How to plant peonies
The core content of this article: how to plant peonies and the topics of peony cultivation methods and management of flowers and plants, let's get to know more about them.
Peonies are perennial deciduous shrubs of the Ranunculaceae family and Paeonia genus, also known as Moutan, Luhui, Bairong, Mudan, Baiyu Jin, Luoyang Flower, Fortune Flower, etc. Peony flowers are colorful, graceful and fragrant, and are known as the "King of Flowers". Peony flowers are large and fragrant, and are also known as "National Color and Fragrance". They are a famous traditional flower in China, ranking second only to plum blossoms among the top ten traditional flowers, with a history of artificial cultivation of more than 1,500 years. Peonies prefer warm and cool climates, can withstand temperatures as low as -29.6 degrees Celsius, and are not tolerant to humidity and heat. They like sunlight but can also tolerate shade, and are afraid of strong winds and excessive sunlight. They thrive in loose, fertile, deep soil with good breathability, and can grow well in slightly acidic or slightly alkaline soil. Peony roots are deep and fleshy, and should not be cultivated in sticky, compacted, or poorly ventilated soil and dislike waterlogging. The cultivation of peonies is widespread in the country, deeply loved by people, with ground planting in gardens and potted plants in homes. How to cultivate and manage potted peonies?
I. Peony propagation methods: Peony propagation methods include division, grafting, cutting, layering, seeding, and tissue culture. The most commonly used methods are division and grafting. Division is done in autumn, after the leaves fall and before the first frost, by digging out large clusters of peonies that have grown for 4-5 years and dividing them for cultivation.
II. Preparation of cultivation soil: The soil should be loose, with good drainage and water retention, slightly acidic, neutral, or slightly alkaline. The soil for potted peonies is made up of 40% compost, 35% garden soil, and 25% coarse sand.
III. Choose a ceramic pot, bucket, or earthenware pot of suitable size, and do not use a ceramic pot.
IV. Selection and treatment of cultivation varieties: Choose early and mid-season varieties that are adaptable, have good flower shapes, and are grafted onto peony roots, such as Luoyang Hong, Erjiao, Zhao Fen, etc. Before potting, dig up the transplanted seedlings and let the roots dry for 1-2 days, then cut off the withered branches and overgrown injured roots, and disinfect with a 1% copper sulfate solution for 5 minutes before potting.
V. Planting: Usually done in autumn (September-October). Place broken tiles at the bottom of the pot, then fill with cultivation soil, place the peony plant in the center of the pot, make sure the roots are spread out, fill the soil to half the pot, gently shake the plant to settle the soil, and do not plant too deep. Keep the rootstock level with the pot opening. Too shallow will affect survival, and too deep will affect the growth of the transplanted peony. After planting, water thoroughly. After planting, keep the plant in a shaded environment for a week, then move it to a sunny place after the roots have recovered.
VI. Water and fertilizer management: Peonies like fertilizer. Apply 1-2 liquid fertilizers after the leaves unfold in early spring, and 1-2 liquid fertilizers after flowering. Apply a compound fertilizer in summer. Watering should keep the soil moist, with one watering in the evening every day in summer and no watering in winter unless dry.
VII. Shaping and pruning: Pruning and removing buds are important technical measures in peony cultivation. Starting from the second year after planting, every year between the Spring Equinox and Qingming Festival, when many new buds sprout from the root neck and grow to 5-6 centimeters, select 3-5 strong, evenly distributed branches per plant, remove the rest by hand or with a knife, and remove all buds except the top ones. If the top bud is poor, replace it with a plump side bud from the top.
Pruning should pay attention to the height and posture of the plant, remove the excessive long branches, and trim the tips to match the height of other branches, using side branches to fill the canopy space. Remove weak flower buds and cut off the remnants after flowering. In autumn, remove any sprouts that were not removed in spring, leaving 3-5 main stems per plant. Timely handle inward-facing branches, crossed parallel branches, dense thin branches, and diseased branches. If exposed to harsh sunlight during the flowering season, provide shade with a simple and sparse shade shelter. In areas with severe cold in winter, cover the soil or mulch to protect the plants. Determine the number of main branches based on the size of the pot, generally not more than 4.
VIII. Special precautions for potted peonies to prevent root rot and bud drop: The soil must be loose and breathable, watering and fertilizing should be timely and moderate, water only when dry, avoid waterlogging in the pot, apply enough base fertilizer, and top-dress with thin and small amounts of fertilizer. Remove buds, sprouts, and prune in time to ensure good ventilation and light in the canopy. In areas with severe cold in winter, move the plants indoors in time. Prevent late frost and spring cold damage in early spring.
The above sharing on how to plant peonies and the methods of peony cultivation and management are introduced in full, hoping to provide you with some help. Don't forget to check out more experience and knowledge!