Cultivation and Management of Peony at Home
This article provides a comprehensive introduction to the experience of growing peonies at home, including cultivation and management tips, which are very useful knowledge worth collecting!
Besides ground cultivation, peonies can also be grown in pots for ornamental purposes. The best planting season is from September to October. For potted peonies, choose varieties that are adaptable, early-blooming, and have good flower shapes, such as Luoyang Hong, Hu Hong, and Zhao Fen. It's advisable to select small 3-4 year-old peony plants grafted onto peony rootstocks or divisional seedlings with 3-5 branches.
When potting, a 3-5 cm thick layer of coarse sand or small stones can be placed at the bottom of the pot for drainage. The potting mix should be a blend of yellow sandy soil and cake fertilizer, or a well-rotted manure, garden soil, and coarse sand mixture in a 1:1:1 ratio. Fill the soil so that the roots can spread out without curling; after covering the soil, press it down with your hands to ensure the roots are in close contact with the soil, which aids in survival. After potting, water thoroughly and place the plant in a semi-shaded area to recover. Once in normal management, place it in a sunny area to ensure ample sunlight exposure. During the growing period, regularly loosen the soil and apply a compound fertilizer every two weeks. Newly potted peonies should not be fertilized, especially not with heavy fertilizers, as this can cause the fleshy roots to rot. After half a year, gradually apply some thin fertilizers such as decomposed chicken manure or soybean water, with a fertilizer-water ratio of 20%-30%. Although new peonies may not bloom well in the first year, they can bloom annually after 1-2 years of cultivation. Peonies bloom in mid to late April. Before blooming, apply 1-2 liquid fertilizers; after blooming, apply 1-2 more within half a month; during the dog days, apply a dry fertilizer of soybean residue (about 40-50 grams per pot) once to promote bud differentiation.
Peonies have fleshy roots and can tolerate some drought but are afraid of waterlogging. Therefore, proper watering is a key factor in the success of potted peonies. Generally, for peonies taken out of the greenhouse in early spring, apply a fertilizer solution first, then water thoroughly, and after the water slightly dries, loosen the soil. Subsequent watering should be done based on the weather and soil conditions, at the right time and amount, to keep the soil moist, which is beneficial for peony growth and blooming. Proper watering should be done when the soil is dry and slightly moist, avoid large amounts of water to prevent waterlogging and root rot.
When peonies are blooming, they can be covered with a棚 or temporarily placed indoors to avoid direct sunlight, which can extend the blooming period. For the main branch tip buds that are leaf buds, they should be removed to prevent unnecessary growth that affects blooming. To make peony flowers more vibrant, foliar spray with a 0.5%-1% phosphorus acid solution 2-3 times during the blooming period. After the flowers fade, an整形修剪 should be done to remove the残花 and flower stalks, not allowing them to set seeds. Retain 1-2 outer buds on the stem to ensure vigorous plant growth and blooming the following year.
Although peonies can tolerate cold temperatures, in cold regions such as the North China, they should be moved indoors before and after the Winter Solstice, placed in a sunny area of the room, and the room temperature should be maintained around 0 degrees Celsius. It's not advisable to take them out too early the following year; wait until around Qingming (Ching Ming) before moving them out. In less cold regions, the pots can be buried in the soil in a sheltered area, with the pot surface level with the ground, to maintain soil moisture and temperature, ensuring the peonies can safely overwinter. The following spring, after the peony buds appear, dig up the peony with the pot and resume normal management.
The above-sharing on the cultivation and management of peonies at home is for reference by green plant enthusiasts, hoping to solve your problems in green plant and flower management.