Peonies are one of the most beautiful flowers that nature has to offer. The peony is like the matriarch of a royal home; regal, stunning, long-lasting, and very particular in how you should see it.
Peonies are ornamental flowers that are always in high demand on the market. There is a variety for every gardener, whether green or experienced, which is another reason they are favorites.
This is why when I started working on putting my garden together (finally), peonies were among the first flowers I thought of. My first thoughts were whether it would take a long time for my plants to bloom and when they would open up their buds.
In this article, I’ll share what I found, with a little note on how to get your peonies to bloom if they aren’t.
Peony Blooming Times: When to Expect Your Beautiful Flowers
Generally, peonies flower from late spring to summer, but blooming time will depend on the variety planted, the region, planting time, care, and age of the shrub.
As perennials, peonies bloom from spring through summer, die back every fall and winter, then come back to life again in spring.
If you want your garden to be full of blooming peonies all season long, you should plant different cultivars that bloom at different times, i.e., the early, mid-season, and late bloomers.
This way, you can extend the bloom season, and your garden will be bright and beautiful for a long time.
The Peony Waiting Game: How Long Until Your Flowers Appear?
Peonies hardly bloom in the first year of planting unlike some other plants.
This first year of growth mostly focuses on root production and getting established in the garden. If blooming occurs, it would be minor, and the flowers may be smaller with pale colors.
It may take up to three years to see your peonies bloom, and your patience will be rewarded with an abundance of beautiful blooms.
And once your plant starts blooming, you can enjoy a lifetime of gorgeous flowers.
The Fleeting Beauty of Peony Blooms: A Guide to Their Lifespan
Each peony bloom lasts around 7 to 10 days, with the plant producing multiple blooms.
If you want your cut flowers to last a little longer, then make sure you keep them out of the direct sun, retrim the stems, and change out the vase water every few days.
How Long Does Peony Blooming Season Last?
Unfortunately, peonies do not have a long blooming season. These plants are well known for their incredibly short flowering period.
Most popular cultivars bloom for as little as a week (herbaceous peonies). Some species (tree peonies) can bloom for a full two weeks, but that’s all you’re getting.
Thankfully, they make up for this with longevity. A peony plant can last for 100 years, so they make a good foundation for your garden plan.
Now you know why I said you could enjoy a lifetime of these flowers. They’ll reward your care with many years of fragrant beauty.
How to Keep Your Peonies Blooming: Essential Care Tips
Post-flowering care is important for several reasons, including improving blooming, getting the most flowers possible in the short bloom season, and keeping your plant in good shape for the next year.
Here are five tips to put to use when taking care of your blooming peonies
Deadhead Regularly
During the flowering season, regular deadheading is important to conserve the plant’s energy. All the effort it uses to maintain the already fading flower will return to be put to better use.
Although it doesn’t result in reblooming, it makes the plant look neater, and the remaining blooms will grow bigger and brighter.
As soon as the flower has faded, cut the stem off from its base. Do not touch the foliage.
Please do this as much as there are faded blooms until all of them have been removed. Even without flowers, the green of the foliage can be enjoyed for the rest of the season.
Fertilize
It would help if you realized that flowering takes up a lot of energy and that energy needs to be replenished somehow.
Use fertilizers designed for blooming plants. They contain nutrients that push the plant towards flower production rather than leaf and stem growth.
Follow the directions on the packaging and resist the temptation to add more. You don’t want to overfertilize your plant.
Check for Pests and Diseases
The heat of the summer makes peonies uncomfortable and more susceptible to pests and diseases. It also creates ideal conditions for fungal infections.
Regularly check your plant for any signs of these infections or pests even after the plant has stopped blooming.
Remove any debris found at the base of the plant and give it space to prevent the development of any fungal problems like powdery mildew.
Treat any infections as soon as you can see them.
Remove Dead Leaves
Please wait until the leaves have turned brown and are dead before you remove them.
The plant needs the leaves to reabsorb some nutrients and gain energy for the next year, so you should wait for them to turn brown before pruning them.
Support
Due to their heavy flowers, peonies need some support so that the brittle stems can bear the weight of their massive blooms.
You can place the support around the plant in early spring when blooming is not very heavy so you don’t accidentally pierce the crown.
How to Make a Non-Blooming Peony Produce Flowers
- Trim away some leaves. This way, the extra energy directed into maintaining them would be focused on producing blooms.
- Give your plant some warmth and place it in the full sun. Peonies need the sun to be able to produce blooms.
- If your peony cannot source enough nutrients from the soil, supplement it with some fertilizer or apply compost. This will help to boost its nutrition.
- Check how deeply your peony is planted. If it is too deep, you will need to replant it. Although this may delay blooming for a few years, it is better than having a peony with no flower.
- Peonies need a certain amount of cold to be able to set buds and flower. It would help if you tried to create an environment that might add a little more cold.
- Be patient with your peony. She (yes she) is worth the wait and the effort you put in to enjoy the beautiful flowers.
I’m glad I was able to help with this flower. See you next time.