Autumn is not the time for a florist to relax. Plants in a flower garden still require proper care and careful preparation for winter. And it’s not too late to plant some crops! We'll tell you all about the secrets of planting, caring for and propagating peonies in the autumn months.
Peonies, whether herbaceous or tree-like, are a decoration for any area. And not only in spring and summer - even in autumn, after flowering, their decorative carved leaves delight the eye almost until frost. And although these perennials are quite unpretentious, it is worth paying some attention to them before the onset of the winter months, so that they will decorate your site next season.
Planting peonies in autumn
It is possible to successfully plant peonies in the fall in both September and October, and in regions with a mild climate – even in early November. Oddly enough, this is more difficult to do in the spring, and there is less chance that the plants will take root successfully.
A sunny, draft-free place with fertile, well-drained soil of neutral acidity is suitable for planting peonies. The worst choice would be a waterlogged, shaded area with heavy soil.
About 2-3 weeks before planting, you can begin to prepare planting holes - this way the soil will have time to settle and the plant will take root better. The holes are dug to a depth of 60-80 cm (peonies have long, fast-growing roots) with intervals of about 1 m between future seedlings. A layer of drainage 10-15 cm thick (coarse sand, gravel, broken brick) is placed at the bottom of the pit, and then a pre-prepared soil mixture of chernozem, peat, sand and humus (in equal parts). Also, fertilizers are necessarily added to the mixture - 200-400 g of ash, 20 g of superphosphate, 10 g of urea.
The peony seedling is carefully examined for damage and traces of rot (all this is removed with a sharp knife), disinfected for 10-15 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate and dried. Then the seedling is carefully placed in the prepared hole - the roots need to be carefully straightened, and the topmost bud should be placed so that it is 3-4 cm below ground level, and covered with soil. The planted plant must be watered - this will additionally help compact the soil around the seedling.
Before the first winter season, freshly planted peonies must be covered with a thick layer of dry leaves, peat, cardboard or any other covering material.
Reproduction (division) of peonies in autumn
Peonies are exactly the crop that is preferably replanted and propagated in the fall. This plant can exist in one place for many years, but every 5-6 years the peony bushes should be divided and replanted to avoid degeneration. Timely division of peonies allows you to rejuvenate the plant, start its abundant flowering and at the same time get rid of rot and dry roots.
As we have already mentioned, the root system of peonies is powerful and branched, but at the same time quite fragile, so it is unlikely that it will be possible to dig up an old bush without “losses”. In any case, first you need to cut off the entire above-ground part, leaving “stumps” of about 15 cm each. Then experienced gardeners advise carefully digging the peony at a distance of 25-30 cm from the rhizome, and then using a pitchfork to pull the plant out of the ground, helping yourself by holding on to the cut stems . If the bush does not give in, there is an option to divide it into several parts directly in the ground - using a shovel and hammer.
A correctly divided and replanted peony will begin to bloom profusely already in the 3rd year after planting, and will be able to please you with single flowers in the next season.
The dug up peonies are shaken off the ground and, first of all, using a sharp knife, they are removed from damaged and diseased parts, rotten or dried roots. Then the fused rhizome is washed under running water, dried in the shade for a couple of hours and the actual division process begins.
You need to end up with divisions with healthy roots up to 20 cm long, a pair of stems and 3-5 renewal buds. First try to separate the common rhizome with your hands; if that doesn’t work, pick up a sharp, disinfected knife. If the plant is too large, then first cut the rhizome into 2-3 parts, and then proceed with the final division.
The cutting areas of the cuttings must be treated before planting so that they remain healthy and take root faster. A weak solution of potassium permanganate is suitable for these purposes, in which pieces of rhizome can be soaked for half an hour, and then the sections can be sprinkled with ash or a mixture of crushed charcoal and sulfur (1:1). You can also use a clay mash (a mixture of water and clay with the consistency of thick sour cream), into which the rhizomes are dipped and then dried. Some add the same ash to this mash, while others advise adding any growth stimulant (30-40 ml per 1 liter of water and 300 g of clay).
Now the peony divisions are ready for planting in a new place according to the scheme described above.
Caring for peonies in autumn
Even if you are not going to plant new peonies this fall or replant existing peonies on the site, this does not mean that you have nothing to do in the flower garden in September-October. Like any plants left to overwinter outdoors, peonies will require some effort on your part to successfully survive the winter.
Watering peonies in the fall is reduced to the required minimum - it is carried out if the weather has been dry for a long time. It is advisable to water the plant not in the middle of the bush, but in the depression surrounding it.
Should peonies be fertilized in the fall? Yes, this procedure is necessary - the roots of perennials continue to grow in the pre-winter months, while simultaneously accumulating the nutrients necessary for the plant to successfully survive the winter and germinate in the spring.
In the fall, peony bushes are fed with a potassium-phosphorus mixture, which not only nourishes them, but also promotes the formation of buds, which is the key to beautiful flowering next season.
Feeding peonies in the fall is carried out both in dry and liquid form. If you choose the first option, then after abundant watering, simply pour about 30 g of a mixture under each bush, where potassium and phosphorus will be in equal proportions. When fertilizing with a solution of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers, it is important to water the plants so that the liquid does not fall on the leaves, which can cause burns.
Should peonies be pruned in the fall? Of course, if you leave the plants to overwinter as tall bushes, the above-ground stems will rot over the winter and become a source of infection. Pruning will allow peonies to rest after flowering, fully prepare for the cold and successfully overwinter.
Both young and adult peonies need autumn pruning. After the first frost, trim the stems and leaves flush with the ground so that the remaining stumps are no more than a couple of centimeters in height. It is better to burn the cut stems so that they do not become a source of infection in the area, and sprinkle the cuts with ash at the rate of 2-3 handfuls per bush.
Before the snow falls on the ground, mulch the peony plantings with an 8-10 cm layer of compost or low-lying peat and leave it in this state until spring. In spring, mulch from peat or humus does not need to be removed - it will become a good fertilizer.
As you can see, peonies will not require much effort from you to care for them in the fall, although, of course, you will have to do something in the flower garden. And these small efforts are worth it. Believe me, peonies that have wintered comfortably and are full of energy will certainly delight you with a healthy appearance and lush flowering next season.
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