How to Plant Peonies

Peony shrubs feature fragrant spring flowers, green glossy summer foliage and vibrant red hued leaves in fall. Once established in your garden the peony will grow seasonally for up to one hundred years. If you love old fashion flowers, the type that your grandmother grew, then plant peonies in your garden. You will enjoy a lifetime of fragrant spring flowers; here are some tips on how to plant peonies.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Shovel
• Compost or manure
• Hose
• Mulch
• Bone meal
• Peony shrub or tubers
• Round support stake

1. 
    
   Early spring Peony

   Plant nursery grown peonies purchased in a container in early spring. Plant the tubers in the fall. August through September is ideal for planting tubers. Allow peonies to establish roots prior to hard frost.

2. 
    
   Peony bud

   Select a planting site that has well drained soil. Peonies require a minimum of six hours of sun. If you reside in hot dry climate, the peony will welcome partial shade in the afternoon. Transplanting is discouraged, therefore choose your peony-planting site wisely, these shrubs will flourish for decades.

3. 
    
   Plant 2-3 feet apart

   Peonies planted as a hedge should be spaced two to three feet apart.

4. Plant the container peony, by digging a hole that is the same depth as the container. For a tuber peony, dig a hole that is twelve inches deep.

5. 
    
   Add manure or compost to soil

   Mix manure or rich compost into the soil, add some bone meal. Add the mixture of the soil to the bottom of the hole, three inches of soil for the container peony and six inches of soil for the tuber.

6. Place the peony in the center of the hole. The points that are the stems need to be directly below the soil surface. Cover the points with no more than two inches of soil.

7. 
    

   Water the peony deeply.

Tips & Warnings

• Peonies will bloom in third season.
• When stems appear, surround the peonies with 2-3 inches of mulch. The mulch will aid in keeping moisture even, repel pests and weeds.
• Drought tolerant when established.
• Use a round stake to support peony, as flowers are heavy.
• A deep-planted peony will not bloom.

Resources

• Garden Secrets
• Yard and Garden Tips
• Peonies

[sunflowergirafe]

on 9/10/2009 "How to Plant Peonies" is just what I've been looking for. We're transplanting our shrubs from our old house to our new one. I'll miss the blossoms for the next 2-3 years, but will be happy when they return!

[Susang6]

on 5/26/2009 After transplanting peonies you will notice that they will not bloom the year of transplant. Sometimes it takes up to 2-3 years for transplant to bloom.

[Susang6]

on 5/26/2009 I would not advice planting peonies in a very large pot. Select your planting site carefully, because once planted peonies do not like to be disturbed. They will grow in same spot for 100 years.

[linderl]

on 5/26/2009 does anyone know if you can plant peonies in very large pots?

[goodselfme]

on 4/29/2009 Thank you for instructing me how to plant peoney