Peonies

[Laurane]

Does anyone know why peonies suddenly quit budding and blooming.

Had our place for 3 summers now and the first year we had lovely big blooms on the peonies, but the last 2 years ...... nothing at all. Not one bud.

Irrigation gets to them, lots of sun, not too many ants.....

Do they just get old and refuse to co-operate and should I just pull them out and put something else in there. In Alberta I had them bloom for 15 years with no problems.

(I hear you need ANTS).....never knew that.

[packyderms_wife]

You need ants. Also fertilize them now ahead of next springs growth.

ETA it's a specific type of ant that eats the coating off of the blossom heads.

[summerthyme]

Ants won't help if they aren't even budding!

I wonder if they need to be separated? Most perennials eventually need to be divided, as they get root bound. But I don't know about peonies.. I do know they are very long lived plants and my Mom had some that bloomed for over 30 years. Sometimes, too much nitrogen will cause a plant to be lush, green- and have no buds or fruit.

This is from Iowa State University's web site:

Reasons Why Peonies Fail to Bloom

by Cindy Haynes

Peonies are staples in Midwest landscapes. They are easy-to-grow, long-lived, and reliable performers in the garden. However, when they do not bloom well, those of us in extension are often inundated with calls, emails, etc. There are several possible causes for failure to bloom.

If the buds do not appear (which is normally the case) some possible causes are:

1. Planted in too much shade. Peonies need at least 4-6 hours of direct sun to bloom well.

2. Recently divided or transplanted. Peonies that are moved or divided in late summer rarely bloom well, if at all, the following spring. Sometimes it will take 2 to 3 years for plants to re-establish well enough in their new location to bloom well again.

3. Planted too deeply. When planting, position peony buds 1 to 2 inches below the surface of the soil. Nobody knows how they know if it is 2 inches versus 4 inches, but they do! When a peony is planted too deeply, it may have beautiful foliage, but few (if any) flowers.

4. Fertilized too much. Peonies that receive excessive amounts of nitrogen rarely flower well regardless of site. Nitrogen promotes foliar growth at the expense of flowers.

5. Clumps too large? Some references state that large, old clumps may not bloom well. However, I have seen several large plants in the Midwest that seem to bloom beautifully year after year. I would imagine that a clump would have to be several decades old before it would fail to bloom. If a clump is considered too large or possibly too old, this is easily remedied by dividing the plant in late summer as a means of rejuvenation.

6. Plants are too young. If a clump can be too old - then the possibility exists that it can be too young as well. While most peonies that are sold are not typically grown from seed, there are some avid gardeners that successfully attempt this process. Plants grown from seed take about 4 to 5 years to mature and ultimately bloom.

7. Premature removal of foliage. Removal of the plant foliage in July or August will weaken the plant resulting in fewer flowers.

If buds appear - but fail to open, some other possible causes include:

1. Late freeze. A hard freeze in May (much like the one we had last year) may damage or destroy the flower buds. Fortunately, this doesn't happen often.

2. Other extreme weather conditions. Extremely dry conditions in summer may weaken plants and result in fewer flowers the following season.

3. Fungal diseases. Botrytis blight or other fungal pathogens infrequently attack the flower buds, primarily when conditions are cool and wet. For prevention, the best practices are removing the dead buds in late spring and removing any diseased foliage at the end of the growing season.

4. Insect pests. Also on rare occasions, thrips or other insect pests can damage and distort flower buds and thus reduce flowering. Insecticides are usually ineffective since the damage is often done early in the season.

5. Undernourished. This is another rarity in most Iowa soils. Plants that are growing poorly (weak, spindly, yellowish or "off-color") are not vigorous enough to bloom (but may set buds). Transplanting into a more favorable location and fertilizing lightly after establishment would be beneficial.

That's it. The most common reasons peonies fail to bloom are cultural (planting in too much shade and planting too deeply). Remember that peonies are tough and often survive for many years in "not so ideal" sites. However, if they fail to bloom one year - watch out - everyone notices!

Summerthyme

[WisconsinGardener]

We had peonies at our old house that were close to 100 years old - never divided, never fertilized - smelled absolutely wonderful. Flopped to the ground every single year, without fail.

When we moved to our new house, one of the first things I did was plant peonies - some of the more modern ones with strong stems that don't flop. Hardly any blooms, even 25 years later, and no smell. Wish I'd brought a clump of the old ones with me.

[MtnGal]

We were having trouble and an old timer old us they were too deep. Over the years the mulch breakdown added to their depth. Move dirt/mulch away, at least a foot if very old plants so they can breathe. Did the trick for us.

[Laurane]

Well, I don't see any remedy which might work - I don't fertilize and maybe that is the only problem, but the person I bought from didn't either......so maybe they are the new type which are picky, or may be it is just too hot?? They get lots of water, but the leaves don't look all that healthy.

Do any type of animals eat the buds? We have bunnies and deer.......

[NC Susan]

Maybe should not get too much summer water
And the kind of dirt is important too

My gram in Pa Poconos with 60 year old pink peonies and lilacs and first Mother in Law in Ontario NY had amazing 40 year old pink peonies and 6-8 foot tall Hollyhocks. Their yards smelled heavenly
I call that Northern cooler weather "Geranium Country" Where summer nights are cooler than 70 degrees

Both had planted the perennials as new brides / homeowners in full sun

I remember The ants were huge and shiny glossy black

I planted new roots 3 times here and never got past the first years green growth
I think the ground is just too hot here and we do normally get a lot more rain than mountain folks
Also we are getting GM stock -when is the last time you smelled a rose that smelled like a rose ?!!
Nothing is really heritage anymore

[big kumara]

Ants have nothing to do whether peonies bloom or not. Plump, healthy flower buds exude nectar, which attracts the ants. If the foliage looks bad and buds don't form and they get hit by sprinklers, I'd guess the problem is a fungal disease. Peonies would rather be dry than wet. Like rhubarb, they need a little benign neglect.