Why Peonies Didn't Bloom

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

There may be several reasons why peonies do not bloom or bloom weakly. The first of them is that young, recently planted plants or finely divided parts (delenki) of the former lush bush do not bloom.

They need to get stronger, gain strength. With good care, a young peony can please with its lush flowering for 3-4 years. If you have such a situation, then you need to be patient, take care of the plantings and wait for them to grow up. And then you will be rewarded with a beautiful bloom.

The second reason is that a shady place was chosen for planting plants, for example, next to trees or bushes, or there are some structures nearby that give shade. Maybe in the south of the country, where it can be very hot, this is a plus for peonies, but in the Central Lane and in the North-West of Russia, it is desirable that this be an open, sunny place, protected from strong and cold winds. And if your peonies grow in a shady corner of the garden, it is advisable to transplant them to a new place.

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The reason for the weak flowering of peonies can be the age of the plants. If they are old, oppressed and weakened. There is only one way out - to divide the bushes and transplant them to a new place, well filled with organic matter.

Peonies will not bloom even if the bush is improperly planted: the root system is too deep or shallow. It is necessary to plant so that the renewal buds are no deeper than 5 cm from the soil surface, but above them you need a layer of earth of at least 3 centimeters. If it is less, then the kidneys will freeze in winter and overheat in summer.

They do not like peonies and excessive moisture in the place where they are planted. It should not be flooded with water even for a short time. If you have groundwater close to your site, then you will get the flowering of these plants only if you plant them on high bulk beds.

But if you do not regularly water the peonies in a dry, hot period, then there will be no flowering either, because these powerful plants with large, succulent foliage will not have enough moisture. And before the flowering of peonies, if the weather is dry, it is recommended to water them abundantly - pour at least three buckets of water under each bush at a time. To keep moisture longer, after watering, the soil around the bushes must be mulched.

Peonies will not bloom on acidic soil; for the normal development of this plant and lush flowering, neutral soils with a pH of 6.5-7.0 are required. Try not to use peat when planting peonies for filling the planting pit - it will inhibit its development and even increase the acidity of the soil, which can lead to diseases. And if the soil in your area is acidic, you need to reduce its acidity by adding lime or other lime materials.

A peony may have buds, and then not bloom. The reason for this is most often a lack of nutrition in the soil - the plant simply does not have enough strength to form its large, bright, juicy flower. Therefore, even when planting peonies, you need to very well fill the planting pit with compost, rotted manure, and then regularly provide the plants with nutrition - to feed the plants with full mineral fertilizer at least three times per season. But you need to remember: sometimes peonies do not bloom because too much nitrogen fertilizers have been applied. The plant fattens, forms many leaves and succulent stems, and does not tie buds.

Fertilization can also lead to an increase in soil acidity. Therefore, it is advisable to regularly apply ash under the peonies - it will deoxidize the soil, being at the same time a source of potash fertilizers and micronutrients.

Experts say that the resulting buds may not bloom even during prolonged rainy weather. There is one way out: to provide shelter above the bush.

If you were in a hurry and cut off still juicy stems of peonies early in late summer or early autumn, then this may also be the reason for their lack of flowering next year.

The fact is that in the fall, nutrients drain from the stems to the roots, and if you cut them early, the nutrients will be lost. Experienced growers recommend cutting peonies after the first frost, when the stems fall on the ground.

The second half of August and the first half of September are the best times to divide and transplant peonies. At the same time, newly acquired plant varieties are also planted.

The process of dividing a bush is very important. Old peonies bloom worse and worse, which means they need to be rejuvenated. Peonies are carefully dug out so as not to damage the roots and buds of renewal. The bush is divided so that a part of the root collar with roots must remain in each division, and there are at least 3-4 buds of renewal. Too small divisions develop worse and do not bloom for a long time.

It is necessary to plant new peonies and delenki so that they have at least six weeks to root and take root in a new place before the onset of frost. Assess the climatic conditions of your area and choose the time to plant the peony bushes. And do not forget to place delenki and new bushes so that the buds are at a depth of 3-5 cm. Be sure to water and mulch new plantings. You cannot tamp the soil with your feet after planting - you can damage the renewal buds.

E. Valentinov

Photo by Olga Rubtsova and Natalia Butyagina