Just in time for Pentecost, often earlier, the rose-like and pleasantly scented blossoms of the peonies present themselves. But what happens when the flowers don't appear? Something went wrong!

A location that is too shady can be to blame if the peony does not bloom

Wrong or recently planted

Peonies not blooming? The most common reason for this is that they were planted too deep. The buds of perennial peonies should not be covered with more than 3 cm of soil. Shrub peonies, on the other hand, should have their grafting point 5 to 10 cm below the ground.

A failure to flower can also be due to late planting. If you only planted your peonies in spring, they will not bloom in May/June. They need to be properly rooted to have enough vigor to bloom. A recent division coupled with a transplant campaign can also be behind the loss of flowers. Peonies do not like change of location.

Location-related causes

Perhaps the location is unsuitable?

  • Is the location too shady?
  • Is the substrate too wet or too dry?
  • Is the soil too compacted?
  • Are other plants in competition?

Failed/inadequate care

Mistakes in care are not uncommon:

  • an early cut
  • cut back too much (for shrub peonies)
  • not removing wilted flowers (too much power sacrificed for seed formation)
  • fertilized with nitrogen
  • Lack of nutrients (preferably fertilize annually before sprouting)
  • Drought (water when hot and dry)

disease or pest infestation

Peonies can also be so badly affected by diseases that they do not want to bloom. These plants are often attacked by gray mold in spring when the weather is damp. This fungus not only colonizes the leaves, but also likes to colonize the flower buds. The buds dry up and fall off. You can recognize an infestation by brown to black colored parts of the plant.

In addition to diseases, pests can also be behind the loss of flowers. Sometimes nematodes infest peonies. You can spot these tiny little pests if you take a closer look at the leaves. Are the leaves yellow and dried up at the edges? Then this indicates a nematode infestation.

Frostbite through the winter time

Last but not least, frost damage can also be a reason for missing flowers. This is especially true if the peonies were planted in late fall and left unprotected over the winter. It is better to cover them in the root area with brushwood.

tips

Even if you haven't removed the winter protection in time, the peony may not bloom. The buds are then too deep under the light (similar to too great a planting depth).

Category:

Vegetable garden