Cutting peonies: timing & procedure

Peonies are shrubs or perennials that die off in autumn. Wilted plant parts have to be cut - but when and how?

As an introduction, let us first point out that there are two types of Peonies There are: On the one hand, perennial peonies, which only develop herbaceous, above-ground parts of plants and these in winter withdraw again, and on the other hand, shrub peonies, whose shoots gradually lignify and can therefore be seen in the garden all year round are.
The pruning measures for a bush peony (for example Paeonia Lutea-Hybrids) are not difficult to perform and do not follow any hard and fast rules. If the shrub peony has been planted in a favorable location, it will branch out evenly and develop an attractive shrub shape all by itself. And also the cut of a herbaceous peony (for example Paeonia lactiflora) is hardly worth mentioning, as this plant withdraws its aboveground life into the ground in winter. In some cases, however, the gardener can skillfully give this plant genus a helping hand or the branches. Below we reveal what you need to consider when cutting your peonies.

When to cut peonies

The time the peony wants to be cut is the second half of the year. Depending on the type of pruning to be made, this time varies from June to December. The different types of cuts, on which the timing depends, are explained below.

Cutting peonies: procedure depending on the type of cut

Depending on whether it is a shrub or herbaceous peony, there are different approaches. There are even three different types of pruning for the shrub peony. Because this peony does not retreat into the ground and gradually lignifies on its shoots. It arises from the ground with many shoots and ideally branches evenly above ground. How to properly prune the shrub peony is explained below.

Cutting shrub peonies: the maintenance cut

The way of working in care provides that all dead and dried up parts of the plant are removed. This can either be individual branches or flowers. When winter draws to a close, it is for both aesthetic and phytosanitary reasons advisable to remove the dead wood, on which no swelling, budding buds can be recognized, cut away.

Cutting shrub peonies: the topiary

This cut is usually rare, but it can occur if the peony is in too heavy or nutrient-poor substrate or if the planting depth is insufficient. Under these circumstances, a peony cannot branch properly, but rather forms one or two branches of the base, which is bare of leaves at the bottom and, by their excessive length, under the weight of the flowers bend over. To counteract this appearance, cut back the peony in the fall. Between October and December, the peony is pruned back to the ground, which encourages the formation of buds at the base.

Then a mainly organic fertilizer is carefully incorporated and a well-ventilated substrate is mixed in in the area of ​​the plant. A long-term fertilizer such as our Plantura is ideal Organic flower fertilizer. It can also happen that the peony hardly continues to grow on existing shoots and the formation of flowers subsides. This is often seen in connection with the appearance of many new shoots at the base. This can be prevented by removing the new shoots from the base, so that all the energy goes into the existing branches and thus the bloom formation is strengthened again. In this case, an application of organic fertilizer should also follow, ideally potassium carbonate (potash).

Pruning shrub peonies: treating damage

In the case of shrub peonies, mechanical damage to the above-ground parts of the plant can occur due to the load of snow, strong winds, lawn mowers or careless handling. If this happens to young specimens, the extent of the damage depends on the depth of the planting. Cleanly cut off any damage to the peony. If the grafting point is well covered with soil, it is likely that the buds in their environment are undamaged, as the connection point between the noble rice and the rootstock is underground. As a result, the noble rice initially still has the resilient roots of the "wild" underlay, but is stimulated by contact with the earth to develop its own roots over time. Later the noble rice should have developed its own root ball. If necessary, the peony can also be given a better hold with three supports. In the case of older and well-branched specimens, it is sufficient to cleanly cut off the damaged wood. Even with worse injuries, the chances of survival are very high.

Cutting perennial peonies: the cleaning cut

The pruning of a perennial peony is easy to implement and is limited to a cleaning measure in the Autumn, as the plants let their organs above the ground die and descend into the ground over the winter withdraws. So in autumn between September and October cut the peony to about 10 cm above the Down the soil so as not to provide a habitat for mushrooms, which become a danger when new shoots emerge could. An alternative to autumn is the period in spring. The advantage here is that there are no more frosts that can penetrate the plant through the cut wounds after the cut and freeze parts. In addition, withered foliage also acts as insulating winter protection for the sensitive base with the buds underneath.

Cut peonies: Cut dead flowers

The withered parts of the peony's plant harbor the risk of infection. Therefore, peonies should also be cut after they have bloomed in June or July. This endeavor prevents the flowers of the shrub peony from rot, which increases the risk of disease. For example, mushrooms might feel comfortable in the wilted parts of the plant, as these form a small, sheltered and moist habitat. It is better to prevent this instead of resorting to a pesticide later.

Cut and trim the peonies for the vase

Another way to enjoy the peonies is to bring them into your home with a vase from your own garden. However, there are a few points to watch out for. A detailed description can be found in our special article Peonies in the vase.

In order to let them shine in their most beautiful splendor, besides cutting is also that Fertilizing the peonies important. You can find out what to look out for here.