How to Fertilize & Trim Peonies in the Spring : Garden Savvy, by ehowgarden on YouTube. 3 min 14 s.
- Video length
- 3 min 14 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Wait until new shoots push 2 to 3 inches out of the soil. Fertilizing earlier wastes feed, because the roots are not yet active.
Clear the crown gently. Pull away leftover winter mulch and dead leaves by hand so the new shoots get light and air.
Measure the feed. Use a low-nitrogen blend such as 5-10-10, or a handful of bone meal per plant.
Scatter the fertilizer in a ring around the plant, about 6 inches from the stems. Keep it off the crown and leaves.
Scratch the granules into the top inch of soil with a hand trowel, then water well so the feed reaches the roots.
Check the stems. Cut out any dead, broken or winter-damaged wood back to a healthy bud with clean shears.
Remove thin or crossing stems that rub together. Leave the strongest stems standing to carry the flowers.
Stake tall varieties if the buds look heavy. Loop twine around a ring support rather than tying stems tight.
Tips and common mistakes
Do not pile mulch or fertilizer over the crown, or the plant may rot or refuse to flower.
Skip high-nitrogen lawn feed on peonies. It pushes leaves instead of blooms.
Leave healthy green foliage alone in spring, since the leaves feed next year's flowers.
Clean your shears with rubbing alcohol between plants to avoid spreading disease.
Questions
When should I fertilize peonies?
Feed once in early spring as the shoots emerge, then stop. A second light feed after flowering is fine, but late feeding encourages soft growth before winter.
Should I cut peonies back after flowering?
Only snip off the spent flowers and their stems. Keep the leaves until they die back in autumn, then cut the whole plant to the ground.
How far back do I cut peonies in spring?
Cut only dead or damaged stems, taking each one back to a healthy outward-facing bud. Never shear a peony to the ground in spring.
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.
