the leaves to dry out already in July and shortening the growing season, which weakens the plants and negatively affects winter hardiness and flowering the following year.

The development of the disease is favored by humid, warm weather.

brown spots on peonies are signs of disease

There are several ways to protect yourself from rust on peonies.

● Preventively treat plants with the systemic preparation Topaz or copper-containing preparations: copper sulfate, Bordeaux mixture, preparations Hom, Oxyx, etc. At the first sign of rust infestation, it should be treated immediately first. bottom side leaf, where the stomata are located, through which the fungus enters the plant. Treatments should be repeated as the drug is washed off by rain or once every 2-3 weeks. 2-3 treatments per season are sufficient.

● Fertilizing with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers is also recommended. We are very grateful to Evgeny Sapunov for sharing his experience and hope that our meeting will not be the last. And we wish our readers, beginners and practicing gardeners, lush flowering peonies in the garden!

Peonies
Pionary In beauty and aroma it is second only to a garden of roses. These are one of the most beautiful flowers in the garden, which is why they are very popular among gardeners.

Content:

Peonies are favorite garden flowers, and this is not surprising. Lush and bright flowering usually lasts two to three weeks, but in different varieties it occurs at different times. Therefore, the flowering of a well-chosen collection can last up to three months. From the first days of May to the last ten days of July, your garden will be filled with bright colors and a wonderful aroma.

In this flower garden, a large collection of herbaceous peonies is arranged on the lawn in the shape of concentric semicircles. In winter, the leaves of these flowers completely die off and must be pruned, so the plants overwinter well under the snow. The only thing they don’t like is seasonal soaking and fresh organic matter. Both can lead to the death of the flower.

These garden flowers vary in color, size and flower shape, and can be single or double. They have a rich range of aromas, most of them strongly pronounced and unusually pleasant. The leaves of these flowers are openwork, ornamental, and decorative already in early spring: even in an empty garden, before flowering, they stand out in reddish and purple hues. Their attractiveness remains in the summer, after flowering - pruned bushes keep their shape perfectly. And in the fall, with the onset of cold weather, the leaves of peonies again acquire reddish, bronze and purple shades.

Recently, tree peonies have deservedly become a favorite. The conditions for their cultivation are somewhat different from keeping herbaceous peonies in the garden. The collection of tree peonies must be placed in slightly shaded areas during the midday and well protected from the wind, since their winter hardiness and overall stability in windy areas is noticeably reduced. These flowers also make good arabesques.

Growing peonies

There is an opinion that with proper agricultural technology and subsequent care, peonies can grow in one place for more than 20 years, while each year endowing a summer cottage with their magnificent flowering. This gives us an incentive to create good conditions for peonies and provide the flowers with decent care.


How to grow peonies in your summer cottage?


Soil for peonies

The peony garden can be located on almost any soil, but preference is given to loam, clean and cultivated. Only swampy and too damp soils do not tolerate peonies. You should also pay attention to the groundwater level, which should be at least 50-70 cm from the soil surface. If the groundwater level is closer, then peonies can be planted on artificial beds of greater height, or special drainage ditches can be arranged around the peony garden. Ignoring such facts and actions leads to rotting of the root system and death of plants.

Location of peonies in the garden

Experts recommend planting peonies in sunny places, since these plants are very light-loving, but it is also possible to grow them in partial shade. Be careful when choosing a location, as the amount of sun regulates the flowering of peonies and its abundance.

It is advisable to determine the place for planting peonies a few meters from trees or shrubs, since they need complete freedom, but a lack of moisture or nutrients, due to the development of other large plants nearby, can affect growth and flowering. Also, the place where peonies are planted should be well protected from winds and sharp drafts.

Preparing to plant peonies

The planting scheme for peonies is very simple, and the work itself will not take much of your time and effort, but careful preparation should be carried out before planting peonaries, since the growth of the plant, its development, flowering and life expectancy depend on this.

So, first of all, we prepare holes for planting. This should be done a month and a half before planting, so that the soil inside settles well. The holes are dug at a distance of 80-100 cm from each other, 60-70 cm deep, 55-70 cm in diameter. The correct planting scheme for peonies will help not only the plants themselves in their development, but also the owner of the peony garden in caring for the flowers.

Now that the pits are ready, you need to add a special mixture to them - compost, peat and rotted manure with admixtures of 150 g of potassium sulfate, 350 g of bone meal and 170-200 g of superphosphate; if the soil is clayey, you can add 140-170 g of slaked lime ( crushed). The entire similar composition is mixed with the top layer of earth, removed in advance, and compacted. As a result, you should receive approximately half a pit of the nutrient mixture, which will serve as a reserve of the required amount of nutrients for the future.


Original peony garden in the country: planting and care


Planting peonies

The best time for planting peonies is considered to be from mid-August to the end of September. If you plant peonies at this time, the plant will have time to take root and develop a root system during the winter cold, and this is very important.

Next, the prepared planting material is planted in pre-dug holes according to the diagram, and the planting depth is adjusted. It is necessary to place the planting material in the soil so that the renewal buds go into the ground no more than 3-4 cm, provided they are grown on loam, and no more than 5-6 cm on sandstone.

When planting, you should not compact the soil around a new bush, as this will not break the young roots, and also, do not change the depth of the bush into the soil, which may affect its development and flowering in the future.

Caring for peonies

If the pits and the soil in them were prepared correctly before planting, then for the first two years your peony garden does not need feeding and can develop well due to fertilizers applied in advance. What is most needed during this period is timely loosening of the soil, watering and weeding.

Loosening is carried out very carefully so as not to damage the bush. The depth of loosening is no more than 5-7 cm, the distance from the bush is 20 cm, the total diameter of the loosening strip is about 15 cm. It is advisable to carry out loosening after watering or rain, this will prevent the formation of a crust and create an aerated mulch layer around the plant.

Timely and systematic watering is also important, approximately once a week, 25-40 liters of water for each adult peony bush. Watering is especially important at the beginning of summer, during the period of active plant growth and budding. Carefully monitor the drying of the soil around the bushes during the summer heat; due to the high evaporation of moisture, additional watering of the peonies may be necessary. If watering occurs in grooves, you can use the same temporary scheme, but if watering from a watering can, then it can be done daily.

Try to remove weeds in the peony garden in a timely manner, which has a positive effect not only on the appearance of the plants, but also on their development.


Growing peonies in the garden: planting, care, propagation


Fertilizing peonies

Feeding of peonies is carried out already in the third year after planting, when the plants begin to actively bloom. A total of three feedings are carried out per season.

First feeding of peonies - nitrogen-potassium, in early spring, possibly immediately after the snow melts. 10-15 g of nitrogen and 10-15 g of potassium are scattered around the bush. Fertilizer should be sprinkled only on the soil, avoiding contact with the bush.

Second feeding - nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. It is carried out during the budding period of peonies to improve the quality of flowering. The amount of nitrogen-potassium-phosphorus fertilizer is 10 g, 12 g and 15 g, respectively.

Third feeding carried out 12-15 days after flowering, it is necessary to stimulate the formation of large renewal buds, which will ensure good growth and flowering next year. Potassium-phosphorus fertilizing, 12 g and 20 g of fertilizer, respectively.

Video about planting and growing peonies on the site

Peony propagation

Reproduction of peonies is possible in several ways, but we most often use the simplest and most common - propagation of peonies by division.

First of all, a mature white peony bush is pruned so that it can be dug up. The trunk and stems are tied and, carefully dug up so as not to damage the roots and buds, removed from the hole. Next, the root system is washed with a weak stream of water from a hose to make it easier for you to deal with the division.

Now, with the help of a wooden stake and a hammer, the bush is divided in two, then each part is divided into two, and then with garden shears into full-fledged planting material. A high-quality division is formed, without old or damaged roots, about 30 cm long, with 1-2 good roots and several buds.

Red peony cuttings are placed in prepared planting holes; after sprinkling with soil, the top bud should be several centimeters under the soil layer.

After planting, there is no need to compact the soil around it; it is important to water the peony seedling abundantly and mulch the soil around the future bush with peat or humus.

Varieties of peonies

Herbaceous peonies and tree peonies come in many varieties., not to mention the fact that every year this number grows significantly. We decided to tell you some of them, so that you know exactly what to start with when planting a peony garden or propagating peonies on your own site.


The best varieties of peonies for your garden plot


So, the most popular today can rightfully be considered: Altai News, Maxima Festival, Cruiser Aurora, Corina Versan, Yellow Peony, Pink Peony, Sarah Bernhardt, Pink Reidians, Mercedes, Albert Cruz, Mont Blanc, Longfellow, Eugene Vardier, Philippe Revoir, Clemenceau, Anchantress, Angustifolia Peony and many other varieties that are not only in demand among gardeners, but will also qualitatively complement any garden.

White peonies in the country

White peonies are considered one of the most popular in our country, so we decided to devote a small section of our article to them.

Experts advise taking these colors very seriously and devoting enough time to them., because only by following the rules of agricultural technology and providing white peonies with proper care, you can achieve not only the correct bushiness of the plant, but also beautiful, long-lasting flowering.

• White peonies should be planted in partial shade or even a sunny position, as they require a minimum of 4-6 hours of direct sunlight per day;
• When planting white peonies in the ground, make sure that their root system is not too deep, as this is incorrect. If the roots of the plant go far into the ground, then flowering may be short-lived, painful, and this will also negatively affect the development of the plant as a whole;
• Be sure to provide white peonies with systematic and proper care. Beautiful and majestic plants prefer timely watering, loosening the soil and proper fertilizing, which have a beneficial effect on the internal biorhythms of the plant and its appearance, in particular, the flowering of the bush;
• When white peonies reach the age of 7-10 years, they need to be replanted, or simply renew the bush. The plant is dug up and carefully divided into several strong parts, leaving only 3-4 roots, no more than 15 cm long;
• Try to monitor not only the flowering and development of peonies, but also the quality of the flowers. It will improve, and, accordingly, improve the appearance of the white peony bush, if faded and dried buds are removed in time;
• During the flowering period, pay close attention to the buds. Only one, largest and strongest bud should be left on the peduncle. In this case, it will have enough juice and vital energy to show a beautiful flower. The rest, buds of small size and strength, will only hinder its development, and will not show any special results.


White peonies are wonderful plants for your garden


This small list of tips from experienced gardeners will help you not only grow white peonies on your own plot, but also, over time, create an entire peony garden that will delight you with abundant flowering and pleasant aromas for many years.