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How & When To Plant Peonies: Tips & Tricks

pink peony

Summer has just begun, but it won’t be long before fall rears its head again. If you’re looking for the perfect flower to plant in the autumn, then Peonies are your ticket to a gorgeous garden.

These fragrant flowers are best planted in the autumn or spring, but since the winter frost doesn’t kill them, you can plant them in whichever season you like. We’ll discuss how to plant Peonies in a simple way that will leave your garden bursting with color before you know it.

garden flower divider

Start With a Plant, Not Seeds

It’s best to start with a plant that will guarantee that you have a flowering plant this spring. If you plant seeds instead, there’s no guarantee they’ll be ready or bloom when springtime rolls around.

Peony
Image Credit: Nile, Pixabay

Plant In the Fall

The best time to plant Peonies, though they can be planted in any season, is in the fall. You might not be that happy about the colder weather outside, but your Peony plants will be. From late September to early November is prime planting time for Peonies.

Always Sunny and Not Too Deep

Peonies thrive in sunlight, so avoid planting them in the shady part of your garden. The more sunlight the plants can get, the happier and prettier they will be. It’s also better to plant them only one to two inches underground for the best results.

A good rule to follow is to ensure that the Peony plant’s crown is at eye level when it’s planted.

person holding a gardening tool
Image Credit: kenny eliason, Unsplash

Don’t Water the Leaves

When watering your Peony plant, it’s better t to water the base of the plant instead of the leaves. Too much water on the leaves can result in diseases that will kill your Peonies. It’s best to water Peonies once a week for the best results.

Mark Your Peonies with a Plant Stake

Once your Peonies are planted and watered, mark them with a plant stake so that you won’t step on the plants when they’re lying dormant for the winter. If you trample the fresh plants, it’ll injure the stems and hinder the plant’s development.

raised beds vegetable garden
Image Credit: HollyHarry, Shutterstock

Peony Varieties

Now that you know when and how to plant your Peony plants let’s examine the varieties of Peonies you can use in your garden.

Varieties:
  • Big Ben: Big Ben Peonies have a heady aroma combined with gorgeous magenta flowers.
  • Sweet Marjorie: Sweet Marjorie smells nice and boasts dark-pink blooms.
  • Pillow Talk: With its touches of yellow on flowerheads that are pink and gigantic, Pillow Talk Peonies are a perfect addition to any garden.
  • Festiva Maxima: Festiva Maxima Peonies feature magenta specks on fragrant white blooms.
  • Spider Green: Spider Green Peonies have large white petals with a bold yellow center.

These are a few of the varieties of Peony plants you can put in your garden this fall to burst forth with sweet fragrances and bold colors in the spring. You can plant all the varieties for a garden full of color.

garden flower divider

Final Thoughts

We hope this guide will help you populate your garden with just a few of the most popular and fragrant flowers that an avid gardener can have. Peonies are not difficult to grow or care for, and when they bloom, your neighbors may be envious of your extraordinary garden.


Featured Image Credit: ghorng, Pixabay

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