"red eyes" of the peony?
by Jackie
(Westwood, NJ)
I have a beautiful plant that bloomed once and never again. How do I check to see if I buried the "red eyes" too deep?
Doug says to gently excavate the soil (very gently) on top of the peony plant. If those red eyes are not visible (do this in the fall or very early in the spring) and/or right at the surface, then the plant is buried too deeply.
Peonies not blooming
by koko
(newaygo mi 49337)
i planted peonies 17 years ago on the edge of my yard .to this day they are still about a foot high and have never bloomed ? i just dug them up .what and where should i plant them ??
Doug says 1) wow! you have a lot of patience. I would never have lasted that long. 2) you likely planted the peony plant too deeply.
So full sun, decent soils, and only put the eyes (the small red growing points on the top of the root) of the plant *just* below the soil surface. Planting too deeply is the number one reason peonies don't bloom.
Feed, water and compost and you should be OK in Michigan.
sap preventing buds from opening on peony, sealing them
by Patty
(arlington, texas)
what can i do? too much sap is sealing the big beautiful buds on my potted peony, so they can't bloom.
Doug says relax. Peonies sometimes produce a lot of sap around the bloom but it shouldn't stop the bloom from opening. If you're "really" concerned, you can gently wash it off. But my experience is that it doesn't stop the bloom at all.
Forced to move peonies in the spring.
by Stephanie Vachon
(Chattanooga,Tn)
Doug,
I have recently sold my home very unexpectantly and am planning on taking my peonies with me as many of them were shared from my mother. These plants mean so much to me, that may sound silly but they do. I have to move them soon and am very worried if I do I will cause them to sulk too much and not bloom for me for a long time.
Can you suggest any tips on how to move them if I have to? They are not out of the ground yet and I was thinking of potting them for the time being and replanting them when we move into our new house. There may be a possibility I could transplant them the week of april 20th from the old house to the new. Please advise me as to what you believe is best for there survival.
Many thanks,
Steph
Doug says - no big deal. Dig as soon as frost is out of ground and pot. Or dig when you move April 20th and wrap in plastic for the move - replant when you get there. Get as much of the roots as you can.
And make sure you have the legal right to take the plants - most of the time unless you specify this in the sales agreement, plants are considered attached to the house and part of the deal. If that's the case, check with the buyer to see if they have any objection to you taking a division (but not the entire plant)