Peonies

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Jeanj1 Norwich, United Kingdom Jun 12, 2008

Can anyone tell me please, what to do with Peonies after they have finished flowering. Do you cut them or allow them to die down on their own. I have not got a very big garden, and they take up so much room. Would be grateful for any suggestions Thanks Jeanj1

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paulgrow Allen Park, MI(Zone 6a) Jun 12, 2008

Deadhead the spent blooms and leave the foliage alone.
You can prune it a little but don't remove over 1/3 of the foliage.

Paul

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WeeNel Ayrshire Scotland, United Kingdom Jun 13, 2008

The advice above is so right, I personally would not cut any of the foliage as when it dies down on it's own, it is feeding the goodness back into the tuber, but please dead head the dead flowers or you are just weakening the plant by allowing it to use energy making seeds, you can always put a few garden canes into the ground around the foliage and using soft garden twine, tie the foliage into a neater bundle so it dont take up so much room, I love the foliage on my peonies even after the flowers have finished, but it is all a matter of taste really, good luck. WeeNel.

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bethanski Rochester, NY Jun 13, 2008

I deadhead my peonies, but don't prune the plants until all of the foliage has died on its own. WeeNel has an interesting idea about twining the foliage, though - I would love to get some other plants in there with my peonies!

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paulgrow Allen Park, MI(Zone 6a) Jun 13, 2008

Herr's a shot of a peony bed at Schelel Gardens in Toledo, Ohio.

It had stormed the night before so they were pretty well beat up.

Thumbnail by paulgrow
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duck_toller Middleton, WI(Zone 4b) Jun 14, 2008

I think the question about how much you can thin back the foliage depends on how established the plant is. I was shocked to learn that my father-in-law has - for years - mowed his peonies when they were done blooming. Yes, ride on mower right down to the grass level year after year. His bushes are huge, several different colors and sizes, and gorgeous. I had been carefully deadheading just the blossoms and never had his luck. I asked him his secret, he claimed it is a shovel of old horse manure on top of the snow every winter.

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