It’s Spring! Are you seeing red peony shoots in your garden and wondering what you can do to prepare your peony for its upcoming bloom season? Here are 6 things you can do in the Spring to prepare your peony for bloom season.
How to Prepare Your Peonies for Growth in the Spring
Here are 6 ways to prepare your peony for growth in the spring.
1. Brush Off the Mulch and Debris
Brush off the mulch and debris from winter covering the emerging peony shoots. This will give your peonies maximum sunlight which will help them grow.
2. Clear the Weeds
Remove the weeds around the peony shoots. Spring weeds will sprout early. It’s best to hand weed the areas around your peony. Avoid using herbicides, especially around the delicate peony crown and root zones. You can use a pre-emergent herbicide to control future weed growth.
3. Fertilize Your Peony
Fertilize your peony for maximum blooms. Use a slow-release fertilizer with a low nitrogen ratio such as a 4-10-10. Sprinkle the fertilizer around the peony shoot. Don’t get the fertilizer close to the peony crown, it can cause fertilizer burn.
4. Install Plant Support on Your Peony
Spring is a great time to install plant support on your peony plant. Peony flowers are heavy and there is a tendency of flopping during bloom season. If you wait until bloom season to install peony plant support, it will be difficult to get the support installed because your peony will have grown too big. It’s best to install peony rings and support in the spring when the peony plant is still small.
5. Avoid Stepping on Peony Shoots
Avoid stepping on peony shoots. If you have kids and pets, keep them away from emerging peony shoots. Stepping on peony shoots can easily kill your peony plant.
6. Maximize Sunlight
Peonies grow best in full sun locations so you should do everything to maximize the sun for your peony plant. Check the surrounding area around your peony, if there are tree branches casting a shadow over your peony, have the branch trimmed. Do everything to maximize the sunlight reaching your peony plant.
Check out our Peony Care Guide
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