by Tara NolanComments (16)
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I have a gardening confession to make. I’m a neglectfulpeony mama. Every spring, I intend to add supports around my peony shoots as they emerge from the ground, but other spring tasks draw my attention away and before I know it, the plants are bushy and full of buds.
I have about eight plants around my yard, all providingvarious shades of pink flowers in the spring. They don’t all bloom at the same time, so when they’re in season, I get to enjoy freshly cut peonies in vases for a few weeks. However, if I just paid a little more attention in the early spring, I’d also get to enjoy them in the garden for longer. Peony blooms are heavy. Without some type of support system, they’ll open and thenall it takes isone heavy spring rainor especially gusty day and they flop over.
There are several different types of supports you can use. There are special peony hoops that pretty much look like tomato cages (that being said, you could also use a tomato cage, depending on the size of the plant). I’ve seen gardeners recommend adding supports in the fall after you cut back the plants. That way they’re already there in the springtime when the plants start to grow in.
Peony’s Envy, a nursery and display garden that ships peonies throughout the U.S., offers some great diagrams showing different ways to support peonies on its website. I think I’ll try the fencing option this spring, being sure to put it in place well before the peonies leaf out and start to produce buds. I also found this cool contraption. I’ll also just try a plain old peony cage, so I can compare which method works the best.
How do you support your peonies?
Reader Interactions
Comments
T S saysI raise many varieties of peonies that don’t need support, no matter the weather. They include the Itoh (intersectional peonies) and many that have strong, sturdy stems. Lots of them available at Brooks Gardens peonies.
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- Cindy Roth says
Herbaceous peonies need support. Itoh and tree peonies don’t (according to some research I just did). I just used tomato cages to support my new ones I planted today.
- Anita Berlanga says
I leave my supports up all year – it keeps me from forgetting where the blasted things are, come early Spring and also protects the tender shoots from me and the dog, as we go into the Hill Border for the beginning of cleanup. I leave my peony leaves on the plant until early Winter and, if I forget, I just cut them down in very early Spring.
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- Tara Nolan says
That’s a good idea, Anita! 🙂
- Eric says
I don’t leave my peony supports up. The snow would destroy them. I enjoy putting them back around my peonies in the spring because I don’t need an excuse to get out in the garden after a long winter. I have about 20 peony varieties now and I use the basic 2 hoop design available at any big box garden center. Wouldn’t do without ’em!
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- kyra says
I’ve been using old lampshades. Remove the fabric and use the wire part.
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- Jessica Walliser says
Great idea!
- Tara Nolan says
That’s so clever!
- Jill Sydor says
Less waste & a happy plant. Smart!
- Cheryle says
That’s a novel idea! I would never have thought of that!
- Leah says
I identify so well with not getting outside to get my peony supports out in time. I think of it then never seem to get back to doing it — I’m in the northeast and work during the week and inevitably it rains on weekends and bam! They are up and budding and another spring goes by with no supports and my beautiful flowers end up laying on the ground. Ho hum… maybe tomorrow but again it’s supposed to rain or maybe even SNOW!
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- Bruzote says
My peonies are growing over 50″ tall. They not only fall over the top of the cage, but they always fall mainly in one direction so the cage starts to fall over from the one-sided loan. I need a taller, stronger solution than the standard peony cage.
I will try shopping for longer, thicker stakes, then try adding a circular wire frame if available. However, I don’t want buy complete cages just for a top rim, so I’m not sure what I’ll end up buying. Hopefully an elegant solution exists, since something too flexible like ribbon or rope will cause the falling peonies to collect in a corner at each stake.
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- Bruzote says
Oops! I meant “load”, not “loan”.
- Tara Nolan says
Let me know what you discover!
- Ann Perfitt says
I have very large and very heavy peonies so I use construction type rebar that stays in place all year round. It looks a little unsightly until the greenery gets tall enough, but they certainly do the trick. I use a rubber coated gardening wire to encircle them and it works great!!! I am in Canada and where we live everything grows like weeks!!!!!
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- Ann Perfitt says
Correction— grows like weeds!! but also grows in weeks!!! haha
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