I prepare peonies for winter and warn against 4 fatal mistakes that destroy the flower and nullify all efforts

Fiery fireworks, fellow flower growers!

Do you want your favorite peonies to winter with dignity next year and become more beautiful than this one? Provide them with dormant conditions and avoid mistakes.

The result of improper preparation of peonies for winter can be crushed buds and leaves, undersized and rare bushes. And you can even miss some copies in the spring. To prevent this from happening, check yourself if you make mistakes in caring for flowering shrubs.

Mistake 1. Wintering uncut bushes: I think it's better to play it safe

Whether out of laziness, or out of those considerations that the dying off of foliage is a natural process and does not require intervention, some would-be flower growers leave the pruning of bushes for the spring.

This, of course, may not harm the plant. But, comrades, I would not risk it.

Dead leaves and stems begin to rot and become an ideal winter shelter for pests and a good environment for the development of fungi, bacteria that can infect the entire bush. And then, in spring, you will have to make a lot of efforts to cure the peonies. It may be possible to save them, but I have strong doubts about whether the damaged bushes will become a decoration of the flower bed.

Error 2. Premature pruning is the reason why peonies degenerate

Did the peonies please you this year? Share photos of your favorites in the comments under the article with other flower grower readers. For example, I am very interested!

There is another kink in peony care. Pruning immediately after flowering is also an incorrect approach and harmful to the plant.. Of course, the plant must gain strength for a successful wintering. But, if you understand that nutrients accumulate primarily in the leaves, then where can the bushes, cut off at the root, eat?

Yes, there should be two trims. But in the first, which is carried out as soon as the peonies have faded, it is necessary to remove withered and damaged branches so that the peony does not get sick. But full pruning to a height of no more than 5 cm from the ground should be done after the first frost, when the greens naturally turn yellow and begin to die off. It will be better for everyone)

Error 3. Improper feeding: when nothing is better than unnecessary fertilization

The approximate time for fertilization is the first half and mid-September. I don't see any point in feeding later, comrades. All the same, they will not have time to act properly. Closer to October, all life processes in a peony slow down. And granular fertilizers will not dissolve completely and will not be absorbed by the roots.

From the author: Sometimes I sprinkle wood or grass ash in the trunk circle of a pruned peony. Fertilizer for the future + soil deoxidation

Like most other flowering peonies, in autumn, peonies need to be fertilized with mineral and phosphorus-potassium complexes, but not nitrogenous ones. Nitrogen-containing ones will cause active growth of tops, and we, comrades, need nutrients to accumulate in the roots.

Mistake 4. Wrong hiding place: must-haves for everyone and shelter for northerners peonies

If you do not take care of the shelter of the peonies in a timely manner, the cold winds will dry out the soil and the bushes may simply freeze out, especially in winters with little snow.

Hilling protects growth buds that are very close to the surface. For mulching use sawdust, high peat, humus or compost.

Power insulation depends on the region. In the harsh Siberia, peonies not only mulch and insulate, but also cover the bushes with peat, boxes and other improvised means. But in the regions of the Volga region, they winter without problems under a layer of mulch.

On top of the mulch, the bushes are insulated with lutrasil, agril or burlap. Spruce branches are laid on top, which must be tied in the form of a hut. It is very important that the shelter allows air to pass through well, otherwise the bushes can resist.