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Peonies are perhaps the most popular flowers. And many gardeners prefer to grow them, not only because they are unpretentious in care and do not require special attention. Their main advantage is a large number of beautiful, bright and large buds during flowering. Without a transplant, a peony bush can grow in one place for up to ten to fifteen years. But despite their unpretentiousness, they, like many flowers, sometimes ask to be taken care of. But at the same time, compared to other flowers, caring for peonies in the fall is not so burdensome. After giving your favorite flowers just a couple of hours, you will know with 100% certainty that with the arrival of summer days they will thank you with lush buds and a delicate aroma.
Why devote time to peonies in the fall
In spring and summer, peonies do not require so much attention. Throughout the season, they only need timely weeding and watering. But since these flowers bloom magnificently and for a long time, by the fall their roots are very weakened. For the whole season, they gave the plants a lot of nutrients. Therefore, in the autumn, it is advisable to feed them and help them prepare for winter. Caring for peonies in the fall includes only four types of work:
- Top dressing;
- Transplant in case of urgent need;
- Pruning;
- Mulching.
This plant will not require more from you.
Feeding peonies in autumn
If peonies bloom magnificently every year, then a natural question arises: why, in general, feed them? It would seem that the bushes have faded, and do not require special care until spring. In fact, this is far from the case. Having given all their strength in spring to the active growth of green mass and bright buds during the flowering period, by autumn their root system is very weakened. And during this period, the formation of new roots begins and the preparation of the plant for winter. Feeding peonies in the fall is simply necessary so that they can get the maximum possible amount of nutrients. The root system of these garden flowers is arranged in a special way. In a certain part, the roots are the thickest and fleshyest. It is in these areas of the root system that all minerals and nutrients accumulate in the fall. During the period when the active growth of the aerial part of the plant begins in spring, all the accumulated "vitamins" are given by the roots to growing bushes and large buds.
Experienced gardeners advise feeding peonies in the fall from mid-September to the second decade of October. But taking into account the peculiarities of a particular region, one more important factor must be taken into account when determining the optimal timing for feeding peonies - the approaching frost.
Feeding peonies in the autumn has its advantages:
- In early spring, the buds will be much larger and stronger. Their number will also pleasantly surprise you.
- For timely feeding, peony bushes will thank you with more lush and bright buds.
- After feeding, the peonies grow faster, the bushes quickly increase in size.
How, when and how to feed peonies in autumn, in order to admire the bright and unique flowers in the summer? At this time, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers will be useful for them. It is better to leave nitrogen-containing fertilizers until spring, as they stimulate the rapid growth of the aerial part of the plant. And in the fall this is undesirable. The shoots will freeze at the first frost.
There are two ways to feed peonies in autumn: dry and liquid. Each method has its own advantages.
Dry feeding of peonies
The dry method is most often fertilized with peonies in particularly rainy weather. The liquid method in this case is not suitable for the reason that the roots have already absorbed enough moisture during the rainy season. They will absorb the minimum amount of fertilizers. For the dry method, it is best to purchase a supplement in the form of granules. So, it will be easier for you to control their quantity and it is more convenient to apply them to the soil. Such dressings work much longer than their liquid counterparts. The plant receives all the nutrients in small portions, that is, dosed.
Spread an incomplete handful of granules evenly around the peony bush. To prevent them from being washed away with the first rain, slightly loosen the ground under the plant, as if mixing the soil with fertilizer.
Liquid feeding of peonies
Liquid feeding of peonies in autumn is ideal if there is very little rainfall and the soil under the bushes is dry. In this case, granules containing mineral and organic matter are not suitable. It is better to use a supplement in the form of tablets. Optimal dosage: 1 tablet in a bucket of water. The life-giving cocktail needs to be mixed very well. Water your peonies with the resulting solution at the rate of 1 liter of liquid per bush. If the bushes are very large, then the dose can be increased.
Transplanting peonies in autumn
Peonies are perennial flowers that can grow in one place for up to 10-15 years. This is indeed the case. But given that over such a long period the land on which they grow becomes scarce, and old roots can cause diseases of young and fragile roots, it is still worth replanting them at least once every 5-6 years. This way, you will not only rejuvenate the peony bushes and enrich the soil, but also provide your favorite garden flowers with more lush bloom.
It is necessary to plant peonies in early autumn. In Siberian regions with a harsh climate, this process should be postponed to the third decade of August. In this case, the plants will be well accepted, and the root system of peonies will have time to absorb all the substances necessary for growth and development by winter.
Planting is best done in warm, dry weather. But the soil on which the flowers grow must be moist. This will greatly facilitate the digging process, and you will not damage the young roots. If the soil is dry, water the peonies abundantly 1-2 days before replanting.
You need to carefully dig up old bushes, trying not to damage the buds and shoots. Gently shake off any residual soil and rinse with water. Examine the rhizomes carefully for rot and disease. Separate old, tough, damaged and obsolete roots from young ones. Place the young roots in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) for 30-40 minutes. And the obsolete rhizomes should be immediately removed from the site.
After processing, plant the divided roots in prepared soil. It is not recommended to plant peonies in the old place. Better to find another site for them. Keep in mind that the new place should be sufficiently illuminated - peonies are very critical to the lack of sunlight, which immediately affects flowering. Strong and piercing winds are undesirable for garden flowers. It is advisable to take care of the preparation of the soil in advance: about 3-4 weeks before planting, loosen and fertilize the site well with superphosphate. Nitrogen fertilizers should not be used during autumn transplantation.
A planting hole for peonies needs to be dug out quite spacious - at least 40-50 cm in depth. It is very important that the roots are located freely in it.Place the prepared mixture of compost and wood ash in a 3: 1 ratio on the bottom. Now carefully, trying not to break the young shoots, place the roots in the hole. Keep in mind that the top bud should protrude slightly from the ground. But no more than 1-2 cm. Fill the hole with soil and water the transplanted peonies abundantly.
After transplanting, do not forget about your pets and, in the absence of precipitation, water at least 2-3 times a week. Peonies transplanted in the autumn do not need additional feeding.
You will learn the basic rules for transplanting and planting old peony bushes from the video:
Autumn pruning of peonies
After you have fed the plants, a mandatory annual procedure follows - pruning peonies. In no case should such an important process be postponed until the spring season. There are several important reasons for this:
- Withered stems are difficult to prune in spring.
- Pruning peonies in the spring can easily damage the delicate buds that are about to emerge from the ground.
- Withered foliage is an excellent place for the accumulation and active reproduction of various pests.
There are no difficulties in the autumn pruning of peonies. It's important to find the perfect time. You need to prune peony bushes about 1-2 weeks before the onset of frost. The plants themselves will tell you when to pick up your gardening tool. When the foliage on the bushes takes on a reddish tint, and subsequently lies on the ground, you can safely get to work. Previously, it is not recommended to cut the leaves, because the process of photosynthesis takes place in them before frost. Moreover, early pruning can negatively affect the flowering of peonies next summer.
All dead foliage must be cut flush with the soil surface. Going deeper into the ground is undesirable, as you can touch the roots and buds. Leaving too high "hemp" during autumn pruning is also not worth it. At the end of the process, all foliage must be removed from the site. Ideally, all cut leaves should be burned to prevent the spread of disease.
If at the time of pruning the autumn turned out to be warm and does not indulge in precipitation, at the end of the work water your favorite flowers well.
The author of the video will tell you how and when you need to prune peonies:
How to properly cover peonies
Considering the peculiarities of the structure and vegetation of peony bushes, namely, the location of growth buds too close to the surface of the earth, they must be carefully prepared for winter.
The growth buds formed in autumn are located at a depth of only 3-7 cm. In regions where winters are especially harsh, plants need to be earthed with the approach of frost.
In addition, it is necessary to prepare in advance the covering material for the peonies. Ideal hiding places would be:
- Lapnik;
- Sawdust;
- Dry foliage;
- Peat.
The mulching layer should be at least 15-20 cm. In this case, the peonies will perfectly tolerate the frosty winter and will be perfectly preserved.
Pay particular attention to the amount of rainfall in winter. If the winter turned out to be stingy with snowfalls, do not be lazy, throw a small snow drift on your flower beds. Such a measure will protect your flowers from freezing.
Conclusion
Additional work on caring for peonies in the fall is not required. If all of the above conditions are met efficiently and on time, in the summer your flower beds will be strewn with bright buds, and their delicate aroma will give you true pleasure.
