Peonies, the old-fashioned favorite in the flower garden, are beloved for the beauty of their exquisite flowers. They show up, steal the spotlight with their voluminous, luscious blooms, and then… poof! They’re gone. It’s like they’re saying, “I’ve given you my best, now it’s your turn to take care of me.” But what should you do once the blooms have faded? Cut them back, give them a trim, or fertilize?
While peonies are pretty low-maintenance, needing just full sun and well-drained soil, the care you give them after their grand blooming show can make a huge difference. With the right post-flowering care, you can keep those beautiful bushes healthy and happy until their next big show come spring.
With late spring peony care in mind, here’s a look at what to do and what not to do with these gorgeous bushes once their flowers start to fade and until next spring.
Understanding Peony Bloom Cycles
Peony season really is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of event, isn’t it? These beauties put on their spectacular show for about four to six weeks in late spring. When it comes to peonies, understanding their bloom cycles is the key to maintaining their breathtaking beauty year after year.
Herbaceous Peonies: These are the crowd favorites, like Paeonia officinalis and Paeonia lactiflora. Often called bush peonies, they have a fascinating life cycle. They die back to the ground in winter, only to burst forth with new growth in spring.
Tree Peonies: Tree peonies are the stoic cousins of the herbaceous types. Unlike their bushy relatives, tree peonies don’t die back in winter unless it gets extremely cold. They have a woody structure that remains year-round, giving them a stately presence in the garden. Plus, they can handle warmer weather better than herbaceous peonies.
Intersectional Peonies (Itoh Peonies): Intersectional or Itoh peonies are the best of both worlds, a delightful hybrid between herbaceous and tree peonies. These beauties boast more flowers and have longer blooming periods. They combine the hardiness and die-back nature of herbaceous peonies with the woody structure and prolonged bloom time of tree peonies.
7 Must-Do Post-Bloom Care Tips for Peonies for Bigger, Better Blooms Next Season!
Once the spectacular show of peony blooms comes to an end, the care you give them can significantly impact their health and vibrant display next year. Let’s go through some essential post-bloom care tips to keep your peonies thriving and ready for the next blooming cycle.
1: Deadheading Peony Blooms When They Start to Wilt or Fade
Deadheading peony blooms after they start to fade is one of the most critical steps to ensure your plants thrive. When you remove the spent flowers, you help redirect the plant’s energy back into its roots and foliage, allows the smaller side blooms to receive all the root’s energy and bloom faster, keeping the flowers blooming longer!
Plus you’ll ensure the plants continue looking good, continue making food, and prevent disease simply by cutting off the old flowers.
Here are some straightforward steps for deadheading peonies correctly:
- Identify Spent Blooms: Look for flowers that are damaged, showing signs of disease, or have lost their petals.
- Use Clean Shears: Always use a clean, sharp pair of pruning shears or scissors. Clean cuts heal faster and reduce the risk of infection.
- Cut Back to the First Full Set of Leaves: This helps maintain as much foliage as possible, which is essential for photosynthesis and energy storage.
2: Fertilizing Peony Bushes in Spring After They Finish Blooming
After you’ve removed the spent blooms, it’s time to give your peony bushes a nutrient boost. You might be wondering, “Isn’t fertilizing a spring activity?” But believe it or not, fertilizing your peonies post-bloom in late spring and early summer helps them recover and sets the stage for a fantastic bloom cycle next year.
After their springtime display, your peonies are often quite spent. They’ve poured their energy into blooming, leaving the surrounding soil depleted of nutrients. Fertilizing them now replenishes these nutrients and prepares them for vigorous growth in the coming year.
When choosing a fertilizer, look for slow-release granular fertilizers with more phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) than nitrogen (N). They still need nitrogen for strong foliage, but phosphorus and potassium are essential for root health and flower production.
When applying fertilizer, opt for a bulb fertilizer or bone meal, as they typically offer the right nutrient balance for peonies. Follow the instructions on the fertilizer packaging carefully to avoid over-fertilizing, which can harm the roots. Scatter the fertilizer evenly around the base of the plant, taking care not to let it touch the stems or leaves.
Once the fertilizer is applied, water the soil thoroughly. This helps the nutrients penetrate the soil and reach the roots effectively.
If you’re still concerned about the soil’s nutrient levels, consider giving your peonies another light dose of an N-P-K ratio near 5-10-10 or 10-15-15 fertilizer at the end of summer. This extra feeding allows the roots to absorb more nutrients as they prepare for winter dormancy.
3: Don’t Transplant Them In Spring or Summer
A common mistake many gardeners make is trying to move or transplant peony bushes after they finish flowering in spring or summer. Instead, fall is the optimal time for moving or dividing your peony bushes.
Transplanting peonies in spring or summer exposes them to intense heat, which can be very stressful for their root systems. This stress can stunt their growth and delay blooming by an additional year, resulting in lackluster flowers the following season.
Fall’s cooler temperatures are much kinder to peony roots, allowing them to establish themselves just before the plant goes dormant for the winter.
By waiting until fall to move or divide your peonies, you’ll give them a much better chance of thriving and producing those gorgeous blooms the following spring.
4: Keep an Eye For Pests and Diseases in Summer
After your peonies finish their beautiful blooming, it’s super important to keep an eye out for pests and diseases. as the mercury climbs, your peonies can attract a whole host of unwanted guests—aphids, thrips, and ants, oh my! But that’s not all.
One of the sneakiest villains is powdery mildew. This fungus loves warm, humid conditions and can make your vibrant green leaves look like they’ve been dusted with powdered sugar. While it won’t kill your peonies, it does hinder photosynthesis, which means fewer blooms next year.
Spend a few minutes each week inspecting the leaves and stems. Look for any signs of pests or disease. Spot any mildew? Trim off those affected leaves or stems and dispose of them. Clear away fallen leaves and spent blooms. Dead plant material is like an Airbnb for pests and pathogens.
Water early in the morning and aim for the soil, not the leaves. Wet foliage is a fungus’s best friend, so let’s not make it too comfy for them.
If despite your best efforts, powdery mildew rears its ugly head, don’t panic. A spray of whole milk and water (1 part milk to 9 parts water) or neem oil can work wonders.
5: Wait Until the Foliage Browns
When fall rolls in, it’s time to tackle your last big task for peony bushes: prepping them for winter. As the temperatures drop, those once vibrant green leaves start to succumb to the cold, changing to yellow, brown, or even a stunning crimson red, depending on the type.
While it might be tempting to clean up your garden right after the flowers fade, the foliage on your peonies still has some important work to do. So, why should you hold off on using those shears until the leaves start to brown?
After the blooms have had their moment, the leaves are still busy converting sunlight into energy through photosynthesis. This energy gets stored in the roots, giving your peonies the strength they need for next year’s gorgeous flowers.
Cutting back too early interrupts this essential energy storage process. Additionally, healthy, green foliage helps protect the plant from diseases and pests. Trimming too soon can leave your peonies vulnerable to various threats, jeopardizing their overall health.
6: Prune Your Peony Bush to the Ground in Late Fall
While it’s important to wait a bit before cutting back the leaves on your peonies, letting the foliage hang around all winter is a big no-no. That decaying mess can become a cozy home for pests and diseases, just waiting to pounce come spring. Once the leaves start falling, that’s your cue to cut them back and give your plants a fighting chance for a cleaner, healthier next year.
When you’re ready to trim those peonies for winter, grab some clean, sharp shears. Snip all the leaves and stems right down to the soil line. Leave just a tiny bit of stubble to mark where your peonies are, which can be a lifesaver when winter gets really harsh.
After cutting back your peonies, applying a layer of organic mulch over the top of the soil. Mulch helps prepare your peonies for their next growth cycle by keeping the soil moist and preventing the roots from drying out. It acts like insulation, stabilizing soil temperature during the fall and winter.
7: Getting Ready for End of Year Tasks and Winter Dormancy
To mulch correctly, start by removing any old mulch, weeds, and debris around your peonies. Choose a good mulch, like wood chips, and spread a 3-4 inch layer around the base of your peonies, being careful to avoid the stems to prevent rotting. Once you’ve spread the mulch, water thoroughly to help settle it and provide moisture.
Install supports in early spring when the shoots first emerge. Peony cages, stakes and twine, and grid supports are all great options. Position the supports around the plant and guide the stems through as they grow. Adjust as needed to ensure proper support.
