Without enough nutrition, peonies, like all other plants, will quickly lose their decorative qualities, and their flowering will stop in a few years. After all, the content useful substances in the soil is limited, over time the soil becomes depleted, and the flowers begin to lack essential microelements. Feeding peonies in spring and summer is not just necessary - applying fertilizers and stimulants is the key to the long-term beauty of your bushes.
Of course, the most important thing for a peony is water. It dissolves nutrients in the soil surrounding the crop and delivers them to all parts of the plant through suction roots. When growing 3-year-old peonies in 6-liter pots in one warm day (air temperature - 25 ° C) in sunny weather, the soil in them dries out and daily watering is required. And the second observation: under peonies in the garden the soil is always dry, except during the rainy period. If we assume that an adult peony consumes only 1 liter per day, then its need to replenish moisture in the soil in 2 weeks is 14 liters. So, peonies most of all and always need water, and with dry soil, watering is simply necessary! And this is more important than any fertilizer, but you still shouldn’t ignore fertilizing when caring for peonies.
How to feed peonies in early spring for lush flowering?
At the beginning of spring, when it is cold and the ground part is undeveloped, the development plants are coming due to nutrient reserves in the roots. After the leaves unfold, a downward flow (of sugars) occurs from the leaves to the storage roots. This period of presence of two flows of equal intensity during the growth process is very short: from mid-May to early June (2-3 weeks), full height shoot and beginning of flowering for milkweeds. Later, in summer and early autumn, the downward flow of sugars formed during photosynthesis predominates. How to fertilize peonies and when is it necessary to fertilize? It is considered necessary to carry out these activities throughout the growing season. But spring feeding of peonies is especially important during active plant growth. The main nutrients needed for peony growth are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. They are required in significant quantities. Full development is impossible without magnesium, sulfur, boron, iron, copper, zinc, which are needed in smaller doses. They are usually called trace elements. What happens to peonies if there is a lack of fertilizer? With a lack of nitrogen, the leaves, starting from the tips, turn light green and then yellow. Perhaps too much watering and/or rain has washed nitrogen out of the soil. If peonies are not fed enough phosphorus in spring and summer, the leaves first turn dark green, then purple or purple-violet. Darkening begins with the veins and then spreads throughout sheet plate. A brown color appears along the edges of the leaves. Darkened leaves fall off. One reason for this may be the poor availability of phosphorus at acidic (pH<5,5) или, наоборот, щелочных почвах (pH >7). If there is a shortage of fertilizers for peonies containing potassium in spring and summer, the plants' resistance to drought decreases and they wither faster. The edges and tips of the leaves turn yellow-brown and curl. Buds and/or flowers lag behind in development, do not reach normal size. This can often be observed when plants grow too actively.With a lack of magnesium, the areas of the leaves between the veins become yellow or orange. The color change begins at the edges, then spreads toward the center of the leaf. Magnesium is often deficient if the soil in the garden is light and acidic.If peonies are not fed sufficiently in spring and summer with fertilizers containing sulfur, the leaves acquire a whitish, yellow or yellowish-brown tint. The color change starts at the base of the leaves, then spreads to the top. Symptoms appear first on young leaves. This occurs if the soil is poor in organic matter. If you do not fertilize with boron in spring and summer, the leaves on the tops of the shoots turn yellow. Light or dark spots resembling splashes appear on the leaves. Flowering weakens or stops. Lots of barren flowers. With a lack of iron, the leaves become whitish or yellow. The veins remain green. The absorption of iron is inhibited in alkaline or neutral soil, as well as if lime has recently been added to the soil.
If there is a lack of feeding of peonies in spring and summer with fertilizers containing copper, the leaves of the plants turn pale, bend or curl. The cause may be an excess of potassium permanganate, which interferes with the flow of copper into the plant.With a lack of zinc, leaves appear yellow spots. The veins remain green at first, then also turn yellow. Plants are stunted. Below we describe how to feed peonies in the spring for lush flowering bushes
Spring and summer feeding of peonies with fertilizers for flowering
The growth and development of peonies, like other plants, is controlled by special compounds - plant hormones. Auxins stimulate cell growth, and gibberellins determine plant height. These are growth stimulants. But there are other hormones that inhibit the growth and development of the plant. They are called growth inhibitors. If there is a lack of native plant hormones, growth and development may be impaired; in this case, it is advisable to use artificially synthesized analogues of these substances. How to feed peonies in spring and summer so that they actively bloom?
Knowing how to feed peonies in early spring and summer, you will provide the bushes on your site with a long life span and active flowering. Next, you will find out why not, and what to do in this case.
Reasons why peonies do not bloom and what to do in this case
Peonies planted last year or the year before do not bloom. This is fine. Most varieties and hybrids begin to bloom in the third year after planting. Some peonies do not bloom even in the third year. According to some observations, hybrids are ahead of the milky peony variety in development and, as a rule, bloom fully, although not profusely, in the third year. But some varieties, most often red and some of the late-blooming ones, can begin to bloom only in the fourth year. The peonies are 4 years old or more and they are not blooming. If they appearance normal, then there may be several reasons. Below we describe why peonies do not bloom and what to do in this case.- Maybe, planting material was of poor quality or the division was non-standard, too small. In this case, all that remains is to wait.
- Deep landing. The peony rhizome should be located no more than 5-6 cm below the soil level, otherwise they will not bloom. This is especially true for varieties of milky peony. To check, carefully remove the soil above the center or use a wooden probe to determine the depth of the rhizome. If the rhizome is very deep, you should dig up the plant at the end of August, divide it into standard divisions and plant according to the rules.
- The plant was planted close to trees, bushes, large herbaceous perennials with a large root system penetrating into the zone. A transplant to a more suitable location is required.
- The division was planted too large or was transplanted mature plant. In this case, the new one develops poorly root system which provides full development peony Then in the second half of August the peony should be dug up and, following all the rules, divided and planted in a new place.
It is possible that deterioration or cessation of flowering is also possible if the peonies are accidentally covered with soil or, conversely, the rhizome is exposed. Check the planting depth and restore the normal immersion level - 3-5 cm.Peonies are 8-10 years old. Some of them continue to bloom well, but the hybrids began to get sick and bloom worse. Varieties of milky peony with good care can grow in one place and bloom normally for 30-50 years or more. The lifespan of hybrid peonies is limited, and after 8-10 years they are severely affected by gray mold and should be divided and planted again. To combat gray mold, the main disease of peonies, in the spring, during the period of active plant growth, carry out 2-3 sprayings with a solution of copper-containing preparations: Bordeaux mixture, copper sulfate, copper chloride. Concentration - 0.5%. Before feeding peonies and treating them against diseases, use information about recommended preparations and their concentrations for treating peonies in the spring, and beyond. late dates- from late spring with watering and spraying. There may be other reasons why peonies do not bloom. Some of them are discussed below.
- An unsuitable location is too shaded, too dry or waterlogged, near large trees, shrubs or perennials. The plant needs to be replanted.
- Kidney damage due to late spring frosts. Be patient, the peonies should bloom next year if the rhizome itself is not damaged.
- Dry season, lack of moisture during the period of bud formation in the previous year, lack of nutrition.
- Too much vigorous flowering bush last year, excess buds were not removed. They should be removed before flowering next year.
Many gardeners make the fatal mistake of caring for peonies only in the spring. Wait abundant flowering in this case it is not worth it, since the formation of buds occurs in July - August.
It should be noted that the degree of budding of a peony depends on its age. Young bushes bloom sparingly. In the first years of development, flowers may be small size, and in some cases do not even match the declared color. This is the norm for peony. Be patient: its properties are fully revealed only in the fifth year of development.
Peony is a light-loving plant; it tolerates partial shade, but in strong shade it will never bloom magnificently.
How to water peonies for abundant flowering
Not all gardeners rush to water peonies, believing that their powerful root system is capable of extracting life-giving moisture from the soil itself. This is another misconception. Peonies require watering - rare, but quite plentiful. In cool and rainy summer they don’t need to be irrigated. But in hot weather, be sure to water once a week. Pour at least 3-4 buckets under an adult bush.
Peonies especially require watering from the end of May to the beginning of July. At this time, they quickly grow green mass and form flowers. The stage of laying the renewal buds, which occurs in August, is also important. At this time, also water the peonies, despite the fact that they have long since faded. Then next year they will delight you with flowering even more.
The method of watering is also of great importance. Many people water directly under the bush, believing that this is where the peony roots are located. In fact, there are practically none there. What many think of as roots are thickened rhizomes. Their function is to store nutrients. They cannot absorb moisture from the soil.
Water along the periphery of the bush, 20-25 cm from the center. It is there that the young roots are located, which supply the peony with moisture. The older the bush, the longer they are located from its center. To prevent water from spreading, make small depressions around the perimeter where you water.
How to feed peonies for lush flowering
The abundance of flowering of this perennial largely depends on fertilizing. Peonies require regular fertilization. From the third year of development, they should be fertilized at least four times per season.
Apply the first feeding of the season on melted snow or immediately after it melts. Perfect fit ammonium nitrate. Dissolve 1 tbsp. l. fertilizer in a bucket of water and water the bush generously. If you missed the moment of snow melting, fertilize at the stage of appearance of red shoots.
Apply fertilizer a second time during bud formation. Mix by 1/2 tbsp. l. superphosphate and ammonium nitrate, 1/3 tbsp. l. potassium salt and embed the resulting composition into the soil under the bush. Next time, feed the peonies with a similar mixture, but already during the flowering period.
Apply the last feeding of the season after the peonies have completely bloomed. Wait two weeks and apply a mixture of 1/3 tbsp. l. potassium salt and 1/2 tbsp. l. superphosphate.
Peonies respond well to feeding a solution of bird droppings or mullein.
Do not forget that it is necessary to apply any fertilizers only after preliminary heavy watering or rain. Otherwise, you risk burning the young peony roots, which are responsible for absorbing water.
Peony rejuvenation
This perennial can grow “happily” without replanting for as long as desired. But the older the bush, the sparser it blooms. The solution is simple - give the peony a rejuvenating division every 8-10 years. To do this, dig up a bush in August and divide it into parts so that each has at least 3-4 buds.
Luxurious caps of peonies on strong peduncles are the pride of any garden. Their flowering is especially welcome after a long winter. Peonies are perhaps one of the largest flowers among perennials. In order for the bushes to always delight with lush, healthy flowering, they need to be properly cared for: promptly fertilize, feed, water and protect from diseases and pests.
Caring for peonies in spring
In the spring, caring for peonies in the garden in the Moscow region begins even before the snow melts. First, the cover is removed, mineral fertilizing is carried out, and then...
As soon as the temperature stops dropping below -5 °C, it is time to remove the shelter from tree peonies. If the peonies have been closed for the winter (I also close the new plantings), the ground from them needs to be raked away as early as possible. Otherwise, additional roots will form on the trunks of the shoots, and you will need to build up general level flower beds. It is undesirable to do this, since the root collar will be below ground level, and flowering may not occur.
A week after the peony sprouts appear, I carefully loosen the soil and mulch with humus or, incidentally.
Feeding peonies in spring
During spring feeding, it is important to provide peonies not only with nitrogen, but also potassium-phosphorus fertilizers so that the stems and peduncles are strong. This is the difference between feeding peonies and feeding others, which only need nitrogen in the spring.
Fertilizing with urea
At the beginning of March, while the snow has not yet completely melted, but has only acquired a brown tint, I scatter urea granules on the flower beds with peonies. Melt water will draw already dissolved fertilizers to the roots and saturate the plants with nutrition. Such spring fertilizing in the snow is very convenient because there is no risk of burning the leaves with fertilizers.
Feeding with ash
As soon as the snow melts and the sprouts have not yet appeared, I scatter the ash in the place where the peonies are planted. Ash will strengthen the plants and make the color of the flowers more saturated. It is important to apply ash in a timely manner. If it is scattered along with urea granules on the snow, this will contribute to the rapid melting of the snow and the appearance of shoots that can be damaged by returning frosts.
Feeding with herbal infusion
On the 20th of May I carry out the first liquid feeding for peonies. To do this, I prepare it at the beginning of May and dilute it 1:8 with water when watering. Before watering with green fertilizer, I soak the peonies with water so as not to burn the roots. If you need to water a large number of When planting with fertilizer, then for convenience I use a trick: I fertilize immediately after the rain, when the ground is wet.
Treatment of peonies in spring against diseases
Read more about caring for peonies in the following articles:
Garden peonies spend a lot of effort to maintain abundant flowering. The task of the grower is to provide them with nutrients in required quantity. Feeding peonies in the spring and during the growing season should be comprehensive and timely.
How to fertilize peonies in spring
Root feeding of peonies with minerals begins in the third year of plant development. Until this time, perennials do not bloom. Foliar spraying with a urea solution is enough for them. To stimulate the growth of the root system, sodium humate is recommended. An adult bush requires regular fertilization during the growing season - from spring to autumn.
Experienced farmers willingly share tips on how to feed plants for lush flowering in the garden. Prepare for the procedure in advance, because manure (chicken or cow) must ferment for 2-3 weeks. The mineral supplements poured into the hole during planting have already dried up, it’s time to replenish their supply. Spring feeding of peonies is the most important; it provides a nutritional base for the formation of dense greenery and the formation of buds. During active growth, a plant needs three main components: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. In addition to them, flowers need microelements (magnesium, iron, copper and others).
Soil fertilization scheme
All the necessary nutrients are not poured into the soil at one time. There is a scheme according to which fertilizing takes place in 3 stages:
Rules for applying fertilizers
- To nourish the flowers, cloudy weather is recommended; a little rain will not be a problem. If the weather is clear, you should wait until evening.
- When scattering granules, you should avoid getting them on the leaves, otherwise there will be a burn.
- Fertilizer application is accompanied by abundant watering - 20-30 liters per bush.
Advice. When applying fertilizers, do not exceed the recommended dose. This will not benefit the plants. Excess nitrogen inhibits flowering and provokes the development of diseases.
Feeding peonies with bread and yeast
Some gardeners have replaced the traditional application of mineral fertilizers original recipes. Supplies the necessary active substances to plants spring feeding peonies with yeast. The product, widely used in cooking, contains potassium, magnesium, folic acid, and phosphorus. In addition, yeast improves soil structure, stimulates the development of beneficial bacteria, and strengthens plant immunity.
To prepare the solution, take dry or fresh yeast, 10 g and 100 g, respectively. The product is dissolved in 10 liters of warm water, 2-3 tablespoons of sugar are added. The composition is infused in a warm place for 10-12 hours. A bucket of solution is intended for one bush. Feeding peonies with bread is close in effectiveness. It is prepared from 500 g rye bread, rich in microelements. The product is cut into pieces and dried in the oven. Dissolve 50 g of sugar in a bucket of warm water and soak the crackers. Leave the fertilizer for 12 hours. Before watering, take out the bread and squeeze it out.
Advice. Fertilize from a watering can; this will allow the liquid to be evenly distributed around the bush.
Ash - potassium replacement
Wood ash contains trace elements necessary for plant development. By feeding peonies with ash in the spring, you will strengthen their immunity. Ash is applied directly into the soil, making small grooves. The second option is to add it to one of nutrient solutions(based on bread, yeast, chicken manure). Ash is a complete replacement for potassium; it is added in combination with phosphorus and nitrogen during the second feeding.
Foliar feeding
In the spring, foliar feeding will not be superfluous. Urea (50 g) or other mineral fertilizer diluted according to instructions. The bushes are generously sprayed with the resulting composition. To nutritional components linger better on the stems, add a little laundry soap. The procedure is performed once a month. Fertilizing with the drug “Bud” will allow you to extend the flowering period and eliminate potassium deficiency - 1 ml is dissolved in 1 liter of water.
High-quality fertilizing will ensure lush flowering of peonies
For lush flowering of peonies, it is necessary to add organic matter and minerals to the soil. Spring efforts with fertilizing will pay off with the abundant appearance of buds, large size and bright colors of flowers.
Hello. Our names are Oleg and Oksana, and about 20 years ago we bought a private house near Krasnodar. From that moment we just fell ill with our personal plot, especially with flowers, of which we have a lot here and they bloom simply luxuriously: in summer and spring our site looks like paradise.
These flowers will be most grateful to nitrogen-potassium fertilizers. It is best to start fertilizing in the third year of peonies’ life, when their active flowering begins. They need to be fed three times throughout the season:
- The first feeding is done when the snow melts or immediately after it has melted. For one bush we need from 10 to 20 g of potassium and from 10 to 15 g of nitrogen. They are introduced after active watering or rain, but not into dry soil;
- Next time we feed during budding. The dosages of nitrogen and potassium per bush do not change, but we add 15-20 grams of phosphorus;
- We carry out the third feeding half a month after they have bloomed and buds have begun to form. Now we only need phosphorus and potassium in the same dosages as before.
It is very important to ensure that you do not overfeed peonies, because if there is an excess of, for example, nitrogen, the formation of buds may decrease and the green mass may grow. Also, with an excess of fertilizers, the resistance of peonies to various diseases decreases.
And before planting, you can feed the roots of the flowers using a clay mash, which will help them take root. It is made from 10 liters of water, 5 kg of clay, heteroauxin (two tablets), and copper sulfate (60 g). You can also add wood ash(half a kilogram). It is enough to dip the roots in this mixture and dry them. Then you can plant.
But you can add compost, rotted manure and peat plus to the planting hole upper layer soil.
Ash or bone meal (300 grams) or superphosphate (up to 200 g) are also added to the mixture. You can reduce the acidity of the soil using slaked lime (up to 400 g). Don't forget to grind the lime.
DIY fertilizers for peonies
These luxurious flowers will be very grateful organic feeding, which you can do on your own.
To prepare such a product you need either mullein or bird droppings.
You need about a bucket of fresh cow manure for a large barrel of water, which we dilute in five buckets of water. Bird droppings should be diluted into 25 buckets. Place in the sun and allow to ferment for up to half a month (minimum 10 days).
After a couple of weeks, when everything has fermented, add superphosphate (from 200 g to 300) and half a kilogram of wood ash.
Before fertilizing, dilute the solution from manure with two parts of water, and with bird droppings - three parts.
Store-bought fertilizers
There are many fertilizers and fertilizers for flowers, but not every one is suitable for peonies. There are two store options to choose from.
Kemira
This fertilizer is mineral and all its elements are contained here in cheilate form. This means that peonies assimilate Kemira without additional processing by soil microorganisms.
The product is used three times throughout the season. In March and after the peonies have bloomed (after about seven days), a product such as Kemira-universal will be appropriate.
After watering the flowers, pour a handful of the product under each bush. Don't forget to work the fertilizer into the soil. The next feeding is carried out using Kemira-combi.
And the second feeding is carried out with Kemira-Kombi fertilizer. It dissolves quite quickly and goes directly to the root system of the flowers. Just pour a handful of the product under each bush and water generously.
Baikal EM-1
This fertilizer is organic and microbiological. It is prepared using EM technologies. Living microorganisms present in the product increase the fertility of the soil for peonies and improve its structures.
Baikal M can be added to compost, or you can use it to mulch the soil in the fall. The mulch should have a thickness of 7 cm to 10.
If the peony doesn't bloom
Here there are both traditional methods stimulation of flowering, and quite scientific. So, our neighbors bury rotten fish under bushes. Actually, the secret is that it's ordinary. Instead of fish, you can simply add saltpeter.
You can also try treating your flowers with potassium permanganate in the spring (the solution can be strong), during budding with manure, and in the fall simply covering them with compost. Sometimes potassium sulfate is also used to stimulate flowering.
There is another option for stimulating flowering. In the fall (closer to October), water it with potassium chloride and add wood ash (don’t forget to dry it). We place a tablespoon of this ash under each peony bush in October.
In the spring we water the peony with slurry, and by May we switch to potash fertilizers. They need to be alternated, using potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate, or potassium permanganate. You can also spray with superphosphate.
Foliar feeding
It is done throughout the summer (and spring) season and consists of spraying the leaves of flowers. You can also water, but the watering can must have a fine sieve. For this purpose, for example, a product such as Ideal is suitable.
Dissolve according to instructions and add to the solution washing powder in small quantities (you can laundry soap): for 10 liters of solution you need about a tablespoon. The soap will help keep the product on the leaves and flowers.
Also foliar feeding This can be done in three stages: in the first, when the above-ground parts of the bushes are just sprouting, we water them with a urea solution: 50 g are needed for 10 liters of water. For the second feeding (after 30 days), we add a microfertilizer tablet to the same solution.
The third time, when it flowers, we water it only with a solution with two tablets of microfertilizers. It is better to carry out this procedure in the evening or on a cloudy day.