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Peonies not flowering

DorcascentsDorcascents Posts: 132
in Problem solving
3container peonies  and  2 garden peonies have no buds yet.despite feeding anx watering.1 garden peony has many stems no buds should i have thinned them out
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Posts

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Have they ever flowered @Dorcascents ?
    It maybe that they are planted too deeply. I have never heard of thinning out peonies, although l believe you can divide them.
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    They could be planted too deeply. Peonies won't flower if the roots are more than an inch or so below ground level. If you can't see the knobbly roots then you may need to lift them and replant a little higher, but it would probably be better now to wait for autumn before disturbing them.
    Young plants sometimes need a year or two before they are strong enough to bloom.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'd agree - it's most likely they're too deep. It's the most common reason for them not flowering.  :)
    It looks like a very mature plant, so there's no obvious reason otherwise. You can divide them, but you wouldn't thin them out. Not really the right time to divide either though. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • DorcascentsDorcascents Posts: 132
    Thank you all for you comments, Fairygirl,Buttercupdays, and AnniD. One in a planter i didn't expect to flower as it is only a year old. The others have flowered really well for last 2 years.I can see the crown and eyes of all but 1 which i will sort out in the Autumn.I had never heard of thinning out so thought i would ask. Apologies for not turning the photo before posting.
  • seacrowsseacrows Posts: 234
    If you're feeding too much or the wrong type of food the plant can be triggered into producing foliage rather than flowers. Peonies don't tend to need much food even in poor soils.
  • DorcascentsDorcascents Posts: 132
    SEACROWS, Thank you, even thought the plants have had blooms in the past, i think i have given them the wrong feed. I have used Tomato feed in the past. Perhaps i should have used an Ericaceous feed maybe.
     Thank you for your comment. If  i change the feed, i doubt they will bloom this year now. will they bloom better next year. 
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I must admit l don't feed my peonies specifically at all.
    They might  be lucky and get a bit of Growmore or similar feed when l throw it on the borders in Spring, but thats it.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I do the same as @AnniD. A bit of general purpose slow release food. Mine is in the gravel, right next to the house wall, as it's a warmer and drier [in theory] site, so it's easier to do that rather than pull all the gravel back and apply compost etc.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    @Fairygirl, any chance of some photos of your garden ? I'd love to see it  :)

    I have taken some photos of the one peony that l rescued nearly 2 years ago and will post later.
    @Dorcascents, l'm sure your peony will flower next year, just remember to treat 'em mean  :)
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I don't have any of the peony really @AnniD , the white never comes out well. 
    I changed a lot of the back garden last year - took out the grass, new pond, and the back fence border had to be changed too as I had to redo some fence posts. That's still a work in progress
    This was last October


    This was at the beginning of May, taken from the house. I constantly move pots around according to what's in season too. There's another clematis on the fence now too - just planted


    I don't have any current pix of the bit at the other end - to the right of that 2nd pic, where I have a screen, and a border beyond that. That's where the pond used to be. I'll try and take a photo later. The borders against the house wall are the sunniest bit, and have been changed around a bit as well, because I moved the growhouse.
    I get bored easily and just change stuff when that happens   :D

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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