Help restoring and caring for peonies

This year I have recently put alot of work in my yard and landscaping. Since doing all this hard work I much more appreciate what I have around and want to care for things more & keep adding stuff. Anyhow I have 4 large sets of peonies, 2 in full sun & 2 in partial. For several years the actual flowers will rot off the stem somewhat quickly and will have discoloration over the leaves. The one in full sun is the worst (see pic). I have never done anything with them, just left to do there thing with the occasional get the weeds out.

So question is what could be going on with my peonies. How can I care for this and if anyone would care to take the time to explain what I should do yearly to these that would be a great help. I also might jump on here with some more questions about some of my other plants and ant problem so I hope I dont annoy anyone. I know I can google things but sometimes its nice to be interactive with what your doing and get some advice from people that have experienced it.

Thanks, Rick

Questions about gardening are never annoying. That's what DG is here for. I don't know what to tell you about your peonies though. There may be something going on in your soil that makes this happen every year. There is a DG Peony forum (for subscribers) where people in the know can help you figure out what's wrong with your plants.

Rick, your peonies may have a fungal disease. There are fungicide sprays that you can use to get rid of it. If you are looking after them better now, watering and have them in good soil, they should bloom for you. Peonies are pretty easy to look after.

Have a look here. http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1241.html

I only grow one that I bought on a whim. I have it in full sun. Flowering here is ususally in late spring. Unfortunately if the weather is too cool or wet the flowers sort of rot away and the buds will drop off.

My plant has never looked too good after flowering is done. I just cut the whole thing down as it was looking much like the photo you posted. Is that a recent photo or is it from earlier in the season? They do die back completely (I used to leave the dead stems and leaves over the winter and then cut them down in the early spring) and start again from new growth in the spring. We've had a much cooler and damper summer than normal so I think that has had some impact on the foliage.

Healthy peonies have attractive foliage all season and some turn beautiful colors in the fall. After bloom, you can cut back the stem to the next leaf to get rid of the seed pods. Cut the foliage down and dispose of in the garbage before winter (whatever/whenever that is to you). Foliage shouldn't be cut down until your dormant season because the roots are getting fed from the leaves to make blossoms for next season.

I would spray them with a fungicide now and in the spring.

pastime - I did notice the subscriber section and have been considering becoming a member

echoes - Great link. sounds exactly what my issues are. I never did notice seed pods either. I would love to see nice foliage all season.

dmac085 - That is exactly how they act. Yes the photo was from the day I posted. I have never cut them down, just left to go and weeded out the dead growth in the new growing season.

More Info - I always thought maybe it was ants because they love these peonies and they took over my yard, but the fungal disease sounds right on as the flowers rot off relatively fast. I added another picture of the whole plant. This was taking the same time as the close up. Sorry couldn't find the good camera. I always considered this more up my wifes alley but it seems I am the one the gets the most satisfaction from all the gardening.

Am new to taking care of peonies, found some growing at the church and trying to help them. 2 do look very healthy and full...did put a flower ring around them to hold up flowers and will leave it on, planning to leave all the flower rings on and just push to ground so I will know where to put put them next year.
I do have 2 with those ugly black spots, will give it something for diseases next year.
Love the flowers, just too bad that they don't bloom longer...

I kinda think what is happening with your blooms in spring and what is happening how with the foliage are 2 different things. Seems all the herbaceous peonies around here look like your pics from late summer on. Have yours stayed attractive till late in the season like this in the past? I'm thinking you're closer to first frost there, and they're probably going dormant. I've not seen much of the rotting blooms you mentioned, but some varieties are prone to that during wet springs. Perhaps the first thing to try is a bit of TLC, some extra compost and a feeding in spring?

Yes, Gemini, we here in MA. have had a cool, wet spring and summer...but the peonies are still in better condition than when I first started to clean up the church garden...hopefully...they will be even greater next year....these were planted by parishioners many years ago and kind of got lost in the weeds...
Geraldine : )

I have another smaller set of peonies under an old apple tree and next to a pine and they don't exhibit the discoloration, but the flowers act in the same manner. It has been this pattern since me & the wife bought the place (5 years). Funny thing is the decent set of peonies is closer to a black walnut & I keep hearing horrible things about those. I also saw a cheap ph probe at home depot so I thought I would start there.

The major problem for peonies is botrytis http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/botrytis/botrytis_blight.htm & http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/botrytis/botrytis_peony.htm.

My first peony frequently suffered from rather severe fungal infections starting right after it bloomed. I noticed that it got worse as the plant got bigger. So I divided and moved it, and the problem went away for a couple years. (Then I moved.) I understand that one is supposed to remove the foliage just before it touches the ground in order to prevent fungal infections.

Black walnuts release chemicals that suppress the growth of many things. Perhaps they also help prevent opportunistic infections? Or, maybe peonies that grow more slowly are naturally less susceptible to fungal disease. I know that with roses, too much nitrogen can cause growth to be especially susceptible to disease. Adding bone meal one year ( a completely unscientific test) seemed to help prevent it.