PETITTI How To Prune Peonies, by Petitti Garden Centers on YouTube. 2 min 21 s.
- Video length
- 2 min 21 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Wait until the blooms fade and petals drop in mid-summer, usually late June or July. This stops the plant putting energy into seed pods.
Sterilize the pruners with rubbing alcohol before you start. Wear gloves if you will handle many stems.
Cut off each spent flower just above the first strong set of leaves on the stem. Do not cut the whole stem to the ground yet.
Remove any damaged or diseased foliage with clean cuts. Put the debris in the trash, not the compost bin.
Leave healthy green leaves in place through summer so the plant can make food. Water during dry spells.
Feed the peony after pruning with a balanced fertilizer or compost according to the label. Scratch it into the soil around the plant, not against the stems.
In late fall, after frost blackens the foliage, cut all stems down to about 2 to 3 inches above the ground. Clear away the cuttings.
If transplanting, wait until late summer or early fall. Lift the tuber clump and replant with the eyes no more than 2 inches deep.
Tips and common mistakes
Clean and sharpen pruners before you start so the cuts are neat and heal faster.
Do not cut healthy green peony leaves too early, because they feed the tubers for next year.
Avoid cutting into the crown or digging close to it, since peony eyes sit near the soil surface.
If you cut blooms for a vase, leave at least two sets of leaves on the stem.
Questions
When should I cut back peonies after flowering?
Remove spent blooms as soon as they fade in mid-summer. Then leave the leaves until late fall frost blackens them.
Can I cut peonies to the ground after they bloom?
No. Cutting all stems now weakens the plant. Only deadhead and tidy damaged leaves until fall.
Should I fertilize after pruning?
Yes. A light feed after deadheading helps the tuber store energy. Follow the product label and avoid overfeeding.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
