Peony - Jan Van Leeuwen

Planting Period

Bare-root peonies can only be planted during the plant's dormant period, i.e., from late autumn to early spring. During the season when the ground is frozen, it is naturally difficult to plant them in their final growing location, and therefore temporary planting in a pot may be a solution. The best time to plant bare-root peonies is therefore in late autumn when the peony is dormant but the ground has not yet frozen. The peony root is not at all sensitive to cold and frozen soil once it has been planted in the ground.

Placement

Peonies prefer an open, bright growing location, preferably sunny, for optimal development. However, avoid overly sunny and warm places, because even if the peony can thrive well in such a location, it leads to the flower blooming quickly and fading. An overly shady location, on the other hand, usually results in poorer flowering, even though the plant can have good growth in a shady spot. The best placement is therefore the open area where air can circulate freely around the plant and which receives a few hours of sun each day.

Soil and Planting

Peonies thrive best in clayey soil, which often makes it easy to find a good location since garden soil largely consists of clayey soil. Dig a sufficiently wide planting hole, preferably three times as wide as the root's diameter but at least 16-20 inches (40-50 cm). The depth of the planting hole should be just over a spade deep, i.e., around 12 inches (30 cm). Then place the peony root so high in the planting hole that you can almost see the roots at the soil surface. Keep in mind that the soil will sink somewhat after planting; therefore, place the root slightly elevated compared to the surrounding soil. Then fill in soil around the roots and make sure that no air pockets remain. Afterward, water thoroughly, preferably 10 liters per plant, and make sure the soil "settles" around the plant. It is important that the root is not placed too deeply, as this often leads to both poor growth and flowering.