Feeding peonies: how to fertilize flowers in spring and summer. How to properly feed peonies for lush flowering bushes Peonies do not grow with what to feed

Types of fertilizing

Especially strongly indicated flowers need nitrogen-containing compounds, but not in last place for them are such useful substances as potassium and.

In addition, if the lush flowering of your “wards” is really important, then you should stock up on fertilizers based on magnesium, iron, boron, zinc and copper, which plants also need, albeit in smaller doses. All of these micronutrients can be supplied in two main ways: root and foliar.

Foliar

Foliar feeding is carried out in relation to many plants, but in the case of peonies it is also mandatory because thanks to this procedure you can observe the lush flowering of the plant in summer season. Young and adult bushes love to take foliar nutritional compositions every month, and what exactly to feed the flowers - gardeners decide on their own.

For example, a plant responds well to watering from a watering can (it is advisable to install a special strainer on the spout) with a solution of ready-made mineral fertilizer (a good example of such compositions is the “Ideal” preparation), and so that it sticks more firmly to the leaves, to ready mixture add a small part of ordinary laundry soap or laundry detergent (one large spoon per ten-liter bucket of water is enough).

The scheme for using foliar fertilizers is as follows:

Important! Many compositions can be applied to the bush from a spray bottle, however, when using soapy compounds, for better “adhesion” you can spray the peonies with a long-bristled brush.

Root

Along with the use of foliar fertilizing, the root method of fertilization is often used. As in the previous case, throughout the entire growing season, nutritional compositions should be used several times: in early spring(already at the beginning of March) good fertilizer for peonies there will be mineral mixtures just scattered under a bush.

Together with melt water, they will gradually be absorbed into the soil and very soon reach the roots, feeding the entire plant from the inside. With the arrival of summer, two more such fertilizers are expected, and, as in the first case, the dry mixtures are simply scattered under the peonies and then watered well.

Feeding calendar

The effectiveness of any fertilizer when caring for peonies depends not only on what particular composition is used for fertilizer, but also on the time of its application to the soil or to the plants. Thus, some drugs are more appropriate to use in the spring, while others are suitable only for autumn processing, since at different periods of its growth and development the plant needs different micronutrients.

First

For the first fertilization of peonies, the foliar method is usually used, immediately after the snow cover melts. At this time, nitrogen-potassium fertilizers at the rate of 20-30 g of mixture per bush will be especially important for flowers.

Important! When using the composition, try not to get it on the flowers and leaves of the plant, as chemical burns may appear on them, which will significantly reduce decorative look peony bush.

Second

14-21 days after using the first nutritional composition To feed peony bushes (about one to two weeks before the plant blooms), you can carry out a second feeding using liquid nutrients for this purpose.

Add 20-25 g to 10 liters of infused cow manure potash fertilizers and twice as much phosphorus, pouring about 2-3 liters of the finished mixture under each bush.

Third

The third time nutritional compounds are applied to the soil after the plant blooms. The following solution is perfect for the role of a nutrient mixture: a ten-liter bucket of infused manure should contain 10-15 g of potassium sulfate and about 30 g of superphosphate, and after mixing them ready solution poured under a bush. The specified amount of liquid will be enough for 1 m² of plantings.

What to feed: fertilizer options

We have found out exactly when it is worth fertilizing peonies; we still have to figure out what to water the flowers with for their lush and long flowering. First of all, it should be noted that everything is good in moderation, therefore, both in spring and at other times, all compositions used for feeding should be used according to the recommendations given and in the correct dosages.

Otherwise, an excessive amount of, for example, nitrogen will lead to the growth of the leaf part to the detriment of flowering.

Did you know? In ancient times, according to the beliefs of the people of Greece, peonies were able to cure more than twenty different ailments, which is why these bushes could be found near any monastery. As for modern hybrid forms of this plant, they came to Europe only in the 6th century and for a long time used in the fight against epilepsy.

Organic

For active growth and good flowering For peonies, care must be taken to fertilize them in the fall, providing the soil and rhizomes with a sufficient amount of micronutrients. Organic formulations are perfect for these purposes, since they contain a wide variety of components necessary for the plant.

Usually for autumn organic feeding use compost, manure or, simply laying them on the ground under the bush. Gradually rotting, all the nutritional components come out of them in doses, which over time sink closer and closer to the root system of peonies.

In addition, such organic matter also fulfills another important function: it does not allow the ground to freeze, since the decomposition of manure occurs with the release of heat, necessary for plants during particularly harsh winters.

With the onset of the first stable frosts, plant shoots may freeze, after which they are cut flush with the soil (so that the stumps are invisible). After completing this procedure, you can additionally mulch the ground using humus, compost and fallen leaves.

This approach to the integrated introduction of nutrients into autumn time will help prepare the peony for lush flowering next year, especially if you reinforce the positive effect the right fertilizers in spring time.

If we are talking about plants that have been in the same place for quite a long time without replanting, then you can use a ready-made organic fertilizer called “Baikal EM-1”, which contains living microorganisms.

The latter have a good effect on the structure of the soil and increase its fertility, but before spring feeding With the specified preparation, it must be mixed with autumn compost and then used as mulch. The thickness of such a “fertilizing” layer should not exceed 7-10 cm.

No less popular are the so-called « folk recipes» creating organic compounds. So, ordinary bread can provide lush flowering for your peonies, and all you need is to soak half a loaf in sweet water overnight (two tablespoons of sugar per glass of water is enough), and in the morning, strain the resulting mixture, and pour the specified solution over the peonies that emerge from the ground.

Another simple recipe organic fertilizer for these plants is based on the use of chicken manure (0.5 liters per 10 liters of water), however, it must be well infused for 14 days. Subsequently, the finished composition is additionally diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3, and for better efficiency add a handful of ash to it.

Mineral

TO mineral supplements You can include a wide variety of compositions, which today are easy to find in specialized stores. For example, a well-known representative of this group is the drug "Kemira", used three times per season.

With the onset of spring (before flowering begins), more suitable composition will "Kemira-Universal", and it is also used 7 days after the end of flowering of plants. This preparation is quite simple to use: having made a small depression under the bush, pour a small handful of the specified composition into it and sprinkle soil on top.

Also good for second feeding "Kemira-Kombi", and this time you don’t have to add drops of it. Simply pour the packaging onto the ground under the peonies and water generously on top. This composition dissolves quite quickly, so it will soon reach the root system of the plant.

For foliar fertilizer, ready-made complex preparations are also suitable (for example, the above-mentioned "Ideal"), most of which must first be dissolved in water in accordance with the instructions.

To others useful composition with a whole set of microelements is a preparation that can increase the strength of peony tissues and optimize its own protective forces colors.

By improving the plant's immunity, the likelihood of its disease is reduced and growth improves, which is why the effect of the drug is often compared to the effect. To prepare a ready-made solution for treating bushes, you need to mix 2-3 ml of the drug with 1 liter of water.

In a word, there are many options for preparations for mineral and organic fertilizing, but much in this matter depends on the growth characteristics of the plant, the climatic region and the personal preferences of the gardener.

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It largely depends on the correct feeding technology. Flowers are usually fertilized in the spring - for effective growth of greenery, in the summer - for the correct formation of buds, and in the fall, with a view to the next season. Experts advise what, when and in what quantity to apply under peonies.

Feeding peonies when planting

Peonies - lush perennials. They usually begin to bloom in the 3rd year of life, but the abundance and beauty of this spectacle is largely established at a young age, during planting. After you have chosen the right place for the flowers on the site, you should start preparing the soil. It can be enriched with a solution of infused mullein mixed with trace elements:

• mix fresh manure with water (ratio - 1 to 6);
• leave the container with the mixture in the sun for a couple of weeks;
• after fermentation is complete, add superphosphate (0.2 kg) and wood ash (0.5 kg);
• mix thoroughly;
• dilute with water 1:2;
• simply pour the solution onto the soil and mix it into the soil.

If everything was done correctly, then the peonies will not need such feeding until the third season. Only foliar ones will be needed. They will help plants develop the underground part. The process can be roughly divided into three steps:

1. When the first shoots appear, spray the peonies with a urea solution (5 g of dry matter per 1 liter).
2. After 2 weeks, irrigate with the same solution mixed with a mineral fertilizer complex diluted in water (1 tablet per 10 l).
3. After another 2 weeks, treat the greens with a solution of mineral fertilizers (1 tablet per 10 l).

Advice. To achieve best effect, carry out procedures after sunset, but before nightfall.

If you skipped tilling the soil before planting, then during the first year of life, take the trouble to feed the peonies three additional times:

• in May, add nitrophoska to the soil: 100 g per 1 sq. m;
• repeat the procedure after 2-3 weeks;
• After another 2-3 weeks, fertilize the soil with potassium phosphate mixtures.

Features of annual feeding of peonies

After the third year of life, plants are fertilized according to a different scheme. Now it is important for peonies not only to strengthen the stem and grow greenery, but also to form healthy and viable buds in large quantities. The bush's initial supply of microelements is running out, so it needs to be replenished. A 3-time treatment is considered effective:

1. Immediately after the snow melts, flowers need strength to resume the growing season. To do this, without embedding it in the ground, scatter a nitrogen-potassium mixture around each crop. The norm is 10-15 g per bush. It is important that the substances do not get on the plant itself.
2. Peonies are fertilized for the second time at the beginning of budding with a mixture of phosphorus (20 g), potassium (15 g) and nitrogen (10 g). The quantity is indicated for each bush. The mineral complex is introduced into the soil.
3. 14 days after the first buds bloom, you need to feed the peonies for the third time. This is important for a good winter and successful flowering in the next season. Mix 15 g of potassium and 20 g of phosphorus.

Advice. During the second and third feeding of peonies, fertilizers can be applied either dry or liquid. It is better to scatter the powders before watering.

In any business, balance is important. If you overfeed peonies with nitrogen in the spring, the foliage will grow wildly and the number of flowers will decrease. An excess of other microelements will also negatively affect the plant. When calculating standards, use the advice of experienced gardeners:

Fertilizing peonies is not difficult. It is important to remember that this should only be done in spring or in the first days of summer. Later fertilizing will lead to looseness of the stem structure. The plant will become vulnerable to fungi and various diseases.

How to fertilize a peony: video

This article will discuss in detail vegetative propagation peonies, a brief description of them is given. We will make the following recommendations:

- when can peonies be replanted?

- how to replant peonies;

— what to feed peonies;

- how to get rid of ants on peonies;

— why peonies don’t bloom;

— how to use peonies in landscape design.

The plant is named after the physician Paean (or Peon), the legendary student of the god of healing Aesculapius, who treated the gods. According to legend, Paean cured Hades himself, who, in gratitude after his death, turned him into a flower resembling a rose.

Botanical description

Peony (Paeonia) is herbaceous plant or deciduous shrub (tree peony). IN modern classifications this species is the only representative of the Peony family. Natural habitat - subtropics of Eurasia and North America. In this article, we will consider only herbaceous species, leaving tree species for a more detailed consideration separately.

Peony is a plant with a powerful rhizome and thick cone-shaped roots. The leaves are trifoliate or unpaired pinnately divided, green or glaucous, attached to several stems up to 1 meter high. The flowers are large, fragrant, up to 25 cm in diameter, in bright or pastel colors - white, yellow, cream, all shades of pink and red, sometimes with spots of darker color at the base. The fruits are complex, multi-leafed, in some varieties they are very decorative; the seeds are large, shiny, black or brown. They bloom in spring or early summer.

Brief description of species

There are now about 5,000 varieties herbaceous peonies, and this figure is constantly growing, since the interest of breeders in this plant has not waned for many centuries; they are usually classified according to the shape of the flower; today there are seven groups.

• Non-double - with large flowers arranged in one or two rows, numerous stamens located inside the flower.
• Semi-double – large flowers, usually with seven rows of petals, the stamens are located either among the petals or inside the flower.

Peony simple, non-double
Anemone peony

Terry peony
Peony semi-double

• Terry - bomb-shaped, spherical, hemispherical - depending on the shape of the flower when fully opened.
• Japanese - non-double or semi-double, forming a pompom of modified stamens in the center of the flower.
• Anemone-like - transitional from Japanese to terry. Two rows of wide, round petals border a ball of shorter, narrow central petals.
• Rosaceae - look like a very large rose.
• Crowned - consist of three tiers - the upper and lower of large, wide petals, the middle - of small, narrow ones. Moreover middle row on early stages flowering usually differs in color from the other two.

One of the most popular is the angustifolia peony - an early flowering species with thin leaves and numerous small red flowers of extraordinary beauty.

Tree peony bushes, large carved leaves and delicate flowers which are very decorative, can become wonderful...

Landing

Choosing a suitable location

Peony is very durable - it can grow and bloom in one place for decades. Before replanting peonies, you need to choose the right place for planting.

The planting site should be sunny and protected from the wind. In partial shade and in places where the sun is only 5-6 hours a day, they will also bloom, but not as abundantly as we would like, the flowers will be smaller and the color will be paler.

Peonies love loamy, well-drained soils most of all. Do not plant them in low areas under any circumstances. An adult plant will withstand frost and drought, but even short-term stagnation of water at the roots is a direct path to death for it.

Preparing the site

The soil for peonies must be prepared at least a week or two before planting. IN clay soil add lowland peat (high peat has an acidic reaction, which is unacceptable), humus and sand, and add lowland peat, sand and clay to sandy peat. Deoxidize acidic soil with lime (2 cups per bucket of water) or dolmite flour.

Dig it up planting pits approximately 60x60x60 cm, place a drainage made of crushed stone, gravel or broken red brick at the bottom of the hole, cover with coarse sand, top with the prepared soil mixture, water generously. The earth will subside, and it will be possible to plant the cuttings to the required depth.

Features of the disembarkation and transplantation process

The best time for planting and transplanting is September-October. It is not recommended to plant peonies in spring.

Good planting material– 1-2 year old plant, or a division with 3-4 buds and a piece of rhizome. When planting, bury the buds correctly. They should be located approximately 3-5 cm below the soil level. If the buds are located deep, the plant will develop well, but there will be no flowering. Winter frosts tend to push the rhizome out of the soil, and it can freeze. Therefore, planting too shallow can damage the plant.

After planting, you need to carefully tamp down the soil around it and water it generously.

Peonies are rarely transplanted. But perhaps the old plant began to bloom worse, or you needed planting material, or the design of the place where the bush stands does not provide for such large plant- then you need to seat them.

Any transplant, except sanitary (when we save an incorrectly planted or diseased young plant) necessarily involves dividing the bush. This is the simplest and reliable way reproduction. How to dig up and divide a bush is described in detail in the section “Reproduction by dividing a bush” below.

Spring planting

autumn is the best correct solution. In spring, this plant actively grows green mass to the detriment of root development. But when planting, the main thing is to speed up the growth of the root system as much as possible. It is wrong to remove the leaves so that they do not interfere with the development of the roots - the plant will die, and very quickly. So spring is the time when you shouldn’t replant peonies.

But it happens that the plant did not overwinter well and may die, or it was purchased at an exhibition new variety. The question arises - what to do next? In such cases, planting peonies in the spring is simply necessary. It is best to start transplanting peonies in the spring to another place, as soon as the snow has melted and the ground has thawed, before the buds sprout.

They will help us a lot spring planting root-forming preparations, such as Kornevin or Heteroauxin, which are added to the ground or diluted in water.

Reproduction

Seed propagation

During seed propagation, varietal characteristics are usually not transmitted. In addition, a plant grown from seeds will bloom no earlier than after 4-5 years (in tree varieties– even later).

Let's leave seed propagation breeders.

Vegetative propagation

Vegetative propagation occurs by dividing the bush. This is a simple, reliable method, accessible even to a novice gardener. It allows you to preserve the varietal characteristics of the plant and, when done correctly, at the right time, always gives an excellent result.

Carefully dig up the bush. If it is old and very overgrown, first dig it in a circle, stepping back 20 cm from the rhizome, then use a fork to loosen the plant and pull it out of the ground. Carefully peel, rinse, trim leaves and flower stalks, let sit on for a couple of hours outdoors so that the root wilts a little and becomes less fragile.

Before planting peonies, remove any old, rotted or diseased parts of the roots and rhizomes. The roots must be trimmed so that their length does not exceed 15 cm. Do not make the divisions too small or large. To get a good, healthy plant, leave a piece of rhizome with 3-4 well-developed eyes and several roots. Be sure to sprinkle the cut areas with ash or crushed activated carbon. Plant as described above.

Lily is a beautiful noble flower that decorates almost every garden. Sophisticated, whimsical and fragrant...

Care

Watering– peonies cannot tolerate stagnation of water at the roots. They need to be watered rarely, but a lot. One adult plant requires 2-3 buckets of water. Between waterings, we loosen the soil (also called dry watering). Peony especially needs moisture in the spring at the beginning of the growing season and in August, when buds are laid for next year's flowering.

Top dressing– for good development and full flowering, the plant must be fertilized regularly. Wait until the growing season begins before feeding peonies in the spring - and in the spring, add any nitrogen-containing fertilizer to the soil. During the formation of buds and a week or two after the end of flowering, the plant must be given complete mineral fertilizer for flowering plants. Autumn feeding peonies - a single application of phosphorus-potassium fertilizer - it will allow the plant to overwinter better and bloom better next year.

Seasonal care

Caring for peonies in the spring - fertilizing, watering, regular loosening, and, if necessary, treatment against pests and diseases. Remove faded flowers throughout the peony bloom period.

Continue sanitary measures in summer. Caring for peonies after flowering - removing flower stalks, feeding. If the weather is suitable, you can begin transplanting.

In the fall, peonies are planted and replanted, and sanitary treatments are continued. After the first frost, trim the foliage to the ground and remove it from the site. If you planted or replanted peonies this year, care must include mulching. It is also required during severe or little snowy winters.

Why don't peonies bloom?

• Plants transplanted in spring or last year do not bloom. Remember that there will never be flowering in the year of planting. It will not bloom the next year if the planted section was too small. Just wait.
• Old bushes don't bloom. It's time to plant the plant.
• There is no flowering when insufficient lighting. Replant the plant.
• Overflow. Stop pouring. If the foliage has lost its elasticity and looks bad, dig up the plant and inspect the root. If necessary, clean it, soak it for 1-2 hours in the Previcura solution. If the planting site is at fault and water constantly accumulates there, replant or arrange drainage.
• Incorrect planting depth. There is no need to deepen the peony; plant the plant correctly.
• The plant was not planted, but purchased (donated). Give it one more year to adapt and build up the root system, and only then sound the alarm.

Proper planting is the key to lush, long-lasting flowering (how to do this is described above).

Peony angustifolia
Peony angustifolia

Angustifolia peony - planting and care open ground no different from other herbaceous peonies.

Pests and diseases

Peony diseases can be caused by overwatering, frequent rains, dense planting, and excess nitrogen.

Most often, peonies suffer from gray rot. Here, treatment and prevention consist of treating the plant and the soil underneath it with copper-containing preparations. It is necessary to cut out the parts of the plant affected by rot with a sterile instrument and remove them from the area.

Prevention: treat the plant with copper before flowering - in early spring and when the first buds appear, and twice with an interval of 2 weeks after the peonies have bloomed.

Less commonly affected by powdery mildew and rust. Buy any drug for these diseases. If you have produced preventive treatments copper-containing preparations and took into account all our recommendations on how to care for peonies; the plant should not get sick.

Ants on peonies are a big problem. They not only breed aphids, but also love to feast on the nectar that is secreted by an unopened peony bud.

Ants on peonies

Ants can “work” on flower buds so much that they do not open at all. Before turning to chemicals, try spreading peeled and crushed pieces of onion or garlic cloves on the ground around the roots. If it doesn’t help, it exists big choice means to combat ants.

Viruses pose a huge problem. It is unknown how to deal with them. A severely affected plant is simply destroyed.

The most resistant to disease is the narrow-leaved peony.

Peonies in landscape design

Peony - favorite flower landscape designers.

It is good in solitary (single focal) and group plantings. Can be used in any flower beds and goes well with other plants. Blooming peonies in the garden are beautiful, but faded peonies, due to the fact that peony leaves are very decorative, will become a magnificent background for other flowering plants.

Goes well with roses, delphiniums, phlox. They are especially good against the backdrop of junipers. Angustifolia peony is used in rock gardens, in combination with cereals and eremurus. The juxtaposition of yellow with its purple counterparts looks very impressive.

Cut peonies

Peonies stand in a vase for a long time, fragrant and pleasing to the eye. Their lush beauty will not leave anyone indifferent.

For cutting, choose varieties with large, aromatic buds. beautiful shape. Peonies will produce especially large flowers if you leave only one bud on the stem and pinch out the rest as soon as they become the size of a pea. Flowers should be cut early in the morning when they are half-open or in buds.

In order for the plant to bloom well next year, we cut off no more than half of the buds from the bush.

Peony settles in our gardens for a long time - not every flower is so durable. It’s easy to grow a beautiful and healthy bush; put in a minimum of effort - and it will delight you every day.

Remember - the fashion for peonies has always been and always will be. It's just that sometimes extraordinary flower slightly displace other flowers from the pedestal. But who remembers their names today?

Peony is called the king of the garden. Its lush large inflorescences immediately attract attention. Let's consider how to care for peonies in the spring in order to enjoy their lush flowering in the summer and all the time while the beauty of the openwork original leaves of this plant decorates the garden. Peony bushes captivate with their bright, beautiful shape every spring day.

In spring (April and May) and autumn (August and September), peonies experience periods of bud growth on the roots. They began to be planted more and more often in the spring. They take root well at this time if they are planted correctly. It is advisable to do this before establishing warm weather: The root must be well rooted before shoots begin to grow. Agrotechnicians recommend planting peonies in the second half of summer, after the plant has finished flowering. Optimal time The period for planting peony cuttings is from mid-August to mid-autumn. Before winter, the cuttings will have time to take root and will not be afraid of the cold.

If the peony develops well and blooms luxuriantly, it can not be replanted for a long time. However, if the flowering of peonies ceases to be good, it is recommended to replant the bushes. It is better to divide the bush for transplantation into 2 or 3 parts. Dividing the rhizome is the main method of propagating peonies. To get many new plants from one bush, you need to divide it into possibly larger number rhizome segments with one, or better yet, 2-3 growth buds.

Show all

Plantings of these plants should be located at a distance from each other (no closer than 1 m). The soil suitable for planting is loamy, slightly acidic or neutral (pH 6.0 - 7.0), rich in humus. For planting, make a deep and wide hole, 60x60 cm in size. You need to make good drainage in the hole: add 10-15 cm of coarse sand or gravel to the bottom, then the roots will not rot in the rainy summer. The hole is filled more than half with a well-mixed mixture of garden soil, compost and sand. Half of this mixture should be from compost, the other half from soil and sand. It is not advisable to add peat to the mixture. Most types of peat are acidic, but this plant requires a neutral reaction from the environment. Approximately 200 g is added to the soil double superphosphate, a handful of iron sulfate and potash, scoop wood ash. They will provide a supply of nutrients for a long time.

Sprinkle on the soil with fertilizers embedded in it. garden soil. The root cutting is placed at a distance of 5-7 cm from the base of the growth buds to the edge of the hole. Then you need to cover the root with garden soil, pressing down the soil so that voids do not form around it. This must be done carefully, protecting the kidneys. After this, the planting is watered and then mulched with humus.

Selecting a location

Peonies prefer well-lit areas. In the shade, the plant will wither and will not bloom. Do not plant it close to the walls of a house or fence, or to trees and bushes - it needs good air circulation. Peonies planted next to other plantings will experience a lack of nutrition. Planting soils should not be swampy - roots stagnant in water begin to rot and the plant dies. To avoid action groundwater, you can arrange raised beds for the plant or make special drainage outlets around the bushes.



Peonies are bred in the form herbaceous perennials and tree shrubs. Tree peonies are gaining popularity among gardeners. The flowers of these beautiful plants have amazing stamens! Their growing conditions are slightly different. Tree peonies should be planted in areas that are slightly shaded and well protected from drafts.

Care after winter

Peony is a resilient plant if the conditions are met. correct landing in a place favorable for this. This plant tolerates heat and frost well. On its rhizomes there are many dormant buds that replace dead shoots. There is no need to try to transplant the bush to a new place. In one place, a bush can grow and bloom beautifully in its allotted time from 20 to 50 or more years. Gardeners love them for this and never tire of caring for them. Providing good care for peonies means removing weeds in a timely manner, watering and loosening the soil, feeding the plants with mineral fertilizers and various additives, and protecting them from pests and diseases.



Caring for peonies in spring is easy. The ground part of the herbaceous peony dies off before winter, and every spring the plant grows new shoots. We must wait until the tops of the shoots emerge from the ground, and from that time begin caring for the plant. Weeds must be removed immediately so that they do not interfere with the growth of shoots. The soil around the bushes is loosened very carefully, at a distance of 10-15 cm from the bush, otherwise you can inadvertently damage the emerging shoots. You need to try to rake the soil towards the bush, ensuring the protection of the rhizome with the required layer of soil of 4-7 cm. This placement of the rhizome is constantly monitored so that it does not end up on the surface. If the root is on the surface, the growing buds will die from cold and heat.

Caring for peonies at the beginning of intensive shoot growth is very important. Shoots need daily watering, which will accelerate the strengthening of the root system and give impetus to the rapid growth of sprouts. During the period of bud formation and flowering, an adult plant also needs abundant watering. It needs to be watered with 2-3 buckets of water about once a week if it does not rain. The water should reach all the roots of the peony. You can superficially water the soil under the plant in the evening with a watering can constantly as the soil dries out. You should not use a spray bottle, as fungal diseases may occur. appearance Because of this watering, the flowers become worse.

Peony sprouts develop very slowly and bloom only after a few years. The best flowers Peonies are given at the age of 4 years. When flowering begins, it is advisable to leave one of the largest buds on the shoot. Then it will have enough vitality to develop into a beautiful large flower. If you do not remove excess buds, the bush will not produce large flowers, but will bloom longer.



Garter of peonies

Well-grown bushes of these flowers need support: the stems, under the weight of the flowers (flower diameter 15-25 cm), begin to bend towards the ground, and can break off during bad weather. To avoid this, bushes are tied up or supports are placed to support them. Supports for bushes are best placed before the bush blooms. If there are no very strong winds in the garden, a peony bush tied with a special green ribbon, which you can buy, looks beautiful. A small bush can be tied by enclosing all the shoots in a circle of garter tape. This tape will be invisible to the eye. A bush tied in this way looks gorgeous. You can drive several identical stakes next to the plant on all sides, after painting them with dark green paint to match the color of the plant stems. In this case, stakes are tied with garter tape: then the shoots of the plant will not suffer if the tape is pulled.



Feeding flowers

For good growth and flowering for peonies during the growing season, 3 feedings are carried out. Two of them are in spring period. The third time is fed in the summer, after flowering. A new young plant does not need to be fed for the first 2 years: it develops well thanks to the soil laid during planting. But many gardeners feed the plant in the first year, as the new growing roots need nutrients, which peonies cannot yet achieve. The best period for supplementing young peonies is from the time sprouts appear until the end of June. Good development roots and plant growth are promoted by the addition of mullein solution (this is an aqueous solution of manure that was in the process of fermentation, it does not contain harmful bacteria). This fertilizer is poured into a ditch made around the bush. Young plants can also be fed with a solution of mineral fertilizers.

From the third year of growth, plants will require several feedings per year. It is advisable to carry out the first one when the last snow has not yet melted. Fertilizers containing nitrogen and potassium are sprinkled onto the planting surface (10-15 g of nitrogen and 10-20 g of potassium for 1 bush). Then the soil around the bush is loosened and a small layer of humus is poured on top. The second time the plant’s soil is fertilized during the formation of peony buds. And in the third - during flowering (15-20 g of phosphorus and slightly less nitrogen and potassium).



The good effect of the supplements will increase when combined mineral fertilizers with organic ones: it would be good to add humus to the ground and water it with mullein solution. Plants can be fed with a solution bird droppings with the addition of ash and copper sulfate. You can prepare the solution as follows: dilute 1 part of bird droppings with 25 parts of water, then leave the solution in a warm place for fermentation for 10-15 days, after fermentation add 0.05 parts of wood ash and 0.03 parts of superphosphate to the solution. Before adding this solution to the soil, dilute it with 3 parts of water - for 1 bush you need 1 bucket of fertilizing.

Disease Prevention

As soon as the ground thaws after the snow, the soil for planting is watered with a solution of potassium permanganate (2-3 g is used per bucket of water for 2 bushes) or sprayed with a solution of copper sulfate (20 g per 4 liters of water). This will disinfect the soil and protect the plant from gray rot. Prevention is done 2 times: during the period of shoot growth and the formation of peony buds. The first signs of gray rot (a disease of fungal origin) may appear in mid-May. Peonies most often suffer from this disease. The leaves become covered with gray mold, the stems rot. The development of this disease can be facilitated by high humidity, excess soil nitrogen fertilizers and too thick garden plantings. When sprouts appear, peonies are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture (a solution of copper sulfate and lime). It is used against the vast majority of fungal and many bacterial plant diseases. Against powdery mildew - fungal disease, they recommend spraying with a copper-soap solution (a piece of laundry soap and 20 g of copper sulfate are diluted in 10 liters of water).

For successful disease prevention, peony flowers need to be cut off in time after flowering. From the rotting of fallen petals, spots of gray rot may form on peony leaves. As soon as the flower begins to bloom, its head needs to be cut off. When caring for plants, it is necessary to disinfect garden shears and pruning shears to prevent the spread of the viral disease - ring mosaic of leaves. During this disease, noticeable ring stains and stripes appear on the peony leaves. This disease worsens the appearance of the plant. When signs appear, infected shoots are cut down to the rhizome and burned.

At good care Peonies grow beautifully and bloom in late spring, spreading a rich aroma around them. Peony is said to be a flower with the scent of a thousand roses. In addition to many garden varieties, there are decorative peonies that bloom earlier. Planting peonies in a flower garden and against the background of a lawn looks beautiful. They can frame a wide path in the garden. This is one of gardeners' favorite plants.

Peonies are loved by our gardeners and grow in almost every front garden. However, some have huge bushes, completely strewn with flowers, others are also solid, and there are only one or two buds on them. And the reason, as a rule, is in caring for the plants.

In the first years of life, peony flowers may be smaller than intended and may not even match the varietal color. The full properties of the variety appear only from the fifth year of flowering.

Alexey Volodikhin, an agronomist from Saratov, will tell you how to properly care for peonies so that they delight you with abundant blooms every year. 5 secrets for your attention lush flowering peonies.

1. Proper watering of peonies



On rainy and cool summer There is no need to water peonies. However, if it is hot, you will have to do this according to the rules.

In hot weather, peonies need to be watered every 7-10 days. Watering is especially important in late May - early July, when the bushes quickly grow and flowers form. Another important stage– mid-July – August, when renewal buds are formed.

Many people pour water directly under the bush, where there are practically no roots. There, near the base of the shoots, there are thickened rhizomes that store nutrients; they cannot absorb moisture from the soil. Young roots, capable of watering the bush, are located on the periphery.

For young peonies, the suction zone is therefore approximately 20-25 cm from the center of the bush, and for old peonies it is 40 cm. This is where water should be poured. To prevent it from spreading, dig a groove about 10 cm deep around the perimeter and water directly into it - 3-4 buckets per bush.

It is best to water peonies in the evening so that the water is completely absorbed into the soil and does not evaporate.

2. Loosening the soil around the bushes



This work must be done after each watering or rain if you want the roots to breathe and grow well.

It is necessary to loosen the soil around the bushes carefully - at the stems to a depth of no more than 5-7 cm, and 20-25 cm from them it is already deeper, 10-15 cm.

3. Timely feeding of peonies



If the planting pits for peonies were pre-filled with fertilizers, there is no need to additionally feed the peonies in the first two years. Starting from the third year, peonies require 4 feedings per season:

• The first fertilizing is applied as soon as red shoots appear from the soil. 1 tbsp. ammonium nitrate is dissolved in 10 liters of water and the plants are watered at the rate of a bucket for each bush. After this, the soil is mulched with humus, which will gradually release nutrients to the plant.
• The peonies are fed the second time when they have buds. Mix dry 1/2 tbsp. ammonium nitrate, 1/2 tbsp. superphosphate and 1/3 tbsp. potassium salt, scatter it all under the bush and embed it in the soil.
• The composition of the third fertilizing is the same as the previous one and is applied already during the flowering of the peony.
• Peonies are fertilized a fourth time after they have completely bloomed. Add 1/2 tbsp under the bush. superphosphate and 1/3 tbsp. potassium salt.

Fertilizers can be applied only after rain or watering. Monitor the feeding rate - excess nitrogen stimulates the growth of shoots and leaves to the detriment of bud setting.

4. Removing buds



In order for peonies to bloom profusely, the buds must be removed. It is especially important to do this in the first and second years after planting, since mass flowering does not allow the root system to fully develop.

If you want large top flowers, remove the side buds when they reach the size of a pea. And, on the contrary, you don’t need to do this if what’s more important to you is not individual cut flowers, but their total number on the bush and its long flowering.

It is very important to remove flowers as soon as they begin to wilt, without waiting for the petals to fall. Otherwise, if they get on the leaves, they can provoke the disease gray rot, especially in rainy weather.

5. Rejuvenating peony bushes



Peonies can easily grow in one place for 50 or even 100 years! However, the older the bush gets, the weaker it blooms. Therefore, once every 8-10 years, peonies need to be dug up and divided so that each division has 3-4 buds. Moreover, this can only be done in August!

As you can see, it is not very difficult to make peonies in your garden bloom especially magnificently and please the eye. We have revealed our secrets to you abundant flowering these spectacular perennials.