Peonies!

[w33blegurl]

Afternoon!

Last year I bought a peony which is now planted out in my garden. When should I expect to see any signs of life?? No signs at the moment so I'm a bit worried its not survived the loooong winter! I had thought they were supposed to be pretty hardy but I'm wondering now if I got that wrong! Am I being too impatient, is there still hope it could reappear?? I have a couple in the growhouse in post (from the bulby/rooty things you can buy from the shops - sorry not sure of the technical term!!) and one of those looks like it might just possibly be starting do do someting but it all seems very late to me! Really love the blooms though so would love to have a few in the garden and som in the lottie for picking!

Ta muchly!!

[nickdub]

Should be up by now - they'll survive frost OK, but like many plants hate being waterlogged, so drainage is important. Where did you plant the one you are worried about ?

[bario1]

I planted two cheapo peony corms last spring in a largish pot. They didn't do much last year, but they are up up and away this year... sorry W33blegurl, but in your part of the world yours should be ahead of mine!

[Bluenowhere]

Mine are up plenty of leaves and have well developed flower buds so would expect yours to be up by now.

[ecudc]

We are a few weeks behind you in the growing season and mine have been up for a few weeks now when in good sun. The one which is more shaded is further behind but sorry if there is no sign I think it might be a goner. They are pretty hardy but don't always like being moved all that much. I'd get your greenhouse ones in as soon as they are showing strong signs of grow having hardened off properly before hand. Dig in lots of compost and if you on clay some grit too to reduce the chance of tubers rotting in the winter.

[mothhawk]

Mine are up plenty of leaves and have well developed flower buds so would expect yours to be up by now.

Mine too.

Did you buy the peony last year in the green, that is, growing in a pot with leaves on, or as a bare tuber in a bag? And when did you plant it out? if you've kept a bare tuber all winter it may have dried out too much and died, or if only recently planted, may still be re-hydrating before starting to grow.

A peony doesn't like to be planted deep, only two to three centimetres below the soil surface.

[w33blegurl]

Thanks all, thats sad new! In answer to some of the questions, it was a potted plant in the green last year that went out into the border. It's entirely possible though that I've put the crown of it in a bit deep, and although we are not on very heavy soil here, it's also possible give the very wet winter that it did get waterlogged!! OK....will get another one and try again this year I think as I really love the flowers! Might put a bit of grit in the planting hole to stop it getting waterlogged next winter.

Do they tend to get attacked by slugs at all? I've had quite a few losses in the garden thanks to those slimy b*ggers! Echinacea never come up a second year and that's entirely down to slug damage!

[DannyK]

If it's in too deep it won't flower, should only be 2" soil on top.

[w33blegurl]

If it's in too deep it won't flower, should only be 2" soil on top.

It has no leaves or stems..so not even slightly worrd about the flowers yet

[mothhawk]

Do they tend to get attacked by slugs at all? I've had quite a few losses in the garden thanks to those slimy b*ggers! Echinacea never come up a second year and that's entirely down to slug damage!

Mine don't seem to be touched by anything, and I have a fair few slugs. The only thing that really affects them is if the flower buds get rained on a lot. it seems to make the outer petals gum up and go brown and the buds never open. Happens to a few buds every year.

[w33blegurl]

Thanks all, I think I'm going to assume it was waterloging that has done for it so bought a replacement (or two, oops!) and some grit for the planting hole so lets see how we get on this time!!

[w33blegurl]

Well.. an update. I bought a couple of new peonies to replace the vanished one and suddenly there are signs of life, only two very small shoots but looks like it may yet appear! Fingers crossed!

[nickdub]

excellent - don't attempt to move it of course - later, when they are growing well, a good mulch of stable manure would be the best care.