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In spring, bright, large peony buds are among the first to bloom, filling the air with a wonderful aroma. To ensure that they bloom abundantly every year, peonies must be transplanted in time to another place in the fall.
There are two ways to propagate these flowers - using seeds and dividing the root. Gardeners consider the second method more optimal. If the time and place for replanting are chosen correctly, the plants will bloom beautifully in their new location. They do not need to be replanted for seven years.
Selecting a location
When choosing a place to transplant a peony, you need to pay attention to some points:
- peonies feel more comfortable in illuminated areas, so you need to allocate an open, but protected from the wind, place for the bushes;
- Walls heated by the sun have a detrimental effect on flowers, so they replanting in the fall must be done no closer than two meters from the house;
- the site for replanting bushes should be located in an elevated place with light shade so that the transplanted bushes do not wither from the heat and, at the same time, receive sufficient lighting.
Peonies are quite unpretentious to the composition of the soil - they survive in both sandy and clay soils. But although sand speeds up the flowering of bushes, they fall off faster, and the high clay content in the soil delays flowering.Therefore, it is better to monitor their optimal ratio. Peonies grow best in loamy soils.
Well preparation
Holes for planting peonies should be prepared two to three weeks before planting:
- the more spacious they are, the more powerful the root system will become;
- between the bushes you need to leave a distance of about a meter for fresh air circulation;
- the root of the plant should fit freely in the hole;
- as drainage, the bottom can be lined with a layer of pebbles or broken bricks, mixed with cut twigs, and covered with prepared earthen mixture;
- it is necessary to ensure good watering of the hole so that the soil settles sufficiently;
- add some nitrogen and phosphorus compounds into the hole - they will be enough to feed the transplanted peonies in the first years after transplantation.
Timing of transplantation
Many people doubt when to replant peonies, in spring or autumn. The correct choice of timing is of great importance, since both seasons are suitable for replanting them.
- Some beginners consider it possible to replant flowers in the summer, after flowering, but in this case they take root much more difficult and may not bloom for a year or two. Often, plant roots dug up in summer die from sunburn or are damaged.
- When transplanted in spring, the bushes will also not bloom this season, since they will need adaptation to the new location. If there is a need for a spring transplant, it is better to do it in early spring, before the plant’s growing season begins. Spring replanting should be carried out immediately after the snow melts, and dividing and pruning the roots in the spring cannot be done - after all, the bushes are already stressed, and they still have to take root in another place.
- The most suitable period when it is better to replant peonies is the end of summer - the beginning of autumn. At this time, the heat subsides, and moderate watering will ensure rapid development of the root system. A strong root will give the transplanted bush good nutrition. But the main advantage of transplanting a peony in autumn is that at this time it has already formed thin young roots, with the help of which nutrients are absorbed.
Peony replanting
After the place has been prepared and the soil has settled well, it is important to replant the peonies correctly. For work, it is better to choose a dry but not hot day without sun.
- Before autumn replanting, you should prune the bush to a height of 20 cm. Then very carefully dig out the peony bush, prying it with a pitchfork. Do not dig too close to the trunk, otherwise you can damage the roots and young shoots.
- You need to carefully remove clods of earth from the dug up bush, with your hands, but you cannot shake it, much less hit it against anything. The video shows the process of dividing the peony root system:
- Carefully inspect the roots, remove damaged or rotten ones and treat the roots with a solution of potassium permanganate.
- If you keep the bush in the shade for 2-3 hours before planting, the roots will become more elastic and will no longer be too fragile.
- If the bush is simply being replanted, you need to carefully move it into the hole, straighten the roots, cover it with soil and lightly compact it.
Peony propagation in autumn
How to replant peonies if the root system has already grown well and needs to be divided? To do this, you need to use a previously disinfected sharp pruner or knife.Roots that have at least six buds must be divided. The slightly dried root is cut so that three buds remain on each part. After dividing, each part should be dipped in a disinfecting solution or the cut areas should be smeared with ash.
When transplanting prepared material into holes, the root should not be buried - a depth of up to 9 centimeters is sufficient. The buds should be left on the surface, and then sprinkled on top with fertile soil 5-6 centimeters high. The transplanted peony bush needs to be well watered. Before frost sets in, another 2-3 waterings are required. But you should not allow too much watering - the roots may rot. You can mulch the bush with leaves for the winter and cover it with cardboard.
The video shows the process of properly transplanting peonies:
After transplant
Experienced gardeners advise trimming flowers that appear in the first year after autumn replanting. This will allow the plant to grow stronger faster and produce abundant flowering next year.
If the peony bush stops blooming after replanting, the following reasons are possible:
- there is a lack of sunlight in the new place;
- if groundwater comes close to the soil surface and there is no drainage, the peony roots may rot;
- perhaps the plant was transplanted too deep, which delayed its flowering;
- if during propagation the root was divided into too small parts, you will have to wait several years until it gains strength to flower;
- frequent replanting of bushes weakens them, so it is recommended to replant no more than once every 5-7 years;
- Perhaps the peonies do not have enough nutrition and should be fed.
Autumn pruning of peonies
Beginner gardeners usually make the mistake of pruning peony bushes immediately after flowering.During this period, the bushes should not be touched, because buds are being laid in them, which will ensure flowering in the next season. Pruning should be done in the fall, when preparing the bush for wintering, and two weeks after the end of flowering, it is better to feed the peony with phosphorus and potassium compounds.
Proper pruning requires compliance with the following recommendations:
the optimal time for autumn pruning is the last week of October or the very beginning of November, depending on the region;
- earlier pruning will greatly weaken the plants and may even cause their death;
- the bush is trimmed completely, at the level of the ground surface;
- if there is no rain during this period, you should water around the bush;
- cuttings of twigs or leaves left at the site of the procedure will begin to rot and cause infection and subsequent diseases of the peony, so they should be immediately collected and destroyed;
- After pruning, you can feed the plant with wood ash.
Peonies are unpretentious. If you follow the suggested recommendations, then every year the flower beds will display lush, beautiful buds.
