Question of the week: Why aren't my peonies blooming?

Peonies have such big colorful flowers that it's always a disappointment when they fail to bloom.  But with otherwise healthy peonies, there is often an easy diagnosis, one that we were able to impart to Sandy when she called in to Homegrown (Martha Stewart Living Radio Sirius 112).  She wondered why her two-year old peonies, flourishing with foliage, had yet to bloom.  Andrew's experiences with peonies had taught him that they need no more than an inch or two of soil covering their topmost eye, or bud, and that buried any deeper they will have a hard time flowering.  Sandy might have planted her peonies too far down, but by resetting them in the fall, as the plant goes dormant, with a shallow covering of soil and a minimal use of mulch, they would probably bloom next year.  To further ensure a successful bloom, Margaret also suggested growing the peonies in a well-draining area with full sunlight, and not using nitrogen fertilizer.  Heavy-use of nitrogen causes the peony to focus on leaf growth, not on flowers, and decreases the likelihood of blooming. 

For a great source of peonies, we recommend Klehm's Song Sparrow Nursery. 

Comments

[donna]

I had some very nice pachysandra along my west and north side against the house. Now they seem to be dying and lying down in a line. Also in the same area is a big hole about 8-10" wide around.

Think there is an animal that dug down under the plants and is now eating the roots? Never in my long life have I ever seen such damage. The plants have been there for about 23 yrs and were very lush and healthy.

Any suggestions are appreciated.