Peasant rose ∗ The 10 best planting and care tips

Characteristics

• Definition: rose-like flower in the cottage garden
• Synonyms: peasant rose, Farmers-peony,
• Genera: hollyhocks, peonies
• Occurrence: Europe, Asia
• Growth type: perennial
• Growth form: upright
• Flower shape: single flower, single, double
• Flowering time: spring or summer
• Toxicity: slightly toxic or non-toxic
• Hardiness: hardy
• Garden style: cottage garden, country garden

Peasant Rose vs. peony

In the profile it can be read that the term peasant rose refers to two of the most beautiful perennials native to Europe. The following table presents a compact comparison of outstanding properties:

growth type

Hollyhocks thrive as biennials or perennials. In the first year they form a basal rosette of round, felt-like leaves. In the second year, an erect, strong, rough-haired stem with spread-out leaves rises from this rosette. The stem, which is up to 200 centimeters high, carries its large flowers in the upper leaf axils and as a terminal, spike-shaped inflorescence.

Peonies usually form thick, woody rhizomes in the shape of a tuber. A single, leafy and unbranched, herbaceous stalk sprout from this outlasting organ. The stem leaves are stalked, tripartite, dark green on top and reach a diameter of up to 30 centimeters. More rarely, peonies grow as a shrub or semi-shrub. In this case we are dealing with Paeonia suffruticosa or intersectional (Itoh) hybrids from China, which are not directly related to the term rustic rose.

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Our comparison of Bauernrose vs. Peony reveals that the flowering periods of both types of flowers merge seamlessly. When the peony has finished its blossom festival, it passes the floral baton on to the hollyhock. In the planting plan for a continuously flowering cottage garden creative hobby gardeners reserve a location for both rustic roses.

With its extravagantly double flowers, the common peony spreads its rustic, romantic charm in vases and beds several weeks before hollyhocks bloom. In the following video, a peony expert has useful tips for you.

Peonies - spring-fresh flowers for vases and beds

toxicity

Hollyhocks are non-toxic, making them ideal cottage roses for the family garden. The felty hairs of the plants serve only to protect against cold and moisture loss. Skin contact with leaves, stems or flowers is harmless.

Peonies are classified as slightly toxic because the plants contain the alkaloid paeonine, among other things. Intentional or unintentional consumption can cause nausea and vomiting. Until the 19th In the 19th century, peonies were cultivated as medicinal plants in cottage gardens. For example, Hildegard von Bingen attested to the healing powers of the peasant roses against epilepsy, against fever, gout and gynecological diseases.

Planting a peasant rose

The best time to plant farm roses is in the fall. The window for planting in tubs opens as early as April. The correct planting technique depends on whether you are dealing with the biennial hollyhock or the long-lived peony. The following brief instructions explain the details:

plants in the bucket

The optimal substrate for tub planting is nutrient-rich, loosely permeable and without peat. Soak the root ball or root tuber in water for one hour until no more air bubbles rise. Meanwhile, cover the bottom of the pot with potsherds or expanded clay as drainage. The correct planting depth guarantees successful growth:

• Planting depth hollyhock: root ball just below the surface of the earth
• Planting depth of peony tuber: 3 cm to 4 cm
• Planting depth of peony bush: grafting point 10 cm to 15 cm

Press the soil firmly with both hands and water the planted peasant roses generously. After 15 minutes, pour off the water that has accumulated in the coaster.

plants in the bed

Planting in the bed is preceded by careful soil preparation. Dig the soil up to a spade, removing weeds, old roots and stones. Rake the planting site several times for a finely crumbly substrate. Put a farmer's peony in the planting hole of the tuber or bush horn shavings(€9.00 at Amazon*) or sifted compost soil. A peony reaches a diameter of up to 100 centimeters over the years. The planting distance should be correspondingly generous.

You have two options for planting hollyhocks in the bed. This is easy and inexpensive to do sowing of seeds directly into the autumn cottage garden. Separate the strongest seedlings 50 centimeters apart. A thick layer of foliage protects the young rustic roses from frost and snow. Alternatively, you can prefer hollyhocks on the windowsill and place the young plants in the bed with a support stick from May.

Location

Hollyhocks are the sun worshipers among the farm roses. Peonies can also adapt to a partially shaded location. However, there are cutbacks in the abundance of flowers. In terms of soil quality, both flower beauties pull together. The soil should be rich in nutrients, fresh and moist and well drained.

digression

Double flowers are not bee pasture

Cultivate Peasant Rose

Regular watering when it is dry is part of the horticultural obligatory program for magnificent farmhouse roses. A perennial holder is recommended so that peonies do not let their imposing flower heads droop sadly. Please place a support stick by the side of majestic hollyhocks as protection against windthrow. Read the following sections for more important care tips:

To cut

With the right pruning care, you can elicit opulent blooms and an extra long flowering period from the peasant roses. Hollyhocks can be encouraged to grow for several years by pruning at the right time. At the Peony Cut should be known whether it is a perennial, semi-shrub or shrub. The cut takes into account the plant species in question. That is how it goes:

• hollyhock: after flowering, cut off wilted stems above the rosette of leaves, cut wilted leaves in February.
• Common Peony: in February, cut off dead parts of the plant to 5 cm with a perennial sickle or knife.
• Shrub Peony: rarely or not at all cut, occasionally thin out in late winter.
• Itoh peonies: Cut back subshrubs in February/March until just before the woody area.

By regularly tidying up wilted blooms, you'll make way for new buds to grow on your rustic rose.

multiply

If you leave one or the other flower stalk of hollyhocks until late winter, the farm roses will sow themselves. For controlled propagation, collect the dried seed pods in late summer and autumn. Ideally, sow the small, brown seeds immediately at the desired location. In regions with mild winters, the leaf rosettes form in the same year, so that you can already enjoy the romantic fairy tale of flowers in the next season.

For the successful propagation of a farmer's peony, we recommend dividing it in autumn. Cut the shoots back to the ground. Then dig up the rootstock. Divide the tuber into segments, each with three to five eyes. At the new location, plant the sections three to five centimeters deep in nutrient-rich, permeable soil.

Diseases

As the mallow family, hollyhocks most commonly suffer from mallow rust (Puccinia malvacearum). Unmistakable symptoms are yellow leaves with red-brown pustules on the undersides. Remove infected leaves promptly and dispose of them in the household waste. There is no need to use chemicals because cutting back in late summer puts an end to the disease.

Peonies occasionally suffer from gray mold (botrytis paeoniae). The widespread fungal disease can be recognized by withered shoots and dried up buds. Cut off affected stems as soon as possible. Clean the cutting tool with alcohol before and after cutting. Dispose of the clippings in the organic waste.

Fertilize

In the spring, you should preferably feed a German rose with organic fertilizer such as compost and horn shavings. In the bucket, add an organic liquid fertilizer or worm tea to the irrigation water every two weeks. Mineral fertilizers cause yellow leaves on peonies and hollyhocks.

Popular Varieties

An exuberant variety of beautiful farmhouse roses leaves nothing to be desired, as the following selection shows:

• Alcea rosea 'Polarstar': bright white bowl-shaped flowers until autumn, picturesque fence viewer.
• Alcea rosea 'Blacknight': dark purplish-black, single flowers, long-lived variety, beautiful bee pasture.
• Alcea rosea 'Pleniflora': lush double, light yellow flowers from July to October.
• Paeonia 'Apricot Queen': apricot-colored cup-shaped flowers with yellow stamens, 80 to 90 cm tall.
• Paeonia 'Admiral': fluffy, double, violet flowers, height of growth 90 to 100 cm.
• Paeonia 'Blushing Princess': semi-double pink flowers, lovely fragrance, very early flowering period.

FAQ

My peony is not blooming. Why is it?

When farmer's peonies don't flower, there are a number of reasons behind the dilemma. Incorrect planting depth is the most common reason. The tuber of a perennial peony may be three to five centimeters deep in the ground. The finishing point of a shrub peony comes a maximum of 15 centimeters deep into the ground. Furthermore, the peasant rose keeps its flowers under lock and key in the shady location and in waterlogged, compacted soil. Last but not least, delayed ground frosts destroy flower buds that have already formed.

How to cut peasant peonies for the vase?

For the vase, only cut stems with colored buds. The green bracts should already be opening. The buds feel elastic and soft at the touch of a finger. When placing in the vase, ideally leave two leaves on the flower stalk as an additional source of supply for the flowers.

How does a peasant rose overwinter in a bucket?

In the bucket, the winter hardiness of farmer's roses is limited. After the first frost, a change of location in front of the wind-protected house wall is advisable. Place the bucket on a block of wood and wrap the pot with bubble wrap and winter fleece. Cover the substrate with bark mulch, leaves, wood shavings or straw. Postpone the pruning until late winter, because the dead parts of the plant are useful as a natural winter protection.