Northeast Gardening: Spending spree #11, 1 by cathy166

cathy166 wrote:
Peonies exude a sweet sap that attracts ants, and these ants eat the bugs that would otherwise damage the peonies. The most serious issue I have is getting rid of the ants when I cut the blooms. Sticking them in water is sometimes more easily said than done. Due to the cold snap, peonies have been in bud extra long this season. I still think they will bloom closer to their anticipated time (Memorial Day), but only time will tell. I am seeing a lot of ants on the buds, but they are not an issue.

The tree peonies were in bud for a very long time, and the buds were huge, but you can guess when they bloomed: mostly during the rain. The blooms were lovely and fairly large, but really quite sparse compared with other years. Shima Nishiki is unpredictable with its mottled pink and deep red bloom. You never know which will be mottled and the rest all pink. This year there was only one mottled among the three trees. The overall production was pretty but still a disappointment. No ants with tree peonies. I guess Mother Nature knows there are not as many insects in the cooler weather when tree peonies bud and bloom.