How to plant large peonies
Here are some small experiences in green plant maintenance on how to plant large peonies and the planting time and methods for white peonies. Let's take a look together!
Paeonia is known as one of the "Top Ten Famous Flowers" and is also called "Flower Fairy." Its blooming season is in May, and it is also known as the "May Flower God." It is another beautiful flower after peony. Some friends may not be familiar with peonies and peonies and cannot distinguish between them. Peony plants are relatively smaller than peonies, with a height of about one meter, while peony plants can reach about two meters. Peonies bloom in mid to late April, and it takes about two weeks for peony flowers to bloom. In ancient China, there was a special affection for peonies, which is reflected in poetry and paintings. Zhang Daqian's famous painting "Peony" is invaluable today. Poets such as Bai Juyi and Liu Zongyuan of the Tang Dynasty praised peonies in their poems. Peonies are a type of Chinese medicinal material and are commonly cultivated in provinces such as Shandong, Henan, Anhui, and Jiangsu. They can be used as ornamental plants and have medicinal value, making them deeply loved by people. Peonies are perennial plants and can be propagated by division and seed sowing.
1. The timing of division propagation should be accurate, usually carried out in autumn. Choose 3 to 5-year-old peonies as the mother plants for propagation. Freshly dug peony plants have too much moisture and should not be cut immediately. Cutting too soon can affect the survival rate. It is best to let the newly dug plants sit for about 40 hours to allow the nutrients in the roots to return. Cut from the connection point so that each cluster has 1 to 2 buds or 3 buds. Since new wounds appear during the division process, this provides an opportunity for root rot disease to infect. Fresh wood ash is commonly used to cover the wounds, and the cutting tools should be disinfected with a 0.1% potassium permanganate solution or a 300-fold liquid of thiophanate-methyl. The density of planting depends on the intended use of the peonies. For medicinal peonies, the planting density can be with a row spacing of about 35 cm and a plant spacing of about 25 cm. For ornamental peony flowers, the density should be slightly lower, with a row spacing of about 50 cm and a plant spacing of about 30 cm. Generally, it is sufficient to have 3,300 to 4,200 seedlings per mu. Division propagation should not be carried out in spring, summer, and winter, as peonies propagated during these seasons cannot guarantee an ideal survival rate.
2. Peonies can be sown in autumn. Seed propagation is a quick method for breeding peonies. Peony seeds are different from other crop seeds and require low-temperature treatment to improve germination rate. Collect new seeds in the autumn and soak them in 40-degree warm water for 24 hours, then sow them from the end of August to the end of September. With natural low temperatures in winter, they can germinate and grow in the second spring.
3. Disease and pest control. Peony brown spot, also known as red spot, is a very common and important disease affecting peonies. In the early stage of the disease, you can spray the leaves with a 1000-fold liquid of thiophanate-methyl + brassinolide. Or use a 600-fold liquid of metalaxyl to spray. Peonies are also prone to rust disease, powdery mildew, and black spot disease, which can be controlled with drugs such as tebuconazole, myclobutanil, propiconazole, and difenoconazole.
4. Top-dressing and tillage. After planting peonies once a year, they need to be harvested after more than three years. To ensure good growth of peonies, fertilization is essential, but it is best to use fully decomposed farm manure. Peonies like farm manure and are afraid of waterlogging. When planting, prepare ridges and ditches in advance, and apply fertilizer 2 to 3 times a year. Regular tillage, loosening the soil, weeding, and earthing up are necessary. Before winter, leave 8 cm of ground and cut off the upper branches and leaves, cleaning the field without damaging the roots of the peonies.
The above introduction on how to plant large peonies and the planting time and methods for white peonies is complete and we hope it can be helpful to you. Don't forget to check out more flower care experience and knowledge!