Peonies do not bloom: why it is and what helps

Help why my blooming Peonies not? Hobby gardeners ask themselves this again and again. This article provides practical answers. It covers all of the potential causes of non-bloom in peonies and provides useful tips.

Peonies

Blooming peonies (peonies) are one of the greatest garden attractions in early summer. The older the plants get, the more abundant the flowering is. But what if it instead fails completely? Why is it that peonies are not blooming as expected?

Important: Peonies are more sensitive than other plants. From the location to the planting to the maintenance, every detail has to be right, otherwise there is a risk of a "bare" sight.

Location

The peonies may not bloom because the location is in some way unsuitable. Here is an overview of the key questions.

• a) Overly shady location?
• b) Is the substrate too wet or too dry?
• c) Soil too compacted?
• d) Competition from other plants?

To a): Peonies need full sun. If they are too much in the shade, the plants will not be able to inspire the hobby gardener with beautiful flowers.

To b): The substrate must not be too wet or too dry. Peonies tend to get along better with a rather dry soil. This is due to the fact that in nature they sometimes grow on rocky ground.

Tip: In order to create the most natural conditions possible for the peonies in the home garden, it is advisable to add sand, lime, gravel and / or small pieces of crushed stone to the substrate. This also makes the soil more permeable, which is very important, as the next point underlines.

To c): A permeable soil is one of the decisive criteria. If the subsoil is compacted, the water can only run off slowly and poorly. Peonies do not cope with waterlogging at all - they quickly develop a fungal attack, take care of and refuse to form flowers.

Tip: If you want to get peonies to bloom perfectly, you need to ensure a well-drained soil. Sandy substrates are ideal. Otherwise you should lean the fat, loamy planting hole for the peonies themselves with an addition of sand and / or gravel.

To d): Peonies that grow near spreading shrubs or under tall trees will bloom poorly or not at all. They endure such "competition" for the best light, nutrients, etc. not.

Tip: If you find that your own peonies are struggling with competing plants, you should transplant them to a suitable location at the beginning of September.

But there is a “rumor” that the sensitive ones should not be transplanted. Allegedly they then no longer bloom for years or die completely. Such a scenario cannot be ruled out completely. However, some hobby gardeners have reported that their peonies will flower again soon after they have been transplanted.

Note: However, one should only transplant peonies in emergency situations. Basically it is true that they tend to be negative about relocation.

Tip: If you are forced to transplant your peonies in the middle of the year (e.g. by moving), you should cut off as much soil as possible when removing the beauties. Then you set the peonies in the new location as deep as they were in the old one and water them thoroughly.

If possible, it makes sense to share the peonies on the occasion, because: Two or three smaller ones Sections grow better in an unfamiliar place of activity and sprout more richly than a large one Rhizome.

In summary, once again, the essential location characteristics:

• full sun instead of shady
• rather dry substrate (sand, gravel etc.) instead of wetness
• permeable soil instead of compacted subsoil
• Freedom instead of competition

plants

The thick, fleshy tubers of the perennial peonies "want to hear the bells ring", as a well-known proverb says. The latter would like to express that the roots of the plant may only lie just below the ground.

Tip: Plant peonies no deeper than two to three centimeters. The best way to check the height is with your own fingertips. Only shrub peonies need to be five to ten centimeters below the ground with their refinement point.

The fact is, peonies planted too deeply will not bloom. This is one of the most common causes of the problem. If the peony is actually too low, you can lift it up next autumn as follows.

1. Step: Place a digging fork under the root at a distance from the peony.

2. Step: Push the rhizome up a little (to the ideal height).

In addition to the height, the appropriate time of planting also plays an important role. If peonies are planted too late, they often fail to flower. If you don't plant your peonies until spring, you shouldn't expect them to glow in May or June. First the plants have to take root properly and recharge their batteries. They bloom - if everything else fits - in the following year.

Tip: It is best to plant peonies between the end of August and the end of September. The peonies are then in hibernation. They get by without foliage and grow in the new location during the cooler months.

care

Mistakes in care can also be the cause of the peonies failing to bloom:

• a) pruning too early
• b) too much pruning (shrub peonies)
• c) no removal of dead flowers
• d) Over-fertilization with nitrogen
• e) Lack of nutrients
• f) excessive dryness
• G) too much moisture / wetness
• H) Frost damage (winter)

To a): Peonies should not be cut until late October / early November. Then you remove all parts above ground about a hand's breadth above the ground. If the plants are started earlier, the “internal balance” of the plants will be disturbed, so that they may not bloom for the next year.

To b): Particularly with shrub peonies, it is important to only cut off what has faded. If you also remove the new buds, there will also be no flowering in the coming year. A precise and attentive approach is required here.

Tip: A clearing cut (after flowering) is only recommended if the peonies are growing too lush. In this case, only a few long shoots should be removed so that enough flowers remain.

To c): As much as you have to be careful not to remove too much, it is just as important to remove dead flowers as soon as possible. Otherwise, the plant will sacrifice too much strength for seed formation, which will result in nothing blooming in the new year.

To d): The peony has developed numerous green leaves, but the flowers are missing (or the latter are very weak)? The reason for this could be over-fertilization with nitrogen. Too much of it harms the plants, as the substance promotes (too) rapid growth and soft and unstable leaves.

The consequences: The peonies lack the strength to develop solid tissue. In addition, a nitrogen content that is too high promotes infestation by germs or parasites.

Tip: Nitrogen undermines phosphorus and potassium, two substances that peonies need to bloom. If you use fertilizers with a high nitrogen content, you should also remember to add an agent with phosphorus and potassium. The dose of the nitrogen-rich fertilizer must be reduced accordingly.

To e): An insufficient or incorrect supply of nutrients can also contribute to the fact that peonies no longer bloom.

Attention:

Many online posts recommend using compost as a fertilizer for peonies. However, this is not advisable because: Compost often contains weed seeds. Weeds that grow between the thick roots of the peonies can hardly be removed without damaging these roots. Not to forget that the use of compost in connection with peonies promotes fungal infestation that is difficult or impossible to control (with other plants, compost is wonderful!).

Tip: Fertilize once in March and once after flowering in mid-June. Ideally, use an organic fertilizer and follow the instructions on the packaging. Carefully work in the agent with a small hand claw or digging fork to avoid damaging the roots.

To f): If the heat is very hot, the dryness can become excessive. Then you absolutely have to water the peonies. Otherwise the flower threatens to fail.

Note: In principle, peonies are quite undemanding when it comes to the water supply. They only needed water during a very extensive heat wave over a period of weeks (recognizable by the limp leaves).

Train): While older generations need little water, freshly planted peonies are relatively thirsty. If the leaves become limp, you give them a strong sip from the watering can, which is enough.

Important: Too much moisture is not good for peonies. It causes a fungal attack and prevents flowering.

To h): Frost damage can also cause missing flowers. If you only plant the peonies in late autumn and do not protect them in winter, the undesirable fall may occur.

Tip: It is best to cover the plants in the root area with brushwood.

Attention:

After the last frosts in February / March, the winter protection should be removed again. If you wait too long, the buds will be too deep under the light and there will be no flowering.

Diseases

Diseases or pests

If peonies develop disease or become infected with pests, they are unlikely to bloom.

Typical illness:

Gray mold. It occurs in spring when the weather is damp and, in addition to the leaves, often also colonizes the flower buds. The latter dry up and fall off. A gray mold infestation can be seen on brownish to blackish colored parts of the plant.

Typical pests:

Nematodes. The tiny creatures “want” to prevent the plant from blooming. Yellow discolored leaves with dried up edges indicate an infestation.

miscellaneous

• Peonies form large clumps over the years
• Unfortunately, the long stalks cannot withstand heavy rain and wind - they fall over
• therefore the plants long for a support - appropriate perennial holders are in hardware stores etc. available
• some varieties of peonies take longer than others to bloom for the first time
• The experience of many hobby gardeners shows that white peonies need more time - so sometimes you just have to be patient