How to Get Peonies to Bloom

Getting Peonies to Bloom on the Plant

Plant your peonies where they’ll get 4-6 hours of direct sun. Peonies need plenty of light in order to bloom. Make sure your peonies are planted in a sunny part of the garden where they’ll be in direct sunlight for at least 4-6 hours during the day. If you live in a hot climate (e.g., in the southern U.S.), make sure your peonies get a little shade during the late afternoon.

Make sure your peonies are planted no more than 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) deep. Peonies are picky about how deeply they’re planted. Put them in the ground a little too deep, and you may end up with a plant that has gorgeous foliage and no flowers. Take care to plant your peonies no more than 2 inches (5.1 cm) beneath the soil. You may find it helpful to use a hand trowel with depth markers on it. If your peony is planted too deeply and refuses to bloom, you may need to replant it. Take care not to damage the root ball when you dig up the plant. It may take a year or 2 for your peony to start blooming after you transplant it.

Avoid giving the peonies too much fertilizer. While most plants benefit from nutrient-rich soil, overdoing the fertilizer can cause your peonies to put all their energy into growing leaves instead of blossoms. This is especially true of nitrogen-heavy fertilizer. If you have poor soil, wait until early summer to add fertilizer, after the peonies have already bloomed. Bone meal, compost, and manure are good fertilizer options for peonies. Fertilize your peonies no more than once every few years, and only if they look undernourished (e.g., yellowish or spindly).

Use caution when removing foliage from the plant. Peony plants have an easier time surviving the winter if you cut down their foliage before the weather gets cold. However, doing it too early (e.g., in July or August) can result in your peonies blooming poorly the next year. Don’t cut back your peonies until the early fall.

Deadhead any wilted flowers to promote more blooms. As your peony blossoms begin to wilt, cut off the dead flowers with a pair of sharp shears. Cut down to the nearest strong leaf on the stem so that the empty stem doesn’t stick out of the bush. Deadheading will not only make your plant look more attractive, but will encourage the peony to put its energy into making more flowers instead of growing seeds. If you want to cut live blooms from the plant, take care not to cut too many buds and leaves from the stem. Leave at least 2 sets of leaves behind so that the branch won’t die.

Treat and prevent any pests or diseases. Insect pests, fungal infections, and other diseases can stunt your peonies and attack the flowers. While you can treat your plants with insecticides and anti-fungal treatments, the best way to protect your peonies is to prevent these pests from taking hold in the first place. To prevent fungal infections, disinfect your garden tools between uses and make sure your peonies are planted in well-draining soil. Keep your garden clean and weed-free to discourage harmful insects. You can also try introducing beneficial bugs into your garden to keep the pests under control, such as ladybugs and praying mantis.

Give your peonies a few years to bloom after planting them. Part of the trick to getting peonies to bloom is simply giving them enough time! After starting from seed, it takes 4 to 5 years for a peony plant to reach maturity. Depending on how young your plants are, you may need to wait a few seasons before you see results. If you’ve recently moved or divided a peony plant, it will need some time to re-establish itself and start blooming again. This process can take up to 2-3 years.

Extend the blooming season by planting multiple types of peonies. Most peonies only bloom for a short time—typically, about a week. However, different peony varieties bloom at different times of the spring and summer. This means that you can keep your garden alive with colorful blooms longer by choosing several different plants that blossom in succession.Keep in mind: Individual peony plants will also bloom longer in cooler climates. When selecting peony plants, check the labels to find out when they typically bloom. Try to get a variety of plants that are advertised as early, mid-season, and late bloomers. A few examples of early blooming peonies include fernleaf, dwarf, and Claire de Lune peonies. Some mid-season types include Itoh peonies and some types of Chinese peonies (such as the Clown peony and the Bride’s Dream peony). Most Chinese peonies, including the Dinner Plate variety and the Nippon Beauty peony, are late bloomers.

Encouraging Cut Peonies to Bloom

Cut the peony buds while they are closed and soft to the touch. If stored properly, cut peonies can last a surprisingly long time, allowing you to create lovely bouquets long after the blooming season is over. To get the most out of your cut peonies, cut them when the buds are rounded, slightly colored, and soft, like a marshmallow. You can also cut blooms that are already open, but you’ll have to use them right away. If you cut peonies while they are still buds, they can last in a vase for up to 10 days.

Remove the leaves from the stem. Once you cut the peonies, strip the leaves off the stem. This will help prevent water loss from the flowers. Additionally, removing the leaves will help prevent the stems from getting moldy when you put the buds in water. If any leaves are still in place when you put them in a vase, make sure they stay above the water line. You can either pull the leaves off by hand or snip them off with sharp scissors or shears.

Wrap the cut peonies in plastic wrap to seal in moisture. Once the stems are stripped, carefully wrap the cut flowers in plastic wrap. Make sure you wrap the entire plant, from the cut bottom of the stem to the top of the bud. This will help prevent the cut peonies from drying out. Make sure to seal both ends of the wrap tightly. As an alternative to plastic wrap, you can place the cut flowers in a plastic bag with a dry paper towel. Or, if you have enough upright space in your fridge, you can store them in water in a clean vase. Check the flowers daily and throw away any that become moldy.

Store the buds horizontally in the fridge for up to 3 months. Once the peonies are wrapped, lay them down on a shelf in your fridge. Storing them horizontally will help keep the moisture inside the stem and bud, and will also help you get the most use out of your space. Don’t store cut peonies in a fridge with apples or other fruit. The ethylene gas that the fruit produces will cause your buds to wilt and prevent them from blooming.

Clip the stems diagonally under running water when you’re ready to use them. Before putting the peonies in a vase, cut the stems to re-open them and help the plants absorb more water. Cut the stems under running water to prevent air bubbles from forming, since this can make it harder for the stems to absorb water in the vase. Cut the stems at a 45° angle instead of straight across. This will maximize the surface area at the bottom of the stem so that the flower can absorb water more efficiently.

Place the peonies in a bucket of water in a warm room until they’re open. After cutting the stems, place the peonies in a vase or bucket filled with room-temperature or slightly warm water. Depending on how tight they are, the buds will probably open within 12 to 24 hours.Tip: You may be able to extend the life of your cut peonies a little bit by adding a vase life extender to the water. If you need the buds to open faster, place the vase or bucket in a warm room. For example, if you put the peonies in an area that’s at least 80 °F (27 °C), they may open in as little as 2-3 hours.