3 Garden college
Whether you’re planting bulbs, trees or perennials, the best time to do so is when they’re dormant – before they begin their active growth. The optimal planting time depends on what you’re planting. Perennial plants are best planted in spring, but it’s better to plant peonies in the fall.gartenlehrer Why it’s best to plant peonies in the fall Peonies are available as growing, potted plants in spring, but this has more to do with satisfying the demands of the market than what’s best for your peony. Not that they can’t be successfully spring planted, but you run a fair risk of disappointing results. Besides, the selection from peony nurseries in the fall is much larger. Considering how long they live and how few most of us will plant in our lifetime, why not do it right? Don’t be surprised to spend more that $30 for a good variety. They’re worth it and for heaven’s sake what else can you grow and enjoy for the rest of your life for so little? Herbaceous peonies are by far the best known and beloved. They like a fertile soil, but tolerate a range of types provided they drain well. A minimum of six hours of sun is best. Nurseries lift their peony roots in the fall, dividing them into pieces. Each piece should have three to five “eyes”. These eyes will produce next year’s stems and flowers. Peonies don’t like being moved around, so choose your planting site carefully, considering the sunlight and your peony’s mature size. Give them room. Small as that root looks now, it will get much bigger. Easy as they are to grow, there is one critical factor that must be addressed when planting – the depth of the root. Actually, it’s the depth of the eyes that matters. If planted too deeply, your peony may not flower for many, many years. It will grow, but not flower. These eyes are the pink or white buds you’ll see at the top of the root (crown). Dig a hole larger than your root and orient the root so that the eyes are roughly on one plane. Hold the plant carefully in the hole and fill in the soil, making sure the eyes are 1 1/2 to two inches (3 to 5 cm) below soil level. Chances are you may have piled the excavated soil next to your hole which makes this measurement tricky, so I place the excavated soil elsewhere and lay the handle of my spade across the hole to show the soil level. Novice gardeners sometimes mistake the thick roots for stems, planting the crown upside down. There shouldn’t be any part of the root showing above ground when you’ve finished. Tamp the soil down gently. There’s no need to water unless you don’t expect any rainfall before winter.