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Peonies in Autumn

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Although we may feel like taking a bit of a break after a strange summer and all the Chelsea excitement, work does not stop when Autumn comes around.

Don't put those tools away just yet, there are plenty of things to be done in the garden! And not just playing the fool (although that is important too)!

Here are some suggestions of best garden practice in Autumn.

Planting

September and October are the ideal time for getting those new peonies in the ground. In short, you'll want to:

  • plant them in a sunny/partly shady and sheltered spot
  • make sure the soil is free draining
  • plant herbaceous peonies with the crown no more than 5cm below the ground. With container grown plants, simply plant them out at the same level as they were in the pot

 

(Detailed instructions on planting tree, herbaceous and intersectional peonies)

Moving and Dividing

If you have a well-established peony in your garden that’s happily expanding, late October/early November is the perfect time to move and/or divide it. Contrary to popular opinion, peonies don’t mind a change of scenery. In fact they quite like it, as long as you follow a few simple guidelines:

  • Cut back any dead foliage to about 2cm above the ground
  • Dig up as big a clump as possible, being careful not to damage any ‘eyes’ or buds that are developing at or just below surface level
  • Divide your peony with either a sharp spade or a pruning knife (depending on the size of the plant), ensuring that each piece of root that you divide has at least 3-5 ‘eyes’ or buds
  • Whether you are moving or dividing your peony it is best to plant it as soon as possible after lifting it to minimise disruption to the root system - ideally planting it the same day

 

Like us, peonies take some time to adjust to new things, so it may happen that your peony will not flower the following year. As long as you have taken the above care in replanting it, you don’t have to worry. This is normal and it is just taking some time to settle in to its new position. It will no doubt flower in years to come.

In the meantime

Before you start launching into getting your peonies ready for their next fabulous flowering season, there is something worth taking a few moments to savour – their foliage.

The colours on peonies Autumn leaves is a feast for the eyes. You can expect to see varying shades of reds, oranges, purples, greens and browns.

It’s really such a treat and a great opportunity to take some time out from the day - best enjoyed with a fellow nature enthusiast, relaxing on the garden bench over a cup of tea.

The range of autumn colours on Herbaceous peony leaves is very wide but Intersectional peonies foliage maintain their rich hues and last considerably longer than Herbaceous peonies in autumn. And while Herbaceous leaves tend to go brown and shrivel up before dropping off, Intersectionals leaves maintain their form and prettiness right until the very end. Look at them showing off their fancy foliage (pictured right)!

And that’s one of the many reasons we love peonies – their ability to remain elegant, no matter what!

Why peonies think Autumn is cool

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Autumn. What does it conjure up in your mind?

I’m thinking snuggling with the dog by the fire with a good book and hot choccie.

Wrapping up warmly for brisk walks in the crisp morning air.

Guilt-free lie-ins on weekends.

For some of us it’s not so rosy. When the cold starts setting in we may feel like death warmed up and struggle to extract ourselves from the comforting warmth of our bed.

So we may be inclined to think that our peonies also don’t like the cold weather. We may even think they're dead!

Never fear although winter is near. As mentioned last week, autumn is actually a good time for peonies. They quite enjoy the cold and the opportunity to hibernate. They need these conditions to work on making a fresh batch of buds for you to enjoy in the spring.

So how do we treat our slumbering plant babies?

  • Allow foliage to remain until touched by frost. If you remove it sooner it will affect the plants ability to make and store food reserves needed for growth and flowering in spring.
  • Cut herbaceous foliage back to an inch or 2 above the surface and Itoh to about 4 inches, being careful not to damage the buds at ground level
  • Dispose of the foliage carefully, even burning it, to prevent peony wilt in the spring
  • Make sure your soil is well drained. This is very important no matter what type of soil you have, especially in winter.

 

Although peonies are happy in any good quality soil, at this time of year you might want to use a well-balanced fertiliser such as bone meal or our own Summer Rejuvenator

Some have come to believe that it isn’t a good idea to move peonies. On the contrary! Peonies are only too happy to have a change of scenery. And now is the perfect time to divide and move them!

Here's what to do:

  • Remove foliage (as mentioned above) and lift clump out keeping as many roots in tact as possible
  • Gently wash soil off the roots and growth buds
  • Remove sections of the crown (from which the buds grow) each with at least 3 dormant growth buds and some roots attached
  • Replant with buds no more than an inch below the soil
  • Water

 

If you are just starting out on your peony journey now is the time to purchase your potted or bare-root peonies online and do as follows:

  • If unable to plant bare roots straight away, you can keep them in their shipping box in a cool, dry location for a few days if necessary
  • For potted peonies it is best to remove from all packaging and plant as soon as possible.
  • Pick a sunny, well-drained spot that has at least a square metre away from other plants otherwise they will be competing for moisture and nutrients
  • Dig hole the same depth as the root ball and twice as wide
  • Pat soil down gently when covering your peony, making sure the red buds are no more than 1 inch below the soil to encourage flowering
  • Water after planting to settle the soil and in dry spells. Drip irrigation is preferred to reduce the chance of fungal diseases

 

There is much more to say on this subject, which we will share in future posts but this should get you off to a good start.

In the meantime, please feel free to ask us anything. We love hearing from you!