PEONY

Common Name: Garden Peony

Peony is a classic perennial with unsurpassed late spring beauty. Peonies are very long-lived and develop large crowns with thick woody roots. Huge fragrant flowers bloom late spring for a spectacular show. Excellent cut flower.

Grow: Use well-drained soil with a pH 6.5-7.0. Center crown with eyes facing up and angle root at 45 towards the bottom edge of the pot

Planting Depth: Plant so eyes are 1-2" below the soil surface. If too shallow, the crown and eyes might dry out when exposed to intense spring sun. Prune root tips if necessary to obtain proper planting depth.

Temperatures: Grow cool at 45-55F until new fibrous roots are visible. Growing too warm too quickly will result in plants developing without a root structure to support it. This may cause plants to wilt or leaves to curl during high spring temps.

Watering: Allow pots to dry slightly between watering. Good drainage is a must.

Fertilizer: Peonies are light feeders and too much Nitrogen may inhibit flowering. Fertilize with 100-150ppm Nitrogen every other watering

Diseases: Botrytis is the primary culprit of buds not opening and turning black. Keep foliage dry during watering, especially during cool weather. Use fungicides to control outbreaks.