Preparing peonies for winter: pruning, feeding and shelter. Tree peony: preparation for winter, shelter for the winter, photo When and how to cover peonies for the winter

It is believed that the peony does not need careful care, so many gardeners do not touch the perennial in the fall. Meanwhile, carrying out certain agrotechnical measures will be beneficial for the plant.

Every year I prepare the peony for winter: I cut the stems at the right time, apply fertilizer and organize a shelter. These measures have a positive effect on the health of the perennial, and every summer he pleases me with lush inflorescences.

Inexperienced gardeners are often interested in specialized forums whether it is necessary to dig up peonies for the winter. Many flowers really need a comfortable wintering in a cellar, refrigerator or cool pantry, since being in freezing soil will lead them to inevitable death.

It is not necessary to dig up peonies in the fall, since the perennial winters well and tolerates severe frosts under reliable shelter. Dig up a peony only for transplanting to another place or for the purpose of flower propagation.

Pruning

The most important step in preparing peonies for winter is pruning the stems. Many gardeners neglect this procedure or do it too early, thereby harming the perennial. What is pruning for and how to do it correctly?

Do I need to prune peonies in the fall? It is necessary, moreover, these activities are aimed not only at the aesthetics of your site, and facilitating work in the spring. Even if the leaves were not affected by any pests and fungi in the summer season, they must be removed without fail.

With the onset of cold weather, insects, including those not entirely useful for perennials, seek shelter for wintering. Uncleared foliage becomes an ideal haven for them, and in the spring, pests actively lay their eggs and larvae in the ground and plant tissues.

Also, leaves softened in spring can become a place where pathogens begin to hide, which can subsequently harm young shoots.

Thus, the autumn pruning of a peony becomes a mandatory sanitary measure. When exactly is it better to remove leaves and stems?

Pruning time

In order not to harm the peony, it is worth pruning within a clearly limited time frame. Some gardeners completely prune the perennial at the end of its decorative period, and this is a colossal mistake.

In the foliage until mid-autumn, very important processes photosynthesis, during which the roots accumulate specific substances.

These elements help the plant to successfully recover its strength after lush bloom, prepare for the cold weather, overwinter and actively start growing with the onset of warmth.

In the summer, only dried flower stalks should be cut off, while the foliage should not be affected. Removing the entire above-ground part, which has already become unnecessary due to the loss of its decorative effect, will colossally harm the perennial and deprive it of important nutrition. If the plant does not die, then on next year will definitely be weakened.

In autumn, pruning of a peony is carried out only after the establishment of frost. The plant is already fully prepared for wintering, so removing the leaves will not harm it. You can determine the right moment for pruning by the state of the foliage - it should lie completely on the ground.

If you do not have the opportunity to be on the site during the first frost, you can remove almost the entire aerial part of the peony on the last day of the outgoing season, leaving 3-4 central stems with leaves, which will ensure the course of photosynthesis processes and nutrition of the root system.

Top dressing

Peony dressing should be applied in the fall about 2 weeks before the predicted frost. Depending on the climatic zone, perennials are fertilized from the 20th of September to 10 October.

It is important to choose the optimal composition of preparations that will help the flower to successfully overwinter, and in the spring to quickly grow and in the right time to present the gardener with its luxurious lush inflorescences.

For successful wintering, the root system of a peony requires phosphorus and potassium, but nitrogen is strictly contraindicated. The last element stimulates the growth of green mass, these processes at this stage are completely unnecessary and even dangerous.

A plant that has gone into growth can die, because it does not have time to prepare for winter.

Top dressing in the fall has several goals:

• the root system is strengthened and the plant qualitatively survives the onset of cold weather;
• lays the foundation for the development of strong and large buds, which will produce powerful foliage and large inflorescences.

Peony dressing can be applied both in dry form and with solutions of complex preparations. If the autumn turned out without precipitation, then it is better to use the liquid version, spilling about a liter of the preparation diluted according to the instructions under each bush.

Prolonged rains imply the use of granular fertilizers: they are scattered over the near-trunk circle of perennials, coordinating the consumption with the recommendations of the manufacturers.

Dry top dressing can be embedded shallowly into the soil, loosening it with a hoe, or leave it lying on the surface: under the influence of rainwater, the granules will gradually dissolve, and the micro- and macroelements contained in them will go to the root system of the peony.

Shelter

Pruning and feeding are not all the activities that you should take when preparing peonies for wintering. In regions where severe frosts are established in winter or the amount of snow is not enough to protect the perennial, the flower must be provided with shelter.

V middle lane, where severe frosts are established, as a rule, after heavy snowfalls, it is quite logical that the question is brewing whether it is necessary to shelter peonies for the winter. If the perennial grows on a hill or in a windswept place on your site, then you will need to provide protection for it.

If the peony grows near the northern fence or is surrounded by trees and shrubs, then the creation of a shelter will be optional.

• in Siberia, mulching with closing the place from blowing is mandatory;
• in the Urals, a thorough protection of peonies from frost is also necessary;
• in the middle lane, peonies for the winter only mulch or only huddle;
• in the Volga region, standard hilling is sufficient.

If the listed factors and climatic conditions in your region tell you to create a shelter, start manipulating with the onset of the first dry frosts and a steady drop in temperature to -5 0.

It is necessary to protect a perennial from the harmful effects of frost in several stages:

1. Since the growth buds of a peony are located at a depth of only 6 cm, the main measure to protect them from frost is hilling. After pruning, sprinkle earth on the bushes to increase the plant's resistance to frost.
2. On top, you need to pour a thick (15-18 cm) layer of mulch.
3. On top of the mulch layer, to protect against blowing, you need to install a wooden or plastic box, a regular bucket or put spruce branches.

Separately, you should consider the issue of mulching material. In no case should the cut leaves of peony and other garden plants act in its role.

Permanent organic matter will attract insect pests and pathogenic flora, which will lead to dangerous diseases of perennials. For the same reason, it is not recommended to use straw or manure for shelter.

Popular mulching materials such as pine needles, fresh sawdust, tree bark, contribute to soil acidification, which can negatively affect the health of the peony.

Of course, if you do not have any other means for organizing a shelter, you can use them, but every year you should test the PH of the earth with litmus strips and in time to lye it with the help of available drugs.

The ideal mulch that does not affect the soil pH is high moor peat and caked sawdust.

If you live on a site all year round, then it is recommended to throw snow cleared from the paths on top of peonies and other perennials. The larger the covering layer, the better plants will endure the frost. In addition, melting snow will qualitatively saturate the earth and give flowers the strength for full growth and development.

In early spring, during the period of active snow melting, the shelter must be disassembled. Most of the mulch should be shaved off the peony so that it does not lead to overheating of the root system and growth buds.

A small layer must be left - it will serve to retain moisture and protect the ground from dispersal of weed seeds.

A rare summer cottage does without luxurious peonies, summer care of which is most often limited to watering. But the preparation of peonies for winter involves their mandatory pruning, feeding and insulation.

During the summer, the flowers are watered, but they need most of the moisture during the flowering period. Further, the number and volume of watering is gradually reduced, slowly bringing them to zero. The moment of gradualness is important here. And in the fall, most often only rains are enough. Dry autumn is more likely to prepare plants for a dormant period.

In the fall, new bushes are planted on the site, if necessary, those that are already growing on it are transplanted, adult plants are divided, simultaneously reproducing and rejuvenating peonies. But to prepare them for winter means cutting off the deciduous mass, making the last autumn dressings, and insulating them in anticipation of cold weather. Everything needs to be done correctly and in a timely manner.

Pruning peonies

In the fall, it is imperative to cut off all the stems with leaves, since they will inevitably wither, then rot. In them, pests can settle for the winter, the decaying leaves themselves usually become a breeding ground for pathogenic microorganisms. If some kind of infection (often fungal) nestled on them in the summer, but did not cause a visible disease, then next season it will inevitably hit the plant and spread to others. For the good of your entire plot, pruning should not be postponed until spring.

Timing of pruning a plant for the winter

In summer, as a rule, only fading flowers are cut, and the leaves continue to perform their decorative function on the site. The roots grow until the coldest days, accumulate strength for subsequent flowering, and the process of photosynthesis in the leaves actively helps them. Therefore, it is necessary to cut off the green mass when this process is naturally inhibited. The ideal time is after the first frost, when the leaves fall to the ground.

If for some reason you need to cut the peony earlier, you should leave several leaves on each stem so that the plant can further assimilate nutrients without stopping photosynthesis completely. Depending on the beginning of winter, pruning is carried out approximately from mid-September to mid-October.

Peony pruning scheme

Herbaceous peonies are cut with a sharp, disinfected pruner almost at the very ground, leaving only a couple of centimeters from the twigs. It is better to destroy all cut greens by taking them away from the site. It is not suitable for compost due to possible contamination.

If you leave high hemp of the stems, they will dry out, but they can become a breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria, therefore they are usually cut so low that the subsequent hilling will completely hide the bush from the eyes.

Care and feeding after pruning

After pruning, the ground around the bush is freed from all leaves, branches, grass, it is loosened with special tools not very deeply so as not to damage the roots. This the best time for the last feeding of the plant. You can use any ready-made complex fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus. Some growers prefer to make bone meal with wood ash. The main thing is that you do not need to use nitrogen-containing fertilizers, so as not to inadvertently provoke the growth of new shoots, which will inevitably freeze.

Fertilizers can be scattered around the bush, loosening will mix them with the ground, and subsequent rains will carry it to the root. If the autumn is dry, then it is better to dilute them according to the instructions and pour about 1 liter under each bush.

Video "Preparing peonies for winter"

In this video, a specialist will tell you how to properly prepare peonies for winter period.

Shelter peonies for the winter

When deciding how to shelter peonies for the winter, it is necessary to proceed from assumptions about the degree of severity and snowiness of winter. Cold frosty winds in combination with snowless winters can destroy plants, and the snow that has fallen in time will serve as the best shelter. The only pity is that we cannot accurately predict this, so it is necessary to organize a shelter suitable for all occasions.

Tree-like perennial peony, oddly enough, tolerates winter cold quite easily. Caring for it does not imply total pruning, it is trimmed only for the purpose of shaping or rejuvenating. The buds for the next year's flowers are laid on the skeletal branches, so they are only shortened to the desired length. But usually all pruning of a tree peony is carried out in the spring.

Of the autumn activities are mandatory: cleaning the bush and the surrounding area from fallen leaves, grass, branches, loosening the earth and making potassium-phosphorus dressings. An adult peony will survive the winter perfectly, one has only to spud its trunk. But a young, still low plant must be spilled high, mulched by at least 20 cm, and completely covered with a box or bucket on top.

Features of preparation for winter in the regions

The buds of future twigs in herbaceous peonies are no deeper than 6 cm below ground level. It is necessary to decide how much to insulate the plant for the winter, depending on the region. So, in the southern regions, peonies are not insulated at all. For the Volga region, a good layer of mulch 10-15 cm high is enough. Summer residents of the middle lane and the Moscow region are afraid strong winds and a lack of snow, so they prefer to cover the plants with spruce branches or lutrasil, in addition to the usual mulch.

In the Urals and Siberia, it is imperative to put a high layer of mulch - 20-25 cm thick, arrange a box or box on top, which will provide a layer of air, they are also covered with a special non-woven fabric... And in the spring, they gradually dismantle this shelter as the air temperature rises.

Common mistakes when preparing for winter

Peonies - very unpretentious plants, they do not require constant attention, in the summer it is enough just to water them. Most often, even fertilizers are applied exclusively in spring and autumn. Most of the manipulations are carried out with them in the fall in preparation for winter. It is important to avoid mistakes here, as they can have serious consequences.

The most serious mistake is the refusal of the autumn pruning of the bushes. The result can be not only a strongly weakened peony, but also plants nearby that are sick with all sorts of infectious (most often fungal) diseases.

After pruning, you cannot cover the roots with the same leaves - the result will be the same, pests and pathogenic microorganisms will happily overwinter and get stronger, but peonies, on the contrary, will weaken and get sick.

Pruning too early is a common mistake to weaken the plant. And sheltering not in accordance with the expected winter can completely lead the plant to death.

Peonies are beautiful and rather unpretentious flowers, but even the most undemanding flower needs proper and regular care. Caring for peonies in the fall and preparing them for winter includes fertilizing, pruning and covering the flower, as well as a number of other procedures that are optional, but undoubtedly useful.

What work do peonies need in preparation for winter

Winter cold is a serious test for plants. Peonies are quite persistent, but survival experiments are still not recommended.

For good protection against severe frosts the height of the shelter must be at least 10-15 cm

Peony care in autumn includes the following procedures:

• cutting off the stems during the first frost;
• top dressing of bushes (liquid or dry);
• separation and transplantation of highly overgrown specimens;
• inspection of each bush for damage by diseases and pests;
• carrying out treatment and prophylactic procedures if diseases are identified;
• abundant watering of each bush, if the summer was dry and the autumn is warm;
• covering with spruce branches, dry leaves, peat or sawdust.

All procedures are simple, the main thing is to carry them out on time and carefully, following simple rules developed by experienced florists.

Stages of care in the fall

In the warm season, peonies require a minimum of attention - just timely weeding and watering. Autumn is the time to take care of preparing flowers for wintering.

Top dressing: reserve of strength until spring

By autumn, the root system of peonies is very weakened - over the summer it gives all its strength to foliage and buds. In order for new roots to successfully form and the plant to enter the winter prepared, it must be fed.

Peonies need to be especially carefully fertilized from mid-September to mid-October - it is at this time that the plant is most actively accumulating strength. If you live in a colder region, reschedule the beginning of feeding until early September, generally 1–1.5 months before pruning.

In the fall, it is worth applying fertilizers based on potassium and phosphorus to the soil. Leave nitrogen-containing top dressing until spring - they stimulate active growth of the stems, and before the onset of cold weather this is undesirable.

The dry method is most often fertilized with peonies in particularly rainy weather.

dry dressing

Two basic methods of feeding peonies before winter have been developed:

• Dry. If summer and autumn are rich in moisture, the roots of the plants have already absorbed enough liquid. In this case, they need granular "food" - it is more convenient to dose it, it lasts much longer than liquid food. Spread the granules of potassium (15 g) and phosphorus (20 g) around the bush, slightly loosen the soil.
• Liquid. Option for dry summers and warm autumn. Dissolve 1 tablet of potassium and 1 tablet of phosphorus in a bucket of water, mix well and spill the peonies - 1-2 liters of top dressing per 1 bush.

Apply the fertilizer carefully so that it does not fall on the root collar of the bush. It is recommended to fertilize peonies only in the third year after transplantation.

If it is not possible to buy a special fertilizer, make it yourself using available tools:

1. Mix 1 bucket of fresh cow dung in 5 buckets of water. You can also use bird droppings - then 25 buckets of water are needed for 1 bucket of droppings.
2. Place the resulting solution in a barrel in a sunny place for 2 weeks for fermentation.
3. At the end of this period, add 200 g of superphosphate and 500 g of wood ash to the barrel. Stir again.
4. Dilute the resulting product clean water(on the cow dung 5-7 buckets, on bird droppings - in a ratio of 1 bucket of product to 2 buckets of water) and feed the plants. If the winter turned out to be stingy with snowfalls, do not be lazy, throw a small snowdrift on your flower beds

After pruning, fertilize the peonies well with a mixture of 200 g of bone meal and 300 g of wood ash.

Pruning: nothing extra before winter

Peonies of all varieties should be pruned before the onset of cold weather. Usually, pruning is done during the first frost period, in the second half of October and early November (middle lane).

August-September is the time when peonies actively absorb nutrients, preparing for winter. Therefore, pruning the plant too early will result in poor development and flowering. The later the peony is cut, the prettier and healthier it will be next summer.

How do you know when it's time to cut flowers? The foliage turned red and lay on the ground - it means that the time has come, prepare the pruner. When pruning peonies, keep the tool parallel to the ground.

Without a transplant, a peony bush can grow in one place for up to 10-15 years

The procedure cannot be carried out in the spring, because:

• withered stems that have wintered under the snow are difficult to cut in the spring;
• last year's stems and foliage are an ideal breeding ground for pests;
• spring pruning - the risk of damaging the delicate buds that are hidden underground.

There are certain differences in pruning different varieties of peonies:

• Herbaceous peonies, in which foliage has withered or has gone with dark spots, are pruned in early September. If the foliage is healthy, pruning is done at the end of September-October. Prune herbaceous varieties to the level of the soil.
• Treelike peonies are usually pruned in the spring, and before they are sheltered for the winter, damaged and diseased shoots should be cut off. The best time for the procedure is when the night temperature drops to –5-7 ° C. As a rule, this is the beginning of November.
• ITO hybrids were obtained from peonies from different climatic zones therefore they tolerate frost well. They need to be pruned in October-November, like tree varieties. During the procedure, all shoots are cut to the root - like in herbaceous varieties. These plants can form buds in the fall that protrude slightly above the soil, so be careful not to damage them.

With correct and timely anti-aging pruning, you can save the life of a perennial for 60-80 years

If the leaves are withered or sick, remove them as the problem arises, and pour the bush itself from a watering can with a solution of 1 teaspoon of phytosporin in a bucket of water (the solution is enough for 3-4 square meters).

Cover flowers at night with non-woven fabrics before pruning.

Everything that is cut from the bush must be taken out of the garden and burned in order to avoid flower diseases and to destroy pests.

Video: how to prune peonies

Shelter: protecting from frost

Varietal peonies prefer light and open areas

In regions with severe winters, it is imperative to wrap up peonies in autumn. In places with a mild climate, shelter can be neglected. In general, the decision whether to cover or not depends on the type of peony:

• ITO peonies are frost-resistant, so you don't need to cover them. The exception is weak and young plants, which can be protected from cold weather by spruce branches or foliage.
• It is imperative to cover herbaceous peonies with the onset of a stable cold snap. Peat, crumbly humus, sawdust are suitable for this.
• Treelike peonies have fragile branches that cannot be bent to the ground like raspberry shoots. Divide the branches of the peony into bunches, tie them. Then, mulch the near-trunk circle with peat - it is the only one that does not contribute to the appearance of gray rot. Cover the bush with a spruce branches hut, top with burlap or non-woven fabric.

Video: how to cover peonies

Do not use leaves and stems cut from peonies for shelter - fungi and pests will actively multiply in them, and the plant will die. In the spring, remove the shelter as soon as the buds appear - this happens shortly after the soil thaws.

Other procedures: watering, transplanting, prevention and treatment of diseases

Watering peonies after autumn pruning is possible, but not too abundantly, especially for ITO varieties.

If the bushes are overgrown, they should be planted. This procedure should be carried out during the velvet season (late August-first half of September), when the weather is warm, dry. The peony will get used to a new place, take root and grow quickly in the spring.

In spring and summer, it is better not to plant or transplant a peony - all the plant's forces are directed to flowering and seed production, so the risk of death is very high.

Whichever method of feeding you choose, you need to apply fertilizers very carefully so that additives do not fall on the root neck of the peonies

How to plant peonies in the fall:

1. Choose a fertile, loose soil, preferably black fallow (an area that has been “resting” for a year) or land that has previously had legumes. The landing site should be sunny, not windy, away from buildings and trees.
2. 4 weeks before planting, dig ditches with a diameter and depth of up to 0.5 m, at a distance of 1–1.5 m from each other. Place drainage on the bottom: sand, gravel and water to settle the soil.
3. Mix black soil with humus, sand, manure, peat and ash in a 1: 1 ratio. Pour the mixture into the hole, mix with the garden soil. You can also add urea, superphosphate, ferrous sulfate.
4. Cut the peony stems to 15 cm. Carefully dig up the old bush. Shake off the soil and leave the dug out bush in the shade for 2 hours so that the roots are not brittle.
5. Examine them, remove damaged and dried ones. Cut large ones at an angle of 45–60º, leaving a length of 10–20 cm. Sprinkle the slices with crushed charcoal. Place the roots in a light pink potassium permanganate solution for half an hour.
6. After soaking, plant the young peonies in separate pits, placing the buds 4–5 cm below the surface. Each division should have 2-3 shoots, 3-4 roots and growth buds.

The most gentle method of dividing a dug out bush is to plant it on a 40-50 cm stake. The bush will spontaneously disintegrate into the required divisions.

Video: peony transplant

Peonies can be affected by fungi (spots, powdery mildew, gray mold) or pests (bronzes, aphids, caterpillars and root nematodes). Trim off infected stems, leaves or roots and burn off site.

Caring for peonies will not take much of your time - these flowers are perfectly adapted to survive in the cold. The main thing is that in no case should you neglect the autumn care, because during this period the health of the plant is laid. Dedicate a day or two to your favorite flowers, and they will thank you with lush flowering and delicate aroma.

Peonies are beautiful and unpretentious flowers to care for. They are rarely affected by diseases and pests. Peonies can grow in one place without transplanting for up to 15 years. But for this, the bushes need to be properly looked after.

What to do with peonies in autumn

What to do with peonies in the fall depends on their age and condition. Bushes from 4 to 10 years old usually do not require replanting. In this case, caring for peonies in the fall includes the following activities:

• top dressing;
• protection from diseases and pests;
• pruning herbaceous peonies;
• frost protection.

You need to fertilize peonies in the fall in the third year after planting. Before that, they feed on a stock of nutrients introduced into the pit during planting. Fertilization will allow you to get more buds in the spring, the flowers will be larger, and their colors will be brighter. The bush will grow faster.

Top dressing is carried out from the third decade of September to mid-December. This period depends on when winter comes to the region. Fertilizers are applied a month and a half before the onset of frost.

Humus and other fertilizers containing nitrogen should not be applied in the fall. They will cause active growth of shoots that will die from frost. At the same time, the bush will weaken. Correctly apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizers: superphosphate, potassium sulfate. Application rates for a bush: 20 g of phosphorus, 15 g of potash.

Fertilizers are applied in liquid or dry form. The deciding factor will be the weather during this period. Liquid are applied in dry weather. Thus, at the same time, the soil is moistened, and nutrients are supplied to the roots. Concentrated dry fertilizers cannot be applied to dry soil, the roots will get burned. Dilute 5 g of potassium salt and 10 g of superphosphate in a bucket of water, mix thoroughly and add 1 liter under the bush.

They are fed dry when the soil is wet or it often rains. Plants respond well to dry feeding with granular fertilizers. Granules dissolve slowly, so they last longer than liquid granules. They are scattered around the bush and slightly loosened the soil. This will prevent the rain from washing away the granules, and the dissolution process will start faster. Fertilizers in any form must not be allowed to fall on the root collar.

If there is a suspicion that the peony bushes are affected by fungal diseases, after pruning, the soil under the bushes is treated with preparations containing copper. When damaged by pests (bronzes, aphids, thrips, ticks), they are spilled with insecticides. When damaged by root nematodes, the bush is dug up and burned.

Pruning peonies in autumn and frost protection

Providing peonies with care in the fall, pruning is carried out a couple of weeks before frost. This is done after the leaves turn red and fall on the ground. In the summer they are not pruned, because the process of photosynthesis has not yet ended in them. Pruning early can result in fewer buds and poor flowering.

It is easier to cut the stems in the fall than in the spring. Together with the leaves, pathogens and pests are removed. Young buds are not damaged during pruning in the fall.

The stems are cut at a height of 3 ... 4 cm from the ground. Sprinkle the cut with wood ash to destroy the fungi. Collect the cut stems with leaves and take them out of the garden. If the soil is dry, water the bushes. This way they will cope better with the winter.

Peony buds are located close to the soil surface, at a depth of 3 cm. In the south, they easily endure a cold snap, slight frosts. But in the middle lane and northern regions, the buds may freeze slightly.

Therefore, peony bushes need to be covered with soil and covered.

Suitable for shelter:

• sawdust;
• dry leaves;
• peat;
• humus;
• spruce branches;
• non-woven covering materials of maximum density.

The last two species are used in regions with very frosty winters. The height of the mulch layer should be at least 15 cm. In winter, it will be possible to add snow by building a low snowdrift over the bushes.

If your peony is cared for in the fall, preparing it properly for winter will help it get beautiful flowers in the spring.

Preparing peonies for winter should be done on time and correctly. It depends on how well the peony bushes will prepare for the next season, will not suffer from frost in winter, and in early spring from frost.
Caring for peonies in the fall and preparing bushes for winter has a number of features. At this time, 1-1.5 months after flowering, the buds of renewal and development of the root system are laid. Therefore, it is very important to do everything correctly in order to get a lush bloom for the next season. Peonies need top dressing and watering, especially during the laying and formation of renewal buds, which occurs shortly after the end of flowering. Therefore, in the fall, peony bushes also need care. During the season, in spring and summer, peony care does not contain any special techniques. This watering, loosening the soil, mulching, removing weeds, pruning blooming buds.

And what should you do in the fall, when your peony bush is actively preparing for winter?

In the fall, it is advised to perform the following peony care measures:

• Loosening the soil, no deeper than 5 cm within a radius of 50 cm, so as not to damage the roots.
• Mulch the soil around the bushes.
• Remove fallen and dry leaves, petals, faded flowers and buds, for the prevention of fungal diseases
• To produce autumn pruning bushes - it is advisable to do this as late as possible.
• Shoots and leaves in the fall are cut as close to the ground as possible and burned.
• Feed the peony bushes.
• If a transplant or division is required, autumn is the best time to do so.
• Abundant watering in late autumn promotes good wintering.

Feeding peonies in autumn

After active growth and flowering, by autumn the root system of peonies is greatly weakened. Namely, at this time, the formation of growth points and roots begins. In order for new roots to successfully form and the plant to enter the winter prepared, it must be fed.

The root system of peonies accumulates minerals and nutrients in the fall, for the active growth of the bush in the spring and the formation of large inflorescences.

In autumn, it is best to feed peonies from mid-September to mid-October, 1-1.5 months before pruning and the first frost. It is at this time that the peony bush is most actively accumulating strength and nutrients.

Benefits of peony autumn feeding

1. In early spring, the buds will be much larger and stronger.
2. The peony bush will grow faster and flowering will be more lush.
3. Bushes are stronger and grow in size quickly

In autumn, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are needed. Nitrogen-containing fertilizers are used for spring feeding, to enhance the growth of the aerial part of the plant. With the growth of young shoots in the fall, they will freeze in frost.

Peonies need to be fertilized especially carefully from mid-September to mid-October, preferably 1–1.5 months before pruning. Plants should be fed from the third year after planting.

Top dressing and pruning of peonies in the fall-video

When peonies are pruned in autumn

The most suitable period is late autumn, before the first frost. Usually this time falls at the end of October or the beginning of November. Premature pruning will deprive plants of essential nutrients, and delayed pruning can lead to death. As a last resort, if you need to prune your shrub earlier, leave three to four leaves on each stem. Thus, the peony will be able to accumulate strength for the next year's budding.

Autumn pruning of peonies is also required so that plants in winter do not waste energy on the aerial part instead of developing the root system. Another reason is diseases of a fungal and bacterial nature, often affecting the leaves in the fall.

In the fall, pruning of peonies should be postponed until a cold snap. A sure sign of a plant's readiness for pruning is lowering the branches to the ground, dried, wilted leaves, they will no longer be needed. This indicates the end of physiological processes, readiness for the winter rest period. In case of infection with infections, preparation for winter should be carried out earlier by treating the cut sites and the soil around with a fungicide solution.

Rules for pruning peonies in the fall

Peony stems are completely cut in the fall, before the first frost. If you need to cut the shrub earlier, leave at least 2-3 leaves on each stem, which will process useful elements from the root system. Thus, the peony will be able to accumulate strength for the next year's budding.

Cutting into summer time flowers from the bush, it is also necessary to leave at least three leaves on the stem.

The sequence of pruning peonies:

• preparation and disinfection of the instrument;
• removal of shoots, leave a small stump (1-2 cm), so as not to damage the growth points;
• in tree peonies, it is impossible to remove the skeletal branches, but only the leaves;
• after pruning, sprinkle fertilizers, loosen, mixing with top layer soil;
• remove and burn plant residues;

Transplanting peonies in the fall and dividing the bushes

For details, see this article on our website

Mistakes when preparing peonies for winter

The main mistakes when preparing peonies for winter:

• too early pruning, before the onset of the first frost - the process of formation of renewal buds is disrupted;
• do not immediately remove withered foliage and cut shoots - buds and buds are affected by fungal diseases;
• insufficient nutrients in the soil - there will be few buds;
• with an excess of nitrogen, shoots may be without buds;
• do not properly cover peonies for the winter.

Planting depth of peonies

When planting a peony, do not deepen the buds of plant growth, otherwise you will not get lush flowering. Correct Depth - Growth points should be 3-5 cm below the soil surface.

• if the peony is planted incorrectly, you need to transplant in the fall
• the peony is not planted deeply - the bush suffers from frost in the spring
• the bush is planted very deeply, many shoots are formed, but few buds.

Prevention of diseases in autumn

Prevention of fungal diseases of peonies in the fall after leaf fall consists in processing copper sulfate(3-4%) or Bordeaux mixture (2-3%).

And to increase the resistance of the peony to diseases, it is recommended to use phosphorus-potassium fertilizers and trace elements, while excluding excess nitrogen. Preparations must be alternated.

Shelter peonies for the winter

Shelter of peonies is necessary, since the growth buds are located close to the soil surface, at a depth of only 3-7 cm, and they must be protected from frost.

Depending on the climatic conditions The shelter of peonies for the winter is slightly different. But where it is needed to protect the bushes, general principles the following:

• After pruning the bushes in the fall, you need to huddle them.
• On top, lay a layer of mulch with a thickness of at least 15-18 cm.
• In tree peonies, the root system is covered with a layer of peat 20-25 cm, and the stems are covered with lutrasil.
• As a covering material, sawdust, spruce branches, high peat, dry foliage, humus or compost are used.
• You can not use the cut foliage of the peonies themselves, straw, so as not to infect.
• In winter, additionally cover the peonies with a layer of snow to protect them from extreme cold.
• When removing the material in the spring, you can leave it partially as mulch.

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