Wanna See Most Most Favorite Flowers?

[Tulirose]

<IMG width= "300" SRC="http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid65/pad4d4ecbf6fb3f1b7f00fa4fb418bb7d/fbee99c6.jpg"> <IMG width= "300" SRC="http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid65/pfd63bf569111d072fa1c99472aaf73b2/fbee99c9.jpg">

<IMG width= "300" SRC="http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid65/p05b23aa064fe70eff8c75c74b7a4aa02/fbee9857.jpg"> <IMG width= "300" SRC="http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid65/p06ab587a206e35df5530e223fb7eb7d0/fbee9851.jpg">

And just think, two years ago my peony plants got no bigger than this:

<IMG width= "300" SRC="http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid24/p7535de85710be3bd13d9f260882a2b80/fd96ea2b.jpg">

 

[marydmjj]

Beautiful! My peonies look like your last picture. Can you give me any advise to get them to look like yours?

 

[Tulirose]

Mary - That picture was the first season I had them. I had transplanted them from my mom's yard the prior fall. We thought they may have Peony Plight!! and, if I remember correctly (mamu help me out here) I would have needed to dig them up and just move them. However, I decided to just wait another year and see what would happen and last year (the second season) I got twelve beautiful blossoms. This year was even better as you can see.

How long have you had your peonies? Also, when you plant them, they made a big deal about being buried only about two inches from the surface. Do you remember how deep you planted them? Maybe they just need settling in time like mine did.

 

[DixieDreamer]

BEAUTIFUL! I think they would be my favorites too!

 

[Spinning]

I love them too. I have tons of them...I got a ton from my grandmother's farm before they sold it. My question....ants! How do you not brng the ants into the house? I have tried soaking the flower heads in water before i bring them in but I still find them

 

[Tulirose]

Spinning - This was the first time I ever brought them in the house. They were already wet from the rain and I shook them real well and I did rinse them a bit because some were lying in the dirt! Maybe I was lucky this time around because there were no creatures.

My mom always brings them into the house. I'll have to ask her if she has any secrets to make sure no ants hitch a ride. I brought some to work yesterday for my co-workers and one was telling me how she visited her friend's house years ago and the mom had the flowers upside down in water for this purpose and my co-worker asked: "Umm, shouldn't they be the other way around?" LOL!

 

[Snowwark]

Tulirose, I remember your peony story!! They've done great!!! Woohoo!!

Peonies are Tulirose's most favourite flower!

 

[gina2000]

I love peonies! And yours are real beauties!

Thanks for sharing, Tuli!

(....and all that talk of you having a brown thumb is bunkum!)

 

[Dan Murphy]

We have had four peony bushes (plants?) since we moved here, over 30 years ago. They used to bloom with many HUGE flowers, but in recent years, almost none, just green leaves, like a green bush almost. Any ideas from the experts?

And Tuli, yours are beautiful!!!!!!

 

[cgcw]

Hi Dan. No where near an expert but I suspect your peonies need to be divided. Maybe they have outgrown their space. By thinning them out and dividing them, you'll give them room to spread out again and bloom. And, I'm sure you can find lots of friends to share the extras with.

 

[olena]

 

[Tulirose]

Thank you everyone.

Dan - Another consideration about your peonies is that over the years, with composting, you may have inadvertently raised the soil level. Peonies need to have the buds of the rhizomes only two inches below the soil surface. Any deeper and they won't bloom. Hope this helps a bit.

 

[marydmjj]

Tulirose: I'll check them tomorrow but I don't think they are planted too deep. I planted them 4 years ago (I think). They bloomed a couple of blooms 2 years ago and then I moved them to this house. I had them planted in a partially sunny bed and they didn't do well. I moved them this year to my front sunny bed and they are growing but not putting out blooms. I'll bet you are right about needing more time to settle in. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Mamu]

Tuli those are beautiful!

When peonies stop blooming it can be one of many reasons. The #1 reason is the crown has settled more then 2 inches below the soil line. In the early fall lift the whole plant up, if the plant is large you can divide it. If you choose not to divide it can be replanted. Add a couple of inches of rich compost. I replant mine so I can see the crowns at soil level I then add a inch of soil enriched with compost and water abundantly to encourage rooting. In the spring I dress the peonies with dried blood this accelerates the growth. After flowering I dress with bone meal. These are both natural fertilizers that will not burn or harm the plants and perennials love both.

 

[DebºoºS]

They are just so beautiful. I love the color. Very soft and fragile looking. MMMMM the scent must be great too. Bringing them in just fills the house with it.

The ants are just trying to open the buds for us, they're helpers. That's what I used to tell the kids when they would shreak
"there are bugs all over!"Rinsing in the sink usually gets em.

Mine never bloom the first year they're moved. It's a long wait but worth it! Alas mine are over now for the season.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Thanks guys, you sure know your stuff over here. I will see about that depth thing, I bet that is it. What do I do, just move some dirt away from the base of the plants?

 

[Tulirose]

Mary - I agree, yours have been moved alot in the last four years. They need to get acquainted with their new home first, I'm sure.

Deb - Isn't it sad that the blooming is over with already. I waited for what seemed forever for all these buds to open and they did and within one week - boom! - they were done! Well, part of the reason is because I cut so many of them. Had to- with all the rain, even with the cage, they were in the dirt!

Mamu - So now I should spread some bone meal around the soil since the blooms are finished?

Also - yes my peonies were very fragrant. Much more so than ones that two different co-workers brought to work from their gardens. However, their flowers seem to last longer cut than mine did. Is there a reason for that?

Dan - You must have missed Mamu's post on the prior page. She explains exactly what you should do this fall and unfortunately it involves some digging. Mamu - the plants can be replanted in the same spot, right?