Cut Flower Peonies – Grown at Home

Why grow your own peony cutting garden?

Isn’t it easier to just order a bunch of blooms whenever you need one? Arranged perfectly and ready to go?

Probably.

But we think it’s more fun to grow your own, as well as these other compelling reasons:

  • You’ll have access to a wider variety of peonies.
  • You can choose the peonies you especially like and get the look you want.
  • You’ll learn more about your garden and your peonies in the process.
  • You’ll have a regular supply of peonies in season which can be more affordable in the long run.

 

Convinced?

Here’s how to get started on growing your own peonies.

Which Peonies are Best

Blooms from most herbaceous cultivars perform well in both the vase and garden.

These are some of the best peonies for cutting (some pictured right):

 

If your peonies are young (less than 3 years old) it’s unlikely you will be seeing flowers just yet.

Peonies mature relatively slowly and they will need time to establish well to be sturdy enough for flower picking.

However, they are worth the wait. Being perennials, peonies are a great choice for a cutting garden as they will come back every year to knock your gardening gloves off with their beautiful blooms.

When Planting

In cooler climates, peonies can be planted in either spring or autumn so you could get started now. Here’s how:

  • Plant in a sunny spot in well-draining soil with less frequent, longer watering to encourage deeper, stronger rooting.
  • Don’t plant them too deeply. The eyes should be no more than 2.5-5cm below the surface.
  • Make sure there is enough space between plants – at least 60cm – as peonies benefit from good air circulation. This also makes them easier to pick.
  • Keep the area weed-free so your peonies aren’t competing for nutrients.
  • Provide staking/supports if needed.
  • Include peonies of different bloom times in the same bed to avoid empty patches

 

When Picking

It’s more cutting than picking you’ll be doing as it’s best to use secateurs rather than the hand to get a good clean edge so they can draw the water up well.

The best time of day to pick/cut them is on a cool day or in the morning.

You’ll want to:

  • Make sure your secateurs or scissors are really sharp.
  • Cut peonies when the bud is quite soft but not yet opened. A gentle pinch between your forefinger and thumb should reveal that the bud is as soft as a marshmallow.
  • Pick them with a bucket of water in hand and put the stems straight in (the ends start to seal over as soon as they’re picked so if you put them straight in the water they will drink up the water more readily than later).

 

When in the Vase

If picked at the marshmallow stage, within a day or two the flowers will have opened and you should have beautiful peonies in a vase for at least a week.

Make sure to:

  • Take off the leaves that will be under the water and put a little Milton in the water. This will stop the fungal moulds from growing and prolong the life of your cut peonies.
  • Every few days, trim the stems and change the water to keep them fresh.

Growing Peonies for Cut Flowers

Keen on growing your own peonies specifically for cut flower?

Some varieties are better suited to cut flower production than others. We are looking for stems that are long and strong with striking, large blooms.

Herbaceous peonies are a great option as they perform well in both the vase and garden. There are many varieties to choose from, in a range of colours, and many peonies are fragrant so there's the added bonus there!

But where to start?

Let’s have a look at some of the things you’ll want to bear in mind when planting peonies for cut flower.

Location

Any position in the garden will be fine, in either full sun or part shade preferably in a more sheltered place away from strong wind.

Soil Conditions

Any type of soil will be fine as long as it has excellent drainage. If you do have lighter, sandy soil, remember to add a generous amount of organic matter to the bottom of your planting hole and perhaps feed a little more regularly.

Best time to Plant

In cooler climates like we have here in the UK, peonies can be planted in either Spring or Autumn.

Planting Depth and Spacing

  • Don’t plant them too deeply. The eyes should be no more than 2.5-5cm below the surface
  • When you order from us your peony will be in a pot already planted at the correct depth which makes it easy to plant it straight in the ground at same depth
  • Make sure there is enough space between plants – at least 60cm – as peonies benefit from good air circulation. This also makes them easier to pick

How long until Harvest Time?

If your peony plants are still less than 3 years old you won’t see many (if any) flowers yet. Peony cutting gardens take a little while to get going as the plants develop relatively slowly and need time to establish well before flowers can be picked.

Not having any flowers is not a bad thing as it means all the energy and nutrients are going in to the roots and building a strong foundation. You want a strong plant that will keep on going for decades so you can reap the gorgeous rewards for as long as possible.

From 4 years and up you will see a marked difference in flower production.  At Primrose Hall we nurture all of our plants until they are at least 5 years old ensuring they are mature flowering Paeonia plants. So you are much more likely to see it flowering from its very first season in your garden. Little patience required.

When to Pick?

The best time to pick peonies is when the bud is quite soft but not yet opened. A gentle pinch between your forefinger and thumb should reveal that the bud is as soft as a marshmallow. Pick them at this point, rinse them in cold water (especially if they are covered in ants!) and put them straight in a bucket of water or vase.

Within in a day or two the flowers will have opened and you should have beautiful peonies in a vase for at least a week.

Which Varieties are best?

Varieties such as ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ seem to do best as cut flowers, as do other soft coloured double varieties such as:

Paeonia lactiflora 'Boule de Neige' (Peony 'Boule de Neige')

Beautiful double white flowers, highly scented, with crimson flecks on the outer part of the petals on dark green foliage. Flowers mid-season. 

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Vogue’ (Peony ‘Vogue’) (Fragrant)

Excellent herbaceous perennial with dark green foliage and huge white double flowers with a crimson edge and inner petals with a silvery reflex. Absolutely stunning. 

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Madame Calot’ (Peony ‘Madame Calot’) (Fragrant)

Herbaceous perennial with dark green divided leaves and large, double pale pink and cream flowers. Highly scented, floriferous.

 

These ones make great cut flowers too:

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Honey Gold’ (Peony ‘Honey Gold’) (Fragrant) (Mid Season Flowering)

Fragrant semi-double creamy white flowers with a pale yellow centre on long strong stems.

Paeonia ‘Claire de Lune’ AGM (Peony ‘Claire de Lune’) Fragrant (Mid-Season Flowering)

Claire de Lune is a very special peony because of its unusual lemon coloured flowers and gorgeous scent; it also makes an excellent cut flower. Claire de Lune has distinctive broad mid-green leaves and stunning lemon coloured single, cup-shaped flowers with golden centres. Floriferous, impressive and reliable peony.

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Doreen’ AGM (Peony ‘Doreen’) (Fragrant)

A herbaceous perennial with finely cut green foliage and lightly scented, HUGE, single flowers of pink guard petals and yellow centres. Fragrant, large flowers.

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Victoire de la Marne’ (Peony ‘Victoire de la Marne’) (Fragrant) (Mid-Late Season Flowering)

Mid-sized burgundy purplish red double flowers with lighter edges. A striking flower with a distinctive colour.

 

Happy gardening! May the peonies be with you!