Extending peony season: tips and tricks from a flower farmer!, by Regenerative Gardening with Blossom & Branch Farm on YouTube. 24 min 47 s.
- Video length
- 24 min 47 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Check the buds before you cut. A bud ready for harvest feels soft, like a marshmallow, when you squeeze it gently. Fully open flowers bruise and drop petals fast.
Cut in the cool of early morning when stems are full of water. With clean, sharp pruners, take stems 12 to 18 inches long and cut at an angle.
Strip the leaves from the bottom half of each stem. Leave two leaves just below the bud so the stem still looks full in the vase.
Pinch off the small side buds while they are still tiny. This sends the plant's energy into one large main bloom instead of several small ones.
Plunge the stems into a bucket of cool water within a few minutes of cutting. Recut each stem on the angle under water so it can drink freely.
Leave the bucket in a cool, dark spot for a few hours or overnight. This lets the flowers take up water and firm up before arranging or storing.
For longer storage, keep the buds dry. Wrap them loosely in newspaper or paper towel and lay them in a fridge set to about 34 to 38 F.
Pull buds out as you need them, recut the stems and place them in fresh water. They open slowly over several days at room temperature.
Cut back spent peony plants later, not straight after flowering. Leave the foliage to feed the roots and cut stems to the ground in autumn.
Tips and common mistakes
Never take more than half the stems from a young plant, or it will have less energy for next year's blooms.
Keep stored buds away from fruit, vegetables and ripening bananas, as the ethylene gas makes them open too soon.
Change vase water every two days and recut the stems to stop bacteria blocking the stems.
Wipe your pruners with rubbing alcohol between plants so you do not spread disease.
Questions
When should I cut back peonies after flowering?
Only remove the spent flower heads straight after blooming. Leave the green leaves alone until they die back in autumn, then cut the stems to ground level.
How long can peonies stay in the fridge?
Dry wrapped buds usually keep for several weeks at around 34 to 38 F. Check them weekly and remove any that look soft or mouldy.
Why do my cut peonies stay closed and never open?
They were probably cut too tight, stored too cold, or kept near fruit. Try a warmer room, fresh water and a recut stem.
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.
