Planting peonies in the fall - from choosing a seedling to leaving after planting

Tell us, in what time frame and how is the planting of peonies in the fall? Once upon a time I had one variety, very fragrant and my favorite, with white petals in pink specks. Unfortunately, either from old age, or from diseases, the bush disappeared. But this year I managed to find seedlings, however, they were promised to me only by the fall. A neighbor has a young bush, wants it to grow a little. When is the best time to plant flowers before winter and which place would they like best?

Planting peonies in the fall is a great opportunity to propagate your favorite variety. Large hats of bright colors in spring become the main decoration of the flower bed. Moreover, the flowering of summer crops is still far away. Many gardeners plant peonies in the spring. But in fact, autumn is better suited for these events. The main thing is to do everything in a timely manner, so that the seedlings have time to take root and grow stronger before frost. And the established plants are no longer afraid of low temperatures. Under the snow cover, they overwinter no worse than the peonies planted in spring, but they will bloom earlier.

Planting peonies in the fall - we determine the timing

One of the biggest benefits of autumn planting is future bloom. In spring, peonies are usually planted towards the end of the season, from the second half of April. Their main task at this time is not flowering, but building up the root system and the aboveground part. It is rare that spring peonies bloom before summer. At the same time, flowers planted in the fall already have time to acquire developed roots and shoots by spring. And already this season the first buds are given.

A characteristic feature of peonies (herbaceous) is the death of the aerial part. Only the root system overwinters in the soil, which gives new shoots in spring. Therefore, the initial goal for autumn planting is to provide an opportunity to grow additional roots. But at the same time, the seedlings should not grow, so that the young growth does not freeze and the bush does not weaken. The beginning of the autumn rainy season only favors the rapid establishment of the seedlings.

The golden rule of the timing of planting peonies in the fall: before the onset of frost must be "in stock" at least 1 month. This is how long it takes for seedlings to take root. A later planting contributes to a decrease in immunity, diseases and a lack of flowering in due time.

Dates of autumn planting of peonies by region

Since the main reference point is the weather conditions and the local climate, there is no single landing date. The warmer, the later the planting is possible. Conversely, in colder areas it is important to conduct it earlier.

On average, you can plant peonies in the fall, focusing on the following dates:

• southern regions - from October to early November;
• Moscow region and middle zone - from August to the end of September;
• Siberia and the Urals - end of August.

If peonies came to you in late autumn, when all planting dates have passed, you can do it differently. Plant the seedlings in pots and place them in the greenhouse for 2 weeks. During this time, the seedlings will build up suction hairs on the roots. And then just dig them right in the flowerpots into the ground until spring.

Planting peonies in the fall - choose a place and good seedlings

In order for peonies to bloom luxuriantly, they need a suitable area, well-lit by the sun. In the afternoon it can be shaded, but this is only "on hand" to the flowers. Then they will be protected from the scorching sun's rays, but the bushes should be lit until lunchtime.Shady corners for peonies are completely unsuitable. There, their stems will begin to stretch, and the buds will be crushed. If you do not transplant the plants, then they will stop blooming altogether.

Peonies can only be planted under trees on the south side. So their spreading crowns will not cover the sun for the flowers.

In addition, peonies do not tolerate drafts and dampness at all. The flower bed should be in a cozy place, at least 80 cm from the groundwater table. High humidity will lead to problems: roots will begin to rot, diseases will appear. Blooming perennials need a nutritious and loose soil with neutral acidity. Peonies feel good on loams.

If you have acidic soil on the site and there are no other options, be sure to add deoxidizers (optional) before planting:

• ash;
• lime;
• dolomite flour.

What should be a seedling

Purchase planting material only in specialized stores. You can take it from neighbors or friends, if you trust them and know that healthy strong peonies will come to you. It is advisable to take cuttings from adult plants - they take root better and bloom more magnificently.

The best will be seedlings that meet the following requirements:

• age - at least 3 years (in extreme cases, two years);
• the number of kidneys - from 4;
• rhizome length - from 20 cm (if shorter, then it should have at least 2 growth points).

Do not buy pieces with dried roots or black spots on them. The rhizome should be firm and light. Small roots without buds are absolutely not suitable for reproduction.

Preparing peonies for planting

Pretreatment will help to increase the survival rate and protect the seedlings from possible diseases:

1. Rinse the roots in water so you can see them well.
2. Remove small and rotten roots.
3. Place for half an hour in a weak solution of potassium permanganate to disinfect the rhizome.
4. Then keep the delenki for the time indicated in the instructions in a growth stimulator (Kornevin, Zircon). This will help them grow roots faster.
5. Powder all sections with ash or regular activated carbon in tablets, after grinding it.
6. Leave the treated seedlings in a shady place for a day to form a protective film.

If there is no potassium permanganate at home, dressing preparations are suitable, for example, Maxim.

Planting peonies in autumn - step by step procedure

Peonies are big fans of good food, so try to enrich the soil for them with fertilizers. Moreover, it is better to do this at least a month before planting, then the earth in the holes has time to settle. If you immediately dig holes and plant, then in a couple of weeks the soil will settle. And if you forget to check your seedlings, then their growth points may protrude above the ground. And this is fraught with at least winter freezing, diseases and poor flowering in the future.

The planting hole should be at least 60 cm deep with the same width. For group planting in rows, leave a distance of up to 1.5 m between the bushes.

Be sure to lay a drainage layer of broken brick or expanded clay at the bottom of the hole. This is especially important in areas with high groundwater. The peony does not like excess moisture and gets wet. Sprinkle it on top with a layer of river sand about 5 cm. So you will build a kind of pillow that will protect the roots from waterlogging. Already on it, you can pour a layer of fertile soil, directly into which the seedling will be planted. Fertile soil should consist of the top layer of soil you dug and the fertilizer that is well mixed.

You can make the soil in the hole more nutritious by adding organic matter and mineral preparations, namely:

• humus - 1 bucket;
• superphosphate - 60 g;
• potassium sulfate - 40 g;
• ash - 100 g.

Instead of superphosphate, you can add bone meal, and on poor soil, both fertilizers.

Correct planting of peony seedlings

When the soil settles, you can start planting:

1. Make a depression in the center of the hole.At the same time, keep in mind that the growth points should be buried no more than 5 cm.Otherwise, they may oppose in the spring or the bush will refuse to bloom. On heavy soil, the planting depth is up to 4 cm.
2. Install the seedling.
3. Cover it with soil, tamping it tightly with your hands.
4. Water.
5. Cover with compost. This will provide additional protection against frost.

Peony care features after autumn planting

When and how to plant peonies, we found out, now a logical question arises, what to do with them next. In general, plants do not require anything special.

Caring for peonies planted in the open in the fall is minimal:

1. Water them at least twice before freezing. If it rains, then there is no need at all.
2. For the winter, mulch the bush well to protect it from freezing. In the southern regions, peonies do not need shelter. In cooler climates, provide shelter for the bushes. Just don't use straw or rotted manure. When they get wet, they start to rot, which can lead to disease.
3. In the next couple of years, peonies do not need additional feeding. Provided that when planting, you added fertilizer to the hole.

We should also say a few words about the flowering of young peonies. As much as you would not like to admire large hats sooner, do not rush. Especially if you planted young delenki no older than 2 years. They are still too weak to exhaust themselves by laying flower buds. The first year, or even better - in the second season, cut off the buds that appear. It is better to give the bushes the opportunity to develop a powerful root system. This will only have a positive effect on future flowering. A strong and healthy bush will bloom vigorously and profusely in a year or two after planting. While young plants will spend half of their energy on the first inflorescences. So don't let them do that. If you have already planted adult delenki aged from 3 years, then in this case you do not need to cut the buds, let them bloom.

Note that tree peonies bloom on last year's shoots. Herbaceous varieties lay flower buds at the current growth.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in how to plant a peony in the fall in the country, no. Take care of a cozy place, find grown seedlings, fertilize the soil in the hole. And most importantly - have time to root your peonies a month before frost. Then they will enter the winter already strengthened, and in the spring they will please with the first buds.

Autumn planting of peonies - video