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Help with Peonies

Alfie_Alfie_ Posts: 456
in Plants
Hi,

I have two established peonies of the same variety but I’m different borders that we inherited when we moved to this house last year. Towards they end of May this year they produced lovely blooms. However, we didn’t get many blooms and the blooms all occurred near the front mainly rather than all over the plant? 

I checked online and it has plenty of Sun and I also don’t think they are buried too deep. I thought they might need splitting but online it seems to say they can go 20 years without splitting. I also think the bush/plant should be bigger? I thought they were best part of a metre tall which none of them are.

Here is the first one which produced these 6 blooms total and all located at the front.



This second one I only kept a shot of when it was fading out:



Again, all at the front but more blooms on this one but it is bigger. This second one produced 4-5 buds that never opened.

Any advice/help is much appreciated.

thanks. 

Posts

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    It might depend on how long they'd been planted prior to you buying the house. If they're still comparatively young then l think they're doing ok.

    I would try and clear the area around the second plant in particular. I don't think they like being too crowded and the Spanish bluebells (l think that's what they are) can really cover the soil.
    You could try digging down to find them now,  but they go down to quite a tremendous depth,so it might be necessary to wait until next Spring to get them out.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited September 2022
    @Alfie_ I think the clue may be that they are flowering where they get most sun. The wall and the shading in your second photo shows this, they need full sun. Sometimes poor flowering can be a result of planting too deeply.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Alfie_Alfie_ Posts: 456
    Thanks for this. Am I right in what I said about peonies do not need dividing usually? Compared to other perennials that can start to flower less if you don’t divide them e.g. Irsis. Would you recommend once the leaves have fully died back (November) and I cut them to the ground it would be worth carefully digging them up and re-planting right out in full sun? Then could also check if depth is an issue too. 
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Personally l wouldn't divide them, they look fine at the size they are in my opinion  :)
    Depending on whereabouts you are in the UK, you could move them at the end of next month.

    https://www.rhsplants.co.uk/features/_/plant-features/peonies/articleid.1275/#:~:text=The time to move peonies,40 flowers when left alone. 
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    They are flowering where they get the most moisture. The ground near the wall will always be very dry, especially this year. I would also leave them alone, perhaps give them a feed next Spring.
  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    They are flowering as normal, given that they only receive sun from one side. If you want the flowers to point in all directions, you'd need the plant in the middle of an open space with sun on all sides through the day. What is happening is less that only one side is producing flowers, more that flower buds produced at the back grow longer stems to ensure the flower, when open, is in the sun. This is a normal response for all flowering plants. If you had tulips against a wall they'd lean forwards towards the light as well. 

    One thing you could try would be to put in more supports to keep the flowers upright. I'd hesitate to move them, as it will take a couple of years for them to settle down and during that time they may not flower at all.
  • Alfie_Alfie_ Posts: 456
    Great, thanks for the advice! I will leave them, feed them in spring and use supports. 
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I use peony supports like this style (other suppliers are available). 

    https://www.homeandgardenextras.com/garden-pride-heavy-duty-peony-cage-plant-support-p319
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