Planting peonies in a fieldpeony cultivation has more than two millennia, for which a great many varieties and varieties were created. But no matter how much the peonies are transformed, the planting and care in the open field behind them have not undergone major changes since then. In order year after year to admire the lush carved foliage and spectacular flowering, the gardener will have to master all the subtleties of agricultural technology and learn the preferences of these amazing ornamental plants.
All species of peonies in nature come from Eurasia and the Americas, represented by herbaceous perennials and dwarf shrubs. In Russian gardens, plants have long proved their unpretentiousness and ability from 10 to 20 years to grow and bloom in one place without a transplant.
A place for planting and caring for peonies in open ground
A place for planting peonies is chosen so that the plant is as comfortable as possible throughout not only one season, but also several years. Since this culture belongs to light and heat-loving, up to 3 hours a day can tolerate a transparent garden shade, but is afraid of cold wind and drafts, the pion is selected for the site according to its requirements and shading for the hottest midday hours.
Over several years, the pion root system can go down to 70–80 cm. To simplify the care of pions in open ground, pay attention to the danger of flooding the site and stagnation of scarlet or groundwater before planting. Constant humidity repeatedly increases the risk of rotting the roots and death of the entire bush.
Actively growing peonies need space, the crowding leads to a deterioration of flowering, the emergence of diseases and pests.
Peony planting conditions:
- Planting pits are made at least 1–1.5 meters away from shrubs and other perennial plants.
- The distance to the nearest tree is not less than 2-3 meters.
- Do not plant peonies directly under the walls of buildings and fences.
- Between bushes, depending on the type and variety of leave from 70 to 180 cm of free space.
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A light, protected from the wind section has been found, it's time to take care of the soil in which the pion will grow. The soil with a neutral or slightly acid reaction should be loose, aerated, nutritious. Sandy soil is flavored with humus, peat, wood ash and deoxidized with dolomite flour. As required, add garden soil. Dense clay soil can be made more airy with the help of river sand and a small amount of peat. Sand structure nutrient, but quickly caking black soil.
The rules for planting peonies for care in the open field
Unlike many garden crops, for planting which it’s important to leave the growth point on or above the soil damage, peonies are deeply buried. The buds, from which the stems will later develop, sink to it by 3–7 cm, depending on the density of the soil.
If this is not done, the most sensitive and important part of the plant will be left unprotected by rain, snow and sun. However, even with excessively deep planting of a pion in open ground, caring for it may be not only time consuming, but also vain. Such plants in spring form lush foliage, but bloom only slightly or refuse to form buds at all.
pion landing rules:
- Planting holes for peonies are made up to 80 cm in depth for tree plants and up to 60 cm for more common herbaceous varieties. The width of the pit is 60 and 50 cm, respectively.
- The bottom, in order to avoid stagnation of water, is covered with drainage.
- A two-thirds pit is filled with a prepared substrate mixed with 100–150 grams of superphosphate, one spoon of blue vitriol and a liter jar of bone meal or sifted wood ash.
- When straightened peony roots fall into the ground, they are 15–20 cm more covered with loose soil so that the buds are safely hidden below the ground level.
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The care of peonies in open ground in spring or autumn begins immediately after planting. The soil is carefully compacted and watered at the rate of 8–10 liters of water per bush. If autumn rooting and wintering are in front of the plants, they are thickly mulched with a 10-centimeter layer of peat. With the onset of spring, the care of perennial continues.
Planting peonies in the ground: spring or autumn
The beginning of autumn is most convenient for the florist and favorable for peony planting. By this time, the root system of perennial grows, and he recovers after flowering and accumulates strength.
If you are to plant in the open field and take care of peonies in the fall, it should be done 30–40 days before the onset of cold weather. In this case, the adult transplanted plant or young sapling, obtained from dividing the bush, is guaranteed to take root and does not freeze through in winter.
The planting dates for ornamental perennials depend on the particular climate of a particular region. The shorter the summer, the earlier it is necessary to take care of the preparation of holes and planting material.
Landing dates:
- Pioning is planted in open ground in Siberia in August, September and October, and in the northern regions it ends 1.5–2 months earlier than in the south.
- In the Urals, where the weather is extremely changeable, seedlings are brought to the ground from the second half of August to mid-September.
- For a week later, you can plant flowering perennials in the middle lane and in the North-West of the country.
- And in the south of Russia, peonies without fear for the condition of the plant can be planted from September to mid-October.
When buying seedlings from a nursery or because of the early arrival of cold weather, the landing is transferred to spring. Unfortunately, if plants have an open root system, they do not tolerate such a procedure too well. The peonies, weakened after wintering, are long acclimatized, and sometimes even for the whole summer they cannot recover.
In order to eliminate unpleasant consequences, springing of pions into the ground is carried out very early, in the soil moist after the snow melts, until the weather is hot and the plants themselves do not grow.
Exceptions are peonies with a closed root system in containers. They can be planted without fear from spring to autumn.
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Care for peonies after planting in open ground
Peony growing starts in early May and ends in deep autumn. Care for peonies in the open ground in spring begins with very careful soil loosening, irrigation, if necessary, and fertilization.
Watering peonies infrequently, but very abundantly, to completely soak the earthy clod and its roots. Since the plant has to grow foliage and prepare for flowering, the peony needs complete mineral fertilizers and nitrogen.
Top dressing of pions in open ground is done on wet ground. In order to get the mixture faster to the suction roots, around the bush, at a distance of 10–15 cm, a shallow hole is made into which the solution is poured. In the summer, especially for young plants that have not reached the age of 3-4 years, foliar top dressing with urea is useful. They are made three times with a periodicity of 15–20 days from the moment the shoots appear.
During dry periods, peonies are watered at the rate of 10–15 liters per bush. It is especially important to maintain soil moisture in the first month after spring planting.
Faded flowers are regularly removed on flowering peonies. On young plants, under 3 years old, all weak buds are also removed. All summer, the area under perennials is weeded, and in the fall, before the onset of cold weather, the shoots are cut, and the ground is mulched. If the planting is done correctly, and the plants receive competent and sufficient care, the first peony bloom will begin by 2-3 years, gradually becoming brighter and more magnificent.
Planting Peony in the Fall - Video
