Who doesn't love a peony with its big blowsy blooms, ruffled fragrant petals and shades of pastel pink, burgundy and creamy white?
Although they are considered unfussy and low-maintenance, there is a simple mistake to avoid to ensure your peonies are just as beautifully bountiful next year. Here's what to know...
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Don't cut back
One of the most common mistakes is treating deadheading as an opportunity to cut the whole plant back. While removing faded blooms is beneficial, the leaves need to stay in place so the plant can continue building up reserves.
“One of the most common mistakes gardeners make in May is cutting the foliage back too early when deadheading spent blooms,” says Jane Fairlie, technical manager at Doff, manufacturer of reliable and sustainable garden care.
“While it can feel tidier to remove everything at once, peonies rely on their leaves to build energy for the next season’s flowers, so removing healthy foliage too soon can significantly reduce bloom size and quality the following year.”
Be regular
Elise Harlock, floral expert at online retailer Prestige Flowers, says: “Pruning is an important part of the care process when it comes to peonies. A common mistake people make is by not deadheading them regularly enough.”
During the flowering season, gardeners should check peonies two to three times a week and remove blooms as soon as they start to fade. This keeps plants looking tidy, reduces the risk of fungal problems caused by decaying petals and prevents the plant from wasting energy on seed production.
Fuel next year's flowers
When deadheading, the aim is to remove the spent blooms without sacrificing the foliage that will fuel next year’s flowers. Elise advises “snipping them off just above the first set of leaves on the stem.”
Jane adds: “Another frequent error is deadheading too low on the stem. It’s important to remove only the spent flower head, cutting just above a strong leaf node, rather than stripping the stem back. This helps the plant continue photosynthesising effectively.”
The key thing to avoid is cutting the whole plant down after flowering. Instead, leave the foliage in place until autumn, then cut peonies back to ground level once the leaves have yellowed.
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