Gardeners love peonies for luxurious bloom and a wonderful aroma. These perennials are unpretentious, but they require shelter for wintering. Experienced specialists will tell you how to properly prepare peonies for winter and provide them with protection from the cold.
Caring for peonies in autumn and preparing for winter
IN summer time caring for peonies involves timely watering and loosening, fertilizing, weeding and removing fading buds. With the onset of autumn, the care regime for herbaceous and tree-like peonies changes.
Feeding and watering
To provide abundant and long flowering, the plants are watered regularly and abundantly; after the buds wither, watering should be reduced. Peony roots continue to grow and develop until the cold weather, so it is important to feed them in the fall two weeks before temperatures drop below 0ºC. IN middle lane this period occurs at the beginning of October, and in the south - at the end of November.
Peonies should be fertilized before frost sets in.
It is advisable to apply potassium-phosphorus fertilizers in warm and dry weather, then they will provide the desired support:
- help strengthen the root system for better winter hardiness;
- next season the flowers will become larger and brighter;
- stronger buds are formed, the plant will be strong and healthy in the spring.
Dry granules are scattered around the bush, and during the autumn rains nutrients will be released into the soil gradually. In dry weather, it is recommended to use liquid fertilizer, adding 1 liter of the mixture to each bush. Tree varieties are also fertilized in the same way.
Trimming
It is important to choose the right time to trim peonies. This work is carried out in two stages:
Some gardeners believe that this procedure can be postponed until spring, but in this case, both pest larvae and fungal microspores will overwinter in the rotting leaves, and the flowers next year will be small.
Pruning tree peonies in the fall has two important functions:
- formation;
- rejuvenation.
As a result of pruning, you will get a beautiful bush shape, a larger number of young branches, and intense flowering. The cutting height of the shoots is 0.7–0.9 m, which makes it easier to cover for the winter. It is necessary to rejuvenate tree peonies no more than once every 10 years; by this time, flowering usually fades or stops, and the bushes grow worse. Pruning is carried out in the autumn to remove old shoots and stimulate the growth of new ones.
Hilling
It is imperative to hill up the plant and hide the bare stems and the growth point, which in the peony is located at a depth of no more than 6 cm from the surface of the earth. In warm weather, plants are covered with dry soil mixed with sand. It is useful to sprinkle ash on the soil around the plant and on the cuttings of the stems; this will serve as protection against various infections and rotting.
When hilling, bare stems and the growing point should be hidden at a depth of no more than 6 cm
Insulation
Fed and trimmed seedlings can be insulated. The following materials are suitable for covering or mulching:
- dry sawdust;
- spruce branches;
- compost;
- high peat;
- dry leaves.
Peonies should not be covered with cut branches and leaves from the bush; it is advisable to burn them to destroy pests and pathogens.
The mulch layer should be at least 20 cm to provide sufficient protection from frost; bushes can be covered on top cardboard boxes or old plastic buckets, cover with snow from the paths. These activities will help the peony successfully overwinter.
Tree peonies in regions with mild climates do not need to be covered if they grow in a quiet corner of the garden. Seedlings need protection if the winter is frosty, with strong winds, little snow. After pruning, the shoots are bent to the ground and carefully fixed so as not to break. Agrilic, spunbond, and spruce spruce branches are used as covering materials. wonderful additional insulation snow will serve.
Video: how to prepare peonies for winter
Some gardeners do not preparatory work for wintering peonies, but if you follow all the recommendations of experts, then frosts will not harm the plants and next spring peonies will bloom again in lush fragrant clouds and will get sick less, and tree-like varieties will live up to 60–80 years.
With the onset of cold weather they require special care.
Many people do not bother themselves with such work, leaving everything to chance.
But experienced gardeners know how to prepare for winter, and willingly share their knowledge with everyone.
Stop watering and fertilizing
After the flowering period is over, moisture is no longer needed in the same volume as during active flowering. The summer watering norm for peonies is 10-25 liters of water per bush at weekly intervals. With the beginning of autumn, there is no need for such quantities of liquid, and moisture is gradually reduced.
Precisely gradually: even adult flowers, not to mention young ones, have a hard time with immediate rejection. Remember that caring for peonies after flowering is necessary so that in the future they will delight you with bright buds, and not in order to quickly “close the season.”You can apply the following watering scheme: 25 liters, after a week or two already 15-20, and so on until it stops completely.
Important! To achieve maximum quantity blooming buds, with herbaceous peonies Fading inflorescences are immediately removed. If they want to get large flowers, then only the upper inflorescences are left.
September and early October are the ideal time to apply. 
Peonies themselves are very sensitive to such feeding, and in mid-autumn it is better to strengthen them. The fact is that in the first autumn weeks, when flowering has ended, the roots continue to grow deeper, and adding a new portion of nutrients will be very helpful.
For this purpose, potassium-phosphorus solutions are used. 15 g of phosphorus and potassium will be enough for 10 liters of water. The resulting mixture is poured so that it does not fall on the neck of the plant. These same elements can also be added in dry form (they are sold in tablet form). Before such application, the bush is watered abundantly and the crushed tablets are evenly sprinkled into the hole.
Did you know? In China, a special attitude towards peony has developed, where it is still considered a royal plant. It was from the Middle Kingdom that he came to Europe.Peony is one of the main symbols of Chinese culture. The combination of such a flower and a butterfly has long become a classic image in Chinese literature and painting.
Beginner gardeners often have a question: the peonies have faded, and what to do next with them. Everything is simple here: the roots are fed with liquid from (in proportion to water 1/10). 
On at this stage It is not recommended to get carried away with either strong mineral water or water. Complex formulations are also not always useful.
Trimming Features
This is the most important part of preparing for frost. It is undesirable to leave it until early spring - then the pruning shears may simply not “take” the stem that has softened over the winter. The main thing is to catch the right moment. Depending on the region, this could be either the last ten days of October or mid-November. If we take it “by science”, then the preparation of peonies for winter determines best time for the first days after frost. It is important that the soil is dry.
By this time, the shoots will have already fallen to the ground, and such manipulation will not harm the plant. Trim herbaceous peonies as low as possible, without leaving a high stump (2-3 cm is enough). The entire above-ground part (flowers and stems with leaves) is removed. They are then collected and burned.
Important! Peony is readily accepted on almost any type of soil. The only exceptions are “acidic” soils and areas abounding in insects.
For tree lines, the algorithm is slightly different: they try to preserve the ground part.
Some people use cut ones for shelter, but this should not be done - it can be a good place for hibernation and breeding of pests. Leaves lying nearby are also collected and disposed of. 
After such an event, some gardeners apply a combined fertilizer of tree resin and bone meal (60/40%).
Did you know? The ancient Greeks believed that peonies could heal 20 diseases. Therefore, there was not a single monastery in which they did not grow up. Up until the 1800s, such flowers were used only as medicinal plants, some varieties are used as a seasoning for food.
There is no difficulty here, although beginners make mistakes due to inexperience. Here are examples of such “misses” when pruning:
- Early shoot removal. If the autumn turns out to be warm, the stems will grow again and have time to grow just before the frosts. A drop in temperature in such a situation weakens the plant.
- The other extreme would be to delay pruning. So the rhizome can simply rot.
- Leave a small part of the stem much higher than the ground level (3-5 cm). It is a mistake to think that this hardens the perennial. On the contrary, this procedure inhibits growth and flowering in subsequent years.
Situations are different, but you still need to take the time to remove the stems at the dacha, otherwise the last flowering risks being the last. So pruning peonies in the fall is simply necessary. Peony shelter
To protect the rhizome from frost, holes are used. The best materials for "blankets" are and dry. The thickness of the layer depends on the weather conditions in a particular area: if for areas with temperate climate 10-12 cm is enough, then for the northern areas you will need 15-20 cm.
In autumn, peony requires more attention than in spring or summer.
Proper care during this period helps ensure vibrant blooms next season.
The time has come to prepare the peony for winter.
What you need to know about autumn peony care
In autumn, the plant needs additional nutrition, which is the key to flowering in the future, and also helps to accumulate required quantity nutrients for a good winter. How to prepare a peony for winter?
Peony feeding
All fertilizers are applied in the fall before the onset of frost, somewhere in mid-September or early October. But in the northern regions you need to look at the weather. Why fertilize a peony in the fall? The root system of the plant has some peculiarities; it actively grows in the fall. Peony care during this period should be complete.
As a rule, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied in the fall, leaving nitrogen fertilizers For spring application. Using this feeding scheme provides the following advantages:
In the next season, larger and better buds appear;
Peony flowering will be full, brighter and more memorable;
In response to the fertilizing received, the bush begins to actively grow and increases in size.
Fertilizers are applied in several ways:
In liquid form;
Dry method.
If the weather is dry, then it is more advisable to make a liquid root feeding plants. For this mineral fertilizers dissolve in water, water the bush with the resulting solution. The consumption of the working mixture is 1 liter per plant, depending on its size.
Rainy autumn dictates its own rules, and it is better to apply fertilizers in dry form. The point is that the application liquid fertilizers unjustified. When the soil is waterlogged, root system stops absorbing nutrients from it. Dry granular fertilizers will come to the rescue. They last longer, and the minerals are delivered in doses. A handful of granules are scattered around the bush, lightly embedded in the soil.
Peony care: autumn pruning
No matter what your dacha neighbors advise, peony pruning should not be delayed until spring. It is held in the fall. It is better to prune the above-ground part of the bush with the onset of the first frost. Sometimes this falls at the end of October or beginning of November. But it is different in all regions.
Important! Pruning the peony earlier weakens the plant; it will not survive the winter well, which will affect further flowering.
How to prune a peony correctly? The shoots need to be trimmed at ground level, slightly burying the tool into the soil. All garbage is removed from the site and burned, this will avoid contamination of the land with various diseases. The place of the cuts and the bed are sprinkled with wood ash.
How to replant peonies in the fall
Autumn is the best time for propagating and replanting peonies. This procedure is carried out in late August - early September. The soil for planting the delenki is prepared in advance. To do this, dig a hole about 60 cm in size. The root system of the peony grows in breadth, which should be taken into account when planting. The distance between plants is left sufficient for their development. A gap of about 50 cm to 1 meter is considered optimal.
The first layer in the planting hole will be drainage. It is built from sand or broken bricks. The thickness of the drainage layer is up to 30 cm. Next, there is a layer of nutritious soil with the addition of fertilizers. Humus, ash, compost, potassium sulfate, and superphosphate are added as top dressing. The thickness of this layer does not exceed 30 cm. Then the hole is filled with soil and left for a week. During this time, the earth will subside and become compacted, which is important for correct landing peony rhizomes.
Important! It is highly not recommended to bury the rhizomes when planting, since as a result the flowerbed will be left without flowers. The bush will grow a lot of lush greenery, but will not produce buds.
You should also remember that the peony will not bloom in the first year after planting. But at the same time, the plant should look healthy and not lethargic. The buds will appear when the plant reaches maturity. But if in the third year of cultivation there are none, then you need to look for errors.
Reproduction of peonies in autumn
Peonies are long-lived in the flowerbed, so replanting them is extremely rare. It is done once every ten years. During this time, the bush will grow and require division. This is the most the best way propagation of peonies.
However, old rhizomes do not tolerate replanting well; the resulting plants are inferior to others in all qualities. Experienced gardeners It is recommended to propagate shrubs after 4-5 years of cultivation. The resulting young peonies meet all quality standards. Their flowering is lush, and the bushes have an attractive appearance.
Proceed with the procedure of dividing the mother bushes better in autumn. As a rule, peony is propagated in September. But no later than a month before the expected frost.
How to prepare a plot for planting?
In the fall, the mother bush is dug up, carefully removing it from the ground. The rhizome is shaken off the ground and washed, being careful not to damage the growth buds. Old shoots are cut back to the very roots. The prepared rhizome is left to dry in the open air until it becomes slightly soft. Such a root can be divided without much damage.
When starting to divide, the rhizome is carefully inspected. All areas with voids are cut off, and the cut areas are washed with disinfectants. After dividing the old root, several seedlings are obtained, each of which has well-developed growth buds. It is important that the plots are the same size, since too large plots suffer longer after transplantation, and small plots die.
Peony planting is carried out in the usual way, not forgetting about covering young plantings.
Preparing for winter: covering peonies
Pruning and fertilizing are not all the features of peony care in the fall. The plant needs high-quality shelter, especially in regions with harsh winters.
The depth of peony growth buds is at the level of 3-6 cm from the surface of the earth. Therefore, with the onset of cold weather, the bush needs to be hilled.
Sawdust;
Lapnik;
Dry leaves;
Let's humus.
Cut shoots of the peony itself cannot be used for covering. They attract pests and are a breeding ground for most bacteria.
A shelter for the peony is formed about 15-20 cm thick. This allows you to protect the plant from severe frosts and cold winds.
Let's sum it up
Autumn peony care is not too complicated; it consists of a number of necessary activities:
Feeding;
Trimming;
Replant as needed;
Shelter and mulching.
If all actions were performed correctly and on time, then you don’t have to worry about the safety of peonies in winter. Spraying the soil and shrubs will help prevent the appearance of fungal diseases. copper sulfate. It is important to remember that fungal spores overwinter in the foliage, so the flowerbed is always kept in order. Do not forget that in harsh winters snow will help to further insulate the flowerbed, which will only benefit the plants.
Peonies are beautiful and easy-to-care flowers. They are rarely affected by diseases and pests. Peonies can grow in one place without transplanting for up to 15 years. But for this you need to properly care for the bushes.
What to do with peonies in the fall
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:
- feeding;
- protection from diseases and pests;
- pruning herbaceous peonies;
- protection from frost.
Peonies need to be fertilized in the fall in the third year after planting. Before that they feed on the reserve useful substances brought into the pit during planting. Applying fertilizers 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.
Feeding is carried out from the third ten days 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. The bush will weaken. Correctly apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizers: superphosphate, potassium sulfate. Application rates per bush: 20 g phosphorus, 15 g potassium.
Fertilizers are applied in liquid or dry form. The deciding factor will be the weather during this period. Liquids are applied in dry weather. In this way, the soil is simultaneously 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 per bush.
Dry ones are fed when the soil is moist or when it rains frequently. Plants respond well to dry feeding with granular fertilizers. Granules dissolve slowly, so they last longer than liquid ones. They are scattered around the bush and the soil is slightly loosened. This way the granules will not be washed away by rain, and the dissolution process will begin faster. Fertilizers in any form should not be allowed to get on the root collar.
If there is a suspicion that the peony bushes are affected by fungal diseases, after pruning, treat the soil under the bushes with preparations containing copper. When damaged by pests (bronze beetles, aphids, thrips, mites), apply insecticides. If affected by root nematodes, the bush is dug up and burned.
Pruning peonies in autumn and protecting them from frost
When providing care for peonies in the fall, pruning is carried out a couple of weeks before frost. This is done after the leaves turn red and fall to the ground. They don’t prune in the summer because the process of photosynthesis has not yet finished. Early pruning can result in fewer buds and reduced flowering.
It is easier to cut stems in the fall than in the spring. Along with the leaves, pathogens and pests are removed. During pruning in autumn, young buds are not damaged.
Cut the stems at a height of 3...4 cm from the ground. Sprinkle the cut areas with wood ash to kill fungi. Collect cut stems with leaves and take them out of the garden. If the soil is dry, water the bushes. This way they will survive the winter better.
Peony buds are located close to the soil surface, at a depth of 3 cm. In the south, they easily tolerate cold weather and light frosts. But in the middle zone and northern regions the buds may freeze.
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 types are used in regions with very frosty winters. The height of the mulch layer should be at least 15 cm. In winter, you can add snow by building a low snowdrift over the bushes.
If you provide peony care in the fall, proper preparation By winter it will help you get beautiful flowers in spring.
Autumn is not the time for a florist to relax. Plants in a flower garden still require proper care and careful preparation for winter. And it’s not too late to plant some crops! We'll tell you all about the secrets of planting, caring for and propagating peonies in the autumn months.
Peonies, whether herbaceous or tree-like, are a decoration for any area. And not only in spring and summer - even in autumn, after flowering, their decorative carved leaves They are pleasing to the eye almost until frost. And although these perennials are quite unpretentious, it is worth paying some attention to them before the onset of the winter months, so that they will decorate your site next season.
It is possible to successfully plant peonies in the fall in both September and October, and in regions with a mild climate – even in early November. Oddly enough, this is more difficult to do in the spring, and there is less chance that the plants will take root successfully.
Suitable for planting peony sunny place without drafts with fertile, well-drained soil of neutral acidity. The worst choice would be a waterlogged, shaded area with heavy soil.
About 2-3 weeks before planting you can start preparing planting pits- this way the soil will have time to settle and the plant will take root better. The holes are dug to a depth of 60-80 cm (peonies have long, fast-growing roots) with intervals of about 1 m between future seedlings. A layer of drainage 10-15 cm thick (coarse sand, gravel, broken brick), and then - a pre-prepared soil mixture of chernozem, peat, sand and humus (in equal parts). Also, fertilizers must be added to the mixture - 200-400 g of ash, 20 g of superphosphate, 10 g of urea.
The peony seedling is carefully inspected for damage and traces of rot (all this is removed sharp knife), disinfected for 10-15 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate and dried. Then the seedling is carefully placed in the prepared hole - the roots need to be carefully straightened, and the topmost bud should be placed so that it is 3-4 cm below ground level, and covered with soil. The planted plant must be watered - this will additionally help compact the soil around the seedling.
Before the first winter season, freshly planted peonies must be covered with a thick layer of dry leaves, peat, cardboard or any other covering material.
Reproduction (division) of peonies in autumn
Peonies are exactly the crop that is preferably replanted and propagated in the fall. This plant can exist in one place for many years, but every 5-6 years the peony bushes should be divided and replanted to avoid degeneration. Timely division of peonies allows you to rejuvenate the plant and launch it abundant flowering and at the same time get rid of rot and dry roots.
As we have already mentioned, the root system of peonies is powerful and branched, but at the same time quite fragile, so dig up without “losses”. old bush It's unlikely to succeed. In any case, first you need to cut off the entire above-ground part, leaving “stumps” of about 15 cm each. Then experienced flower growers advise carefully digging around the peony at a distance of 25-30 cm from the rhizome, and then using a pitchfork to pull the plant out of the ground, helping yourself by holding onto the cut stems. If the bush does not give in, there is an option to divide it into several parts directly in the ground - using a shovel and hammer.
Fact! A correctly divided and replanted peony will begin to bloom profusely already in the 3rd year after planting, and will be able to please you with single flowers in the next season.
The dug up peonies are shaken off the ground and, first of all, using a sharp knife, they are removed from damaged and diseased parts, rotten or dried roots. Then the fused rhizome is washed under running water, dried in the shade for a couple of hours and the actual division process begins.
You need to end up with divisions with healthy roots up to 20 cm long, a pair of stems and 3-5 renewal buds. First try to separate the common rhizome with your hands; if that doesn’t work, pick up a sharp, disinfected knife. If the plant is too large, then first cut the rhizome into 2-3 parts, and then proceed with the final division.
The cutting areas of the cuttings must be treated before planting so that they remain healthy and take root faster. A weak solution of potassium permanganate is suitable for these purposes, in which pieces of rhizome can be soaked for half an hour, and then the sections can be sprinkled with ash or a mixture of crushed charcoal and sulfur (1:1). You can also use a clay mash (a mixture of water and clay with the consistency of thick sour cream), into which the rhizomes are dipped and then dried. Some add the same ash to this mash, while others advise adding any growth stimulant (30-40 ml per 1 liter of water and 300 g of clay).
Now the peony divisions are ready for planting in a new place according to the scheme described above.
Even if you are not going to plant new peonies this fall or replant existing peonies on the site, this does not mean that you have nothing to do in the flower garden in September-October. Like any plants remaining to overwinter in open ground, peonies will require some effort on your part to successfully survive the winter.
Watering peonies in the fall is reduced to the required minimum - it is carried out if for a long time The weather is dry. It is advisable to water the plant not in the middle of the bush, but in the depression surrounding it.
Should peonies be fertilized in the fall? Yes, this procedure is necessary - the roots of perennials continue to grow in the pre-winter months, simultaneously accumulating nutrients, necessary for the plant in order to successfully survive the winter and germinate in the spring.
In autumn, peony bushes are fed with a potassium-phosphorus mixture, which not only nourishes them, but also promotes the formation of buds, which is the key to beautiful flowering next season.
Feeding peonies in the fall is carried out both in dry and liquid form. If you choose the first option, then after abundant watering, simply pour about 30 g of a mixture under each bush, where potassium and phosphorus will be in equal proportions. When fertilizing with a solution of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers, it is important to water the plants so that the liquid does not fall on the leaves, which can cause burns.
Should peonies be pruned in the fall? Of course - if you leave the plants to overwinter in the form tall bushes, above-ground stems will rot over the winter and become a source of infection. Pruning will allow peonies to rest after flowering, fully prepare for the cold and successfully overwinter.
IN autumn pruning both young and adult peonies need. After the first frost, trim the stems and leaves flush with the ground so that the remaining stumps are no more than a couple of centimeters in height. It is better to burn the cut stems so that they do not become a source of infection in the area, and sprinkle the cuts with ash at the rate of 2-3 handfuls per bush.
Before snow falls on the ground, mulch the peony plantings with an 8-10 cm layer of compost or lowland peat and leave it in this state until spring. In spring, mulch from peat or humus does not need to be removed - it will become a good fertilizer.
As you can see, peonies will not require much effort from you to care for them in the fall, although, of course, you will have to do something in the flower garden. And these small efforts are worth it. Believe me, peonies that have wintered comfortably and are full of energy will certainly delight you with a healthy appearance and lush flowering next season.
