Peonies are in full bloom in our area at this time of the year. We are fortunate to have them — they are not available in the south because they must go through a cold cycle to bloom. Many of the plants you see around older homes have been there for generations.

There are dozens of peony varieties; most are categorized by their flower type: single, Japanese, anemone, semi-double, and double. Since flowering lasts only two weeks; varieties are categorized by their bloom season: early, mid, or late. Colors range from burgundy, to red, to pink, to white.

If you are fortunate enough to have a fellow gardener donate some roots to start your own plants, you must wait until early fall to dig and replant the tubers. Dig up the root clump and carefully remove the soil without breaking the tubers. The roots have growth buds in the crown where tubers join together. Slice through the clump from crown downward to divide the plant into several pieces, each complete with several growth buds. Pieces of tuber with only one eye take longer to establish than those with several buds.

The tubers should be planted in well-drained soil that is slightly acidic. Peonies prefer our heavier clay soil with good moisture-holding capacity. They do best with full sun exposure; they will not survive under shady conditions.

The tubers planted in early fall will sometimes bloom the following spring. Do not be concerned if they do not bloom the first spring. However, if they do not bloom the second year, they have been planted incorrectly. They may have been planted too deeply. The plants will not bloom if the soil covering the tubes is more than 2 inches deep. One inch of soil will suffice. I dug one up that had not bloomed in 30 years and it bloomed the following spring when transplanted at the proper depth.

Generally peonies are allowed to bloom for many years without being disturbed. They should not be divided until they no longer bloom well. If the plants have not been fertilized for a long time, fertilize in early spring with a 5-10-5 fertilizer, and then if they bloom poorly, it is time to replant.

Do not remove the foliage after they have bloomed. Wait until it is killed by frost and cut it off at ground level.

Some people believe that peonies will not bloom if there are no ants on the plants. Others believe the ants are harmful. Neither belief is correct. The ants are eating honeydew which aphids have sucked from the plants and cannot consume all of it. Honeydew is the clear sticky substance on the foliage.

Peonies can suffer from botrytis blight. This disease dries up the buds and blossoms are never developed. If this is a problem, treat the plants with Captan.

For people with infinite patience, peonies can be grown from seeds. It takes two years to germinate the seeds. After three years of growth, a few flowers can be expected. This means five or more years from seed sowing to bloom.

of Sarver is a Master Gardener with the Penn State Master Gardener program

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