After the luxurious peonies in the garden have faded, their care must be continued. Plants need proper pruning, feeding and watering: all these procedures will help peonies recover and provide them lush bloom next season. We will learn how to properly care for peonies after flowering, paying special attention to their pruning.
In order for the plant to develop fully even after flowering, it must be continued to be watered. From competent and sufficient soil moisture depends largely proper development root system, as well as flowering next year.
The frequency of watering depends on the weather. If the summer is normal, watering is done every 10 days. In case of severe drought, the frequency of procedures must be increased. From 10 to 30 liters of water are spent on each bush: depending on the size of the plant and the temperature outside.
It is necessary to achieve wetting of the soil to a depth sufficient for complete moistening of the entire root system of pions. The better the roots are developed, the better the plants develop and endure frosty winters. root system the whole should be moistened, and not just its central part. In autumn, watering is initially reduced to a minimum, then completely stopped.
top dressing
Of course, peonies require the most nutrients before and during their flowering. After the completion of the decorative period, the need for fertilizers becomes lower. But it doesn't disappear at all.
At the end of flowering, top dressing should be applied once or twice, no more. Can be used as organic fertilizers, and minerals. The composition of the top dressing should be predominantly phosphate-potassium: you can use potassium nitrate, superphosphate, organic mullein.
It is also necessary to produce foliar top dressing using mineral complexes. Such top dressing will increase the decorativeness of the shrub and lay the foundation for the formation of future flower buds.
When summer comes to an end, fertilization is aimed at preparing for winter. Peonies begin to stock up on nutrients at this time in order to survive the upcoming cold. At this time, there is an active formation of future flower buds, the root system is intensively developing: all these processes must be provided with energy in the form of nutrients.
Mulching
A very useful procedure for peonies after flowering. Mulching solves several problems at once:
- retains moisture in the soil;
- protects the bed from weeds;
- provides plants with additional nutrition.
It is recommended to use organic matter as mulch: humus, dry weathered mullein. After wetting the mulch layer, the latter will begin to decompose, gradually supplying the roots of the plant with good nutrition.
It is also necessary to loosen the soil: a procedure is performed after each watering, as well as after rains. The fact is that after drying, water forms a hard, dense crust on the surface of the earth, which greatly impairs the permeability of the soil. The crust needs to be broken.
Transfer
This procedure after flowering is performed if the peony bush has grown strongly and begins to interfere with nearby growing neighbors. In addition, sometimes a transplant is needed if the place for peonies is chosen incorrectly: it is either too sunny, or too humid, shady.
Transplantation is done in the fall. It is necessary to dig up a bush carefully, having previously thoroughly moistened its roots. A large amount of water will help to more carefully get the bush out of the ground without damaging its roots. The stems are tied together before removing their holes. It is better to pry the plant with a pitchfork, so as not to cut the rhizomes with a shovel.
The plant is then inspected, damaged and rotten roots, if any, are removed. Then they dry a little in the air and land in a new hole.
The bush is located in the center of the hole, its root is watered, and then it is only followed by falling asleep with soil. Please note that the buds of the plant are located at a depth of up to 5 cm. If they are deepened too much, the stem may subsequently rot.
If the bush is already quite mature (4-5 years) and at the same time has grown strongly, it is recommended to divide it when transplanting. This will allow you to get several healthy, full-fledged peonies from one plant at once, which can bloom next year.
Peony is a poorly adapting flower, so the first month or two after transplantation is traditionally “sick”. Then, with proper and careful care, it recovers on its own. Care after transplantation should include mandatory root watering and foliar spraying. In addition, the soil in the garden bed should be loosened regularly so that the soil is well permeable.
pruning
Consider all the nuances and points regarding this main procedure for caring for peonies after flowering.
Is pruning necessary and why?
When a peony bush stops blooming, it loses most of its decorative effect. The bush now represents as yet green plant, but with already withered, dried buds. Inexperienced gardeners often immediately make a radical pruning of the bush. However, quick pruning in this case is highly undesirable.
The fact is that through green leaves, the peony carries out the processes of its photosynthesis, which, as you know, benefit the roots. That is, by cutting a bush early, you will deprive its roots of the opportunity to get stronger, to lay flower buds for the next season. And as a result, next year there will be no lush flowering, and there will be no normal greenery: the bush will weaken. If you cut the peony in this way for several seasons in a row, this can achieve the death of the bush.
In order to avoid such negative consequences, it is necessary to prune - but only after one and a half to two months after the end of flowering.
Important: early pruning will also lead to the fact that seed boxes will not be able to form on the bush: and they can look quite decorative and attractive on the plant.
What does pruning peonies do after flowering? In fact, this procedure is aimed at preparing the plant for wintering. In winter, in the cold, shoots can freeze, so they need pruning. In the spring, the peony will move into active growth and, with proper care, will quickly increase its green mass. In addition, the removal of leaves and shoots helps to protect the plant from the spread of infection and fungus.
Time for the procedure
It has already been said above that peonies should be pruned after flowering no earlier than when one and a half to two months have passed after the last bud has withered. In any case, you must wait until all the flowers on the bush dry up.
The buds are the first to be cut - usually they are simply cut off. Then comes the part of the stem directly adjacent to the buds: it is already cut off with a pruner. Leaves are recommended to be left intact as long as possible: it is through them that the process of photosynthesis is carried out. Nai best time for the initial trimming of peonies - in August.
The final pruning is done in early October. The procedure is performed only after the bush "lies" on the garden. Pruning is done at the root, after which, after a while, the stumps are covered for the winter.
Trimming Rules
After flowering, carefully inspect the bush for signs of a fungal infection. If spots on the leaves are found, it is necessary to remove such greenery along with the shoots urgently, without waiting for the due date. And if the fungus was found, after removing the affected parts, treat the plant with preparations containing copper for prevention.
Then cut the buds - by the time of the procedure, absolutely all the buds on the bush should already wither. Shoots adjacent to the buds are also subject to pruning.
What is left of the bud is removed to the first leaf. But if this leaf is weak, then the pruning is extended to the first strong leaf. It is better to remove buds with shoots with secateurs so that the roots of the plant are not injured or stretched.
After removing the buds, at least a couple of leaves should remain on each shoot. An exception is made only if the deciduous part of the peony bush obscures other plants in the flower bed from the sun. To avoid this, it is better to immediately plant a sprawling peony in the background.
Next, you need to leave the bush alone for one and a half to two months, so that the leaves have time to carry out the photosynthesis processes necessary for the plant. In early October, the final pruning follows: only stumps 1-2 cm high are left from the bush.
Pruning tree peony
The main pruning of a tree peony is done in the spring, as this plant needs shaping. At the same time, sanitary pruning is performed.
After flowering, the shrub is also pruned. The procedure is carried out in October-early November: the bush is shortened by two-thirds. The autumn pruning of a tree peony is aimed at improving the frost resistance of the plant.
Some varieties of tree peony are not pruned at all in the fall. This is done with those varieties in which flower buds are formed on last year's shoots. After pruning such a peony, next year you can get a “bare” shrub without flowers.
Peonies younger than three years of age are not subjected to pruning: these plants need only weeding, loosening, watering. You don’t even need to feed them, since the nutrients laid down during planting have not yet been used up.
After pruning, be sure to remove all removed parts of the plants from the site: they must be collected in a heap and burned. The measure will help protect the garden from the spread of fungus, infection, and pests.
Watch a video on how to properly prune a peony after flowering.
Florist mistakes
The main mistakes when caring for peonies after flowering are associated with pruning plants. Consider the most common problems that arise in this case.
Pruning immediately after flowering
The most common and sad mistake - it is usually made by beginners. If you cut off the green mass immediately after flowering, this will not give the peony the opportunity to accumulate enough nutrients for the winter. The next growing season will be sad: the plant is unlikely to please with lush flowers and bright foliage.
Pruning too late
If the bush “overstays”, this fact will not allow the root system to be updated normally, and may lead to the decay of individual rhizomes. This is fraught with disease, and even death of the whole plant.
Removing still blooming buds
Cutting off shoots with blooming buds for a bouquet, you, of course, will please yourself with flowers that have stood for a couple of days in a vase. But the decorativeness of the bush and the number of buds in the peony on next year will noticeably decrease.
Shelter
The procedure for sheltering peonies for the winter is carried out only after pruning. If the soil in the garden is dry, it is necessary to water it qualitatively and abundantly: this will increase the frost resistance of the roots. Then you need to make the last top dressing in the current season.
The stumps remaining from the peony are mulched with peat, the layer should be quite thick: this will help protect the plant from freezing.
We learned what care a peony needs after flowering. The plant needs fertilizing, watering and, of course, pruning. But not immediately after flowering, but after at least a month and a half. Properly performing all the care procedures, you will annually enjoy a luxuriantly flowering peony bush in the garden.
How many pleasant minutes these flowers gave us! This summer, for many summer residents, they were all a delight and a feast for the eyes. The fragrant lush caps of peonies attracted the eye like a magnet. But now the bushes are “headless” - the delicate fragrant petals have already flown around, and some flower growers have a hand reaching for scissors and secateurs to cut the plants. Is it worth it to hurry?
An experienced amateur grower Anna Blazhko from Minsk does not recommend pruning peonies now:
After all, it is during this period that new flower buds are laid, which will ensure lush flowering next summer. In addition, now there is an accumulation of nutrients that will help peonies develop better and not get sick, so there is still no need to rush to get rid of the leaves. In addition, cutting off peonies at the root, you can noticeably weaken and even destroy the bushes of these magnificent flowers.
In order for peonies to surprise with exquisite beauty next year, you need to leave the lower part of the peduncle with 2-3 leaves. And cut the bush under the root only in the fall, after the onset of stable frosts. At the same time, leave stumps 2-3 cm high above the kidneys, securely covering them for the winter.
Now is the time to take care of the nutrition of peonies, says a gardening specialist. It is known that bushes under the age of three years must be regularly watered and loosen the soil under them. And older peonies - to feed, and you will have to do this at least three times before the end of the season. Having taken care of the peonies after flowering, next summer you will not have to experience disappointment that the flowers are weak and faded, and besides, they were noticeably crushed.
When to fuel
First feeding peonies spend in early spring as soon as the snow begins to melt. 10-15 g of nitrogen and 10-20 g of potassium are poured onto the soil around the bush. When fertilizing, you should avoid getting dressings on the neck of the bush. When the fertilizers dissolve under the onslaught of melt water, they will penetrate deeper into the soil and feed the peonies.
Second top dressing necessary when buds are tied on the bushes. This will favorably affect the shape and beauty of flowers. For top dressing, you will need 15-20 g of phosphorus, 10-15 g of potassium and 8-10 g of nitrogen.
Third top dressing should be done two weeks after flowering. But before that, peonies should sit on a starvation ration. After that, the best fertilizer for them is potassium-phosphorus: 10-15 g of potassium and 15-20 g of phosphorus.
Transfer
If necessary, transshipment of peonies can be carried out in spring and even in summer, but this does not affect them in the best way - the plants weaken and do not please with lush color. Therefore, the best time for transplanting bushes is the end of August - the beginning of September. By this time, the bushes have time to get stronger, having accumulated enough nutrients, and the weather still allows them to take root. However, even here there are subtleties.
It is necessary to prepare a place for a future transplant. Since the peony root system is quite weighty, you will have to dig a hole at least 50-60 cm deep in advance. And be sure to cut the bush, leaving only a third of the plant. This operation should be carried out very carefully so as not to break off the roots and buds. Having dug up a bush, you need to carefully examine the roots, remove all diseased and rotten parts, and divide the remaining rhizome into several parts so that there are 5-6 buds for each division. The blanks prepared for planting are planted in a permanent place, while the uppermost kidney should be at a depth of at least 5 cm.
Another nuance: the soil around the transplanted peonies should not be trampled down so as not to damage the kidneys. After the transplant is completed, the bushes must be watered and humus added.
WHAT NOT TO FORGET
Beauty without pause
July is full of bright colors. Roses are fragrant, bells are “ringing”, quivering petals of delicate clematis are blooming, loosestrife trees are burning with sunlight, lychnis are pleasing to the eye ... But, in addition to peonies, many other plants have already faded. What to do with them to make the site look well-groomed?
To keep the flower beds always beautiful, inspect them regularly, Anna Blazhko advises. Cut off faded heads - this will make it possible to extend the flowering period (fuchsias, lupins) or force the plants to bloom a second time (delphiniums, garden geraniums).
Tie high perennials to pegs. Regularly check and update climbing and creeping plant supports, trim them. If necessary, pinch off the side buds if you want to grow one large flower (clematis, honeysuckle, roses), and vice versa, remove the central bud if you want many small flowers per plant (dahlias).
Some amateur flower growers make the mistake of prematurely digging out faded but not ripe bulbs of hyacinths, tulips and daffodils. And someone decides to do this in order to replace with other plants the plantings that have lost their decorative effect. However, optimal time excavations - the first half of July, when the leaves turned yellow and fell down. If you dig bulbs with green, not completely fallen leaves, they will be underdeveloped and will not resist disease well.
It is no less a mistake when the bulbs are not dug up every year. The secret is that for the ripening of a tulip bulb, a constant temperature of about 20 degrees is required, and for hyacinths - at least 26. In addition, when grown without digging, the bulbs quickly deepen and it is impossible to get babies from them. Plants turn into weeds, and getting rid of them can be difficult.
After digging up tulips in this area, it is necessary to plant green manure plants or ornamental summers - such as marigolds, calendula, nasturtium, whose root secretions suppress pathogenic microflora.
Practice shows that tulips can be cultivated on the same beds for several years in a row, with strict adherence to certain rules. It is necessary to inspect the plantings of tulips as often as possible. The diseased plant must be removed along with the bulb, roots and adjacent soil, and the hole should be filled with a hot solution (0.5%) of potassium permanganate. The temperature of the solution can be from 70 to 100 degrees, but care must be taken not to damage the roots of neighboring plants when watering with this solution.
CURIOUS
Probably, not everyone knows that there is a relationship between the color and aroma of rose flowers. Dark roses tend to smell stronger than light ones, and varieties with thick petals are more fragrant than those with thin ones. The aroma of roses is also influenced by weather conditions. When cool, when the sky is covered with clouds, the aroma of roses is weaker, and in hot and dry weather it intensifies. The researchers say that roses grown in heavy, nutrient-rich soils smell stronger than those grown in light, well-permeable soils. However, an excess of nutrients slows down the formation of volatile substances and makes roses less fragrant.
Anna SNEGINA
Peonies do not require much effort from the grower: they are even transplanted about once every 10-12 years. But still, they can not be considered "weeds" growing on their own. After the peonies have faded, they need to be worked on a little.
pruning
Fading flowers, even those that were not required for bouquets, must be cut off. But this must be done without fanaticism. Firstly, for the time being (namely, until autumn), the peduncle should not be cut off much. Secondly, experts advise leaving a few flowers per bush so that they calmly bear fruit. Yes, this is not a very aesthetic sight, but it has been proven that this way the bush develops better and prepares for the next season. The shoots themselves with leaves do not touch until late autumn!
Withered flowers are cut with a minimum section of the peduncle
In order for the renewal buds to develop well underground, which will give fresh shoots in the spring, it is important that the bush stands with leaves all summer. It is worth cutting off the entire above-ground part only after the first frosts, and better - directly in preparation for winter, when, having cut off the shoots, the remains of the plant are immediately covered with a 10-centimeter layer of mulching material, better - humus.
Pruning techniques differ between traditionally grown herbaceous peonies and rarer tree peonies. The latter have strong stems (it is because of them that the peony got the name tree-like). These strong stems should never be pruned. Pruning tree peonies is cosmetic in nature and is usually carried out in the spring, when the weakest and most withered branches are removed.
The tree peony has stems like wood, they should not be touched
top dressing
In order for the underground buds to be strong, it is important to provide the peony with nutrition. After flowering, the peony needs potassium and phosphorus. Actually, even in the ashes there is enough phosphorus, although it is considered a typical potash fertilizer. Make an infusion of liter jar ash on a bucket of water and water the bushes with it (depending on age, this bucket is spent on 2-3 bushes). A month later, the same top dressing is repeated by adding a pinch of boric acid to the bucket. At the end of summer, peonies are watered with ash infusion again. If peonies have been fed with phosphorus for a long time, ash is indispensable: at least a teaspoon of superphosphate must be added to the bush. Top dressing with organic matter (mullein with water 1:10) can be given immediately after flowering, and later it is not worth it: peonies do not need nitrogen in summer.
Ash is an excellent source of potassium, but it also contains some phosphorus.
Watering and loosening
Water peonies infrequently, but plentifully. An adult bush requires up to 3 buckets of water 2 times a month, unless, of course, there are heavy rains. When watering, it must be borne in mind that the roots grow further than the periphery of the bush, so water is poured not only “under the root”. If it is dry and hot, you may need to water weekly.
After irrigation, a shallow loosening of the soil is carried out or it is mulched with a thin layer of any bulk material. At the bush itself, you should not loosen deeper than 5 cm, further - up to 10–12 cm.
Transfer
If the bushes are already more than 8-10 years old, it may be worth transplanting them. But if the flowering is stable and plentiful, this is not the time yet. The bush itself, with its size and flowering, will tell you that it is already crowded in the old place, that it needs to be dug up, carefully divided into divisions and seated in new planting pits. Transplantation is carried out from mid-August to mid (and somewhere - the end) of September.
Peonies have faded: what to do next - video
Peonies are undemanding flowers, but they require a minimum of care. In this case, we must not forget about the plants even after the end of flowering. Caring for a peony is simple, but they are necessary.
Peonies - very beautiful flowers. They bloom in the spring, when the gardens are covered with lush greenery, and delight us with huge flowers of various colors and shapes. Their only drawback can be considered a short flowering period. In order for peonies to bloom and delight the eye with a large number lush flowers you need to take proper care of them. This is both feeding and watering. One of the important stages in the care is cutting the bush. Should it be done, and if so, when?
Types of peonies
Peonies grow in the wild. But breeders are constantly creating new varieties, and now there are about 4.5 thousand of them. All of them are divided into herbaceous and tree-like. Herbaceous plants produce stems every year, many of which are crowned with buds. After flowering, they wither or lose their petals. It depends on the variety of peonies. After the flower fades, a box with seeds forms in its place. In autumn, the stems and leaves freeze slightly and disappear. And in the spring, new ones form.
Tree-like or semi-shrub reach a height of more than a meter. Their stems do not disappear in winter. They are quite cold hardy. They can live up to a hundred years.
Peony flowers are terry of various densities, anemic, non-double.
Flowering time depends on the climate zone and variety. They are early, medium flowering and late.
Care
Peonies are very undemanding plants. It's easy to take care of them. They tolerate winter well, can grow in one place for a long time, up to fifteen years. They bloom in the spring, when there is still a supply of moisture in the ground. But during the period of laying replacement buds, he needs water. If the soil is dry, then the peony needs to be watered. After the moisture is absorbed into the soil, it is loosened, but not deep - up to 8 cm. Otherwise, young shoots and even tubers of the plant can be damaged.
Weeds around the peony are removed. But they don't grow very fast. After all, the peony has a dense wide crown, which suppresses young weeds at a young age. The soil around the bush can be covered with a layer of mulch. It will protect the flower from drying out the soil and the appearance of weeds.
Peony responds well to top dressing. When planting under the root, such an amount of fertilizer is applied, which is enough for three years. Then the bush needs to be fertilized by adding nitrogen and potassium. This is done for the first time when the sprouts reach 10 cm. When the buds appear, they are fed a second time. Then, during and after flowering, potassium and phosphorus are added.
You can feed with infusions of mullein or chicken manure.
But you should not fertilize the peony heavily. An excess of added substances leads to the opposite result.
Pruning in the first years of life
Gardeners want to quickly see how a new plant blooms. But there is no need to rush. The buds of the first and second year must be cut before flowering, immediately after they appear. This will give impetus to the growth of the bush, and then abundant flowering. After all, a lot of strength and energy goes into the formation of a bud and flowering, which a young plant has little. Remove the flower itself. Do it in the morning or in the evening. The stem and leaf are not removed. This weakens the plant.
When should peonies be pruned after flowering? In the third year after the start of bud formation, they are allowed to bloom.
Should I prune peonies after flowering? This is done immediately after they bloom. The heads are removed, leaving only a few top flowers on the bush. Then the bush in the following years forms a large number of buds. They do the same the next year. In tree peonies, you can adjust the size of the flower. In order for them to be large, a third of the formed buds are cut off.
Some experts argue that in the first years the flowers are allowed to bloom, and cut off immediately after withering. Deciding whether to prune peonies after flowering or before it is necessary based on the condition of the bush. If it is quite developed, then you can leave it. If weak - it is better to remove.
When to prune
Can peonies be cut back after flowering? After the last flower withers, the peony bush loses its attractive appearance. There are protruding heads with wilted or fallen flowers. There is an irresistible desire to cut them off, and even better - to cut off the entire bush. After all, he has already faded, and there is nothing to expect from him until next spring.
But you should not do this. Otherwise, instead of a lush bouquet next year, the peony will give you a bunch of leaves, and even those will become weaker over the years. After all, when peonies are cut off after flowering very early, the plant will not have time to form buds, from which flower stalks will subsequently grow. In addition, the plant needs to accumulate strength and more nutrients during the growing season. Photosynthesis takes place in the leaves under the influence of sunlight. And if there are none, who will take care of the growth of the peony tuber?
When can peonies be pruned after flowering? You need to wait until all the flowers fade or fall off. During this time, the plant will gain the necessary substances for subsequent development.
You can not cut a peony in late summer or early autumn.
In autumn, undeveloped stems are removed from an annual plant.
In older plants, old and weak shoots are cut off.
How to crop
After flowering, the remains of the bud are removed to the first leaf or, if it is weak, above a strong leaf. Do it with secateurs so as not to pull out the root. After cutting, at least two sheets should remain on the sheet.
Cutting stems to the ground is not worth it. After all, they care about the accumulation useful substances. But sometimes it is necessary to cut, as the leaves, which have lost their presentation, obscure young beautiful plants in the flower bed. In this case, it is advised to cut off half the leaves. Shoots that did not bloom do not touch.
When planning a flower bed, you can place peonies in the background. Then they will not interfere with seeing the flowers that will grow later.
Pruning as a disease prevention
Carefully inspect the entire bush. Pruned diseased and withered shoots. They can be affected by diseases and provoke the development of the fungus. Therefore, all cut parts of the plant are carried away from the bush.
When are peonies cut off after flowering completely? This must be done when it is affected by a nematode or leaf rot. In the first case, the leaves lose their usual shape, in the second they become gray.
To save the bush, you need to cut it completely, change the soil to a new one. All cut parts of the bush are burned.
Should I prune peonies after flowering?
Not necessary. In the future, they form a box with seeds, which looks quite decorative. If your peonies are planted in a free place where they dominate, then it is quite possible to leave them uncircumcised until the fall. And after the first frost, when the stems fall to the ground, they are cut off, leaving stems 2 cm long. If there is a threat of freezing, then you need to cover the roots well. You can use dry peat for this.
If you want to grow new plants from seeds, then you do not need to cut the boxes. But their poor germination makes this process problematic.
Do peonies need to be trimmed after flowering if they are planted in a flower bed where you have flowers of all seasons? This will be a rational decision, otherwise their bushes will cover the beauty of growing plants from the sun and from your eyes. You just need to do it on time and right.
pruning tree peony
Tree peonies are pruned in early April. Then remove all weak, broken and dry branches. After bud break, control pruning is carried out. Break off excess shoots that thicken the bush. A tree-like peony can be grown as a tree, with one trunk, it can be in the form of a bush - with several trunks. In both cases, it will take up much more space than grassy.
Do peonies need to be pruned after flowering on a tree plant? They are removed in the same way as on grassy ones.
Tree peonies are not pruned in autumn. For three years they are sheltered from frost. This procedure is especially needed for grafted tree peonies. They are warmed even at an older age.
Why is the peony not blooming
The main indicator of the normal development of the bush is abundant flowering. Sometimes peony bushes refuse to bloom for many years. This can happen for several reasons.
- The bush is planted in a dark place, near the building.
- The soil under the bush is very wet, and there is no drainage.
- The peony is planted very deeply. The root neck is below ground level at a distance of 5 cm.
- The soil in the area is very acidic. In this case, it must be notified.
- Freezing of kidneys during spring frosts.
- Dry soil and lack of top dressing.
- When peonies are pruned after flowering too early, and the plant did not have time to take from the soil right amount nutrients.
- When planting and dividing the root, the kidneys are incorrectly distributed. Weak roots cannot cope with a large number of shoots.
- The plant has not been transplanted for a long time (more than fifteen years)
Cropping errors
When peonies are pruned incorrectly after flowering, the following problems may arise:
- If done too early, they may grow back and bloom. But in the winter they will definitely freeze.
- If the shoots are cut too late, the root may rot.
- Cutting off a lot of stems with flowers for bouquets weakens the bush.
Culture demands proper preparation to frost. Thanks to a number of events, many beautiful flowers will appear next year. For the winter, peonies should be cut at a certain period of time. A prematurely carried out procedure will deprive the plants of the necessary nutrients, and a late one can cause death.
Does it need to be cut
Peonies should be pruned 2 times: after flowering and in autumn. In the first case, you need to wait until all the inflorescences have faded. If you take your time with the procedure, more beautiful flowers will appear next year. Exceptions are the need to grow seeds or increase the size of the inflorescence. It will be possible to obtain seed material only after waiting for the full maturation of the boxes. For growing large buds - leave 2-3 top flowers.
autumn pruning pions are also required to be carried out so that plants do not spend energy on the aerial part in winter instead of developing the root system. Another reason is diseases of a fungal and bacterial nature, often affecting leaves in the fall. The need and rules for pruning depends on the type and variety.
Timing of the procedure
Dried flowers can be harvested after the bush has completely faded. Often the procedure is carried out at the end of June, July. In autumn, pruning peonies should be postponed until it gets colder. External sign readiness of the plant - lowering the branches to the ground, dried, withered leaves. This indicates the end of physiological processes, readiness to overwinter without negative impact. environment. In case of infection, preparation for winter should be carried out earlier by treating the cut sites and the soil around with a fungicide solution.
Beginning flower growers prune peonies already in August. You can't do this.
The root system still needs the supply of nutrients produced by photosynthesis. Optimal time for most regions - the end of October or the beginning of November. You can even wait for the first autumn frosts at night.
Cutting technology
Stems with dried flowers should not be cut off completely, but leaving 2-3 leaves on the shoot. Remove the rest along with the rest of the shoots. It is important to consider the type of peony - grassy or tree-like. Pruning before winter must be carried out correctly, taking into account agrotechnical recommendations and varietal characteristics.
Necessary activities:
- preparation of tools;
- removal of branches;
- cleaning and burning of plant residues;
- feeding;
- warming before winter.
Garden tools must be processed before use so that pathogenic infections from other crops do not penetrate through the cut points. It is enough to wash and wipe with alcohol.
The remote aerial part of peonies is a carrier of pathogens, and can also serve as a home for rodents, insect larvae. For this reason, it cannot be used to warm the root system before winter, added to compost. Cut branches must be removed from the site, dried and burned.
As top dressing, use mineral complexes containing phosphorus and potassium, which are required for the development of roots. Nitrogen cannot be applied, since it causes active growth of the aerial part. Compost and rotted manure can be added closer to frost because these are nitrogen-containing additives. Peonies love bone meal, in preparation for winter, 1 cup can be added under each bush. Wood ash is used as a fertilizer, a protective agent against diseases, it is required to sprinkle the surface of the earth and sections. Autumn top dressing will make it easier to transfer pruning, promotes renewal of the root system.
Peonies are frost-resistant plants, withstand frosts down to -15 ... -34 ° C. At the same time, experienced gardeners recommend warming bushes in regions with cold winters, as well as in the absence of snow. After pruning grassy varieties, you can pour a layer of peat, sawdust, compost or cover with spruce branches. For tree-like ones, you will have to cover the surface of the soil with peat, build a hut from coniferous twigs on the remaining shoots, and wrap it with twine. To protect from moisture, cover with a film, leaving air. Hybrids are the most susceptible to freezing.
herbaceous
Cut off the branches of these varieties of pions should be almost at the root. It is permissible to leave stumps 1-2 cm high, but no more. The tool must be sharp, previously disinfected, without the remains of earth and other plants. Through the place of the cut, an infection can enter the bush, which will lead to its death.
After pruning before winter, sprinkle fertilizer on the surface of the soil and loosen, mixing the additive with the top layer of soil. It is allowed to sprinkle the hemp resulting from the procedure with earth, mulch. The main thing is not to forget to remove the extra shelter in the spring.
Treelike
Beginning gardeners sometimes prune peonies too much, removing the skeletal branches. You can’t do this, because the first two years after that there will be no flowering. Tree-like varieties form or rejuvenate before winter. To give a decorative shape, it is allowed to leave stems 70-90 cm high. In the spring, many new shoots will appear. The second type of pruning is allowed to be carried out no more than 1 time in 10 years. The need for it is noticeable by the deterioration of growth and flowering.
The technology of pruning tree peonies must not be violated. In the usual preparation before winter, a lignified skeleton should be left, removing only the leaves.
In the spring, the procedure is repeated. This time, shoots without buds, dried up, broken branches are cut. For the purpose of rejuvenation, all healthy stems are shortened to the first bud.
Peonies need to be prepared for winter. Pruning is carried out in the fall in accordance with the varietal characteristics of the plant. It is important to disinfect working tools; after the procedure, the bushes should be fed and sheltered from frost. Cut branches should not be used as insulation.
