Tips For Growing Peonies
Peonies are the queen of the spring garden. They offer carefree color and fragrance and come back for years. Learn more about the different varieties of peonies and get tips for growing them in this Better Homes and Gardens video:
Most people are familiar with the old-fashioned peonies with large double heads, but there are many other varieties you can grow. New hybrid peonies are fragrant like the Heirlooms but come in a wider range of colors, and the blooms often stand up better in hard weather.
Single flower peonies get their name from the single row of petals that surround the sunny yellow center of the flower. Most breeds eventually open flat, forming a disk shape.
Semi-double peonies get their name from the ball, stamens and cut petals inside the main flower.
Some varieties are so packed with petals that they almost look like two varieties in one. Crinkled White is a single variety that is a knockout in the garden, resembling a fried egg; this plant is tough and very hardy.
Here are some tips for growing a great peony garden:
- Peonies need full sun. Plant them in a spot that gets 6-8 hours of direct sun a day.
- Plant them in the fall and place the roots only an inch or two deep underneath the soil surface.
- When the plants are 6 inches tall, place a peony stake above them to support them in times of high wind and heavy rain.
- Remove faded flowers to make the plants look better.
As peony buds begin to open, they are often covered with ants. This is good for the flower as the ants eat some of the nectar the buds excrete and protect the plant from pests.
Don’t forget that peonies make great cut flowers, filling your home with color and fragrance.
