Peony flowers are woody plants with thick stems and large compound leaves. The flowering period of peony flowers is generally in spring, ranging from April to June, according to the different varieties, the flower colors are red, white, pink, purple, yellow and so on, the flower shape has a single petal, double petal, hemispherical, spherical and other kinds, the flower diameter varies from 5 cm to 25 cm, and the floral fragrance is also rich and elegant. The petals of peony flowers are delicate and easy to fall off, so avoid wind and rain. The root system of peony flowers is well developed, and it prefers fertile, loose, well-drained soil, and avoids water stains and salinity. Peony flowers like full sun, avoid shade and high temperatures, are suitable for growing in mild climates, have strong cold tolerance, and can spend the winter at low temperatures below -20.
There are two ways to grow peony flowers, one is from seeds, and the other is with cuttings or grafting. Peony flowers planted with seeds need to go through layers of screening and hybridization to cultivate excellent varieties, which is a professional and time-consuming work, and is generally not suitable for home cultivation. Peony flowers planted with cuttings or grafting can be purchased directly from a florist or nursery, and peony seedlings that are healthy, free of diseases and pests, and have obvious buds and eyes, preferably with a record of flowering period, so that you can know their flower color and flowering period. Peonies are generally planted in the fall, from September to November, so that they can be dormant in the winter and ready for the following year's flowering. The planting method of peony flowers is as follows:
Choose a sunny, well-ventilated and well-drained place, dig a pit about 50 cm deep and 60 cm wide, and spread a layer of gravel or gravel at the bottom of the pit to facilitate drainage.
Fill the pit with some well-rotted organic fertilizer, such as cow dung, chicken manure, bone meal, etc., and mix some horticultural soil to make the soil fertile, loose and slightly acidic.
Put the peony seedlings into the pit, be careful not to bury them too deeply, take the bud eye as the boundary, the part above the bud eye is exposed on the ground, and the part below the bud eye is buried in the soil, and then cover it with soil, gently compact, and water thoroughly.
Insert some bamboo sticks or sticks around the peony seedlings to support their stems and prevent lodging, and you can also plant some low plants next to the peony seedlings, such as aster, cinchona, etc., to beautify the environment, and can also play a role in shade and moisturizing.
Spread a layer of mulch around the peony seedlings, such as straw, fallen leaves, pine needles, etc., to maintain the moisture and temperature of the soil and prevent frost damage and drought.
The watering and fertilization of peony flowers are important factors affecting their growth and flowering, and should be carried out in the right amount at the right time according to the changes in the season and climate. The watering and fertilization methods for peony flowers are as follows:
Watering: Peony flowers like to be moist, but not resistant to water stains, so avoid too much or too little watering, generally watering when the soil is dry, watering thoroughly when watering, do not only water the surface, after watering to remove stagnant water in time to prevent root rot. The amount and frequency of watering peony flowers should be adjusted according to the changes in the season and climate, generally speaking, spring and autumn are the growth period of peony flowers, to water more, at least once a week, summer is the dormant period of peony flowers, to water less, once a month can be watered, winter is the winter period of peony flowers, to stop watering, to prevent frostbite.
Fertilization: Peony flowers prefer fertile soil, so fertilize regularly to replenish nutrients and promote growth and flowering. The type and time of fertilization of peony flowers should be determined according to the growth stage of peony flowers, generally speaking, spring is the budding period of peony flowers, and some fertilizers with high nitrogen content should be applied, such as urea, amino acids, etc., to promote the growth of stems and leaves, once a month, each time with about 10 grams of fertilizer dissolved in 10 liters of water, evenly poured around the peony seedlings. Summer is the dormant period of peony flowers, and fertilization should be stopped so as not to cause excess nutrients and affect dormancy. Autumn is the tillering period of peony flowers, and some fertilizers with high phosphorus and potassium content, such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate, potassium sulfate, etc., should be applied to promote the formation of flower buds, and should be applied once a month, with about 10 grams of fertilizer each time.
The pruning and disease prevention of peony flowers is an important measure to keep them healthy and beautiful, and it should be carried out in a timely manner according to the growth status of peony flowers and the occurrence of pests and diseases. The pruning and disease prevention methods of peony flowers are as follows:
Pruning: The pruning of peony flowers has two main purposes, one is to remove excess branches to maintain the morphology and structure of peony flowers, and the other is to remove diseased and weak branches to prevent the spread of germs and pests. Peonies are generally pruned in autumn, from September to November, so that they can be dormant in the winter and ready for the following year's flowering. The pruning method of peony flowers is as follows:
With sterilized scissors, start from the base of the peony flower, prune upwards along the stem, remove yellow, broken, crossed, and overly dense branches, retain 3-5 bud eyes, keep 5-7 main branches for each peony flower, and prune the rest.
During the pruning process, pay attention to observe whether there are brown or black spots on the inside of the branches, if there are, it means that they are signs of lesions, and they should be cut off in time, and the wound should be smeared with lime water to prevent infection.
After pruning, it is necessary to clean up the surrounding fallen leaves and stumps so as not to become a hiding place for germs and pests, and you can also sprinkle some lime powder around the peony flowers to increase the pH of the soil and inhibit the growth of germs.
Disease prevention: The common diseases of peony flowers include gray mold, anthracnose, wilt, leaf spot, etc., which will cause the branches and leaves of peony flowers to wither yellow, petal rot, flower buds to shrink, etc., which seriously affect the growth and flowering of peony flowers. The disease prevention methods of peony flowers are as follows:
In the growth period of peony flowers, the branches and leaves and flowers of peony flowers should be checked regularly, and signs of lesions should be found to be cut off in time, and sprayed with appropriate agents, such as carbendazim, methyl tobuzin, chlorothalonil, etc., sprayed every 10-15 days, sprayed 3-4 times in a row, to eliminate germs.
During the dormant period of peony flowers, a layer of paraffin oil or petroleum resin should be applied to the branches of peony flowers to prevent freezing cracking and dehydration caused by low temperature and dryness in winter, and a simple shed can also be built around peony flowers to shelter from wind, snow and sunlight and maintain the temperature and humidity of peony flowers.
In the flowering period of peony flowers, it is necessary to avoid viewing peony flowers in rainy days or humid environments, so as not to cause rot and fall of petals, and also avoid touching or picking peony flowers with your hands, so as not to cause wounds and infections.
Peony flower is a beautiful and allegorical flower, if you want to grow peony flowers at home, you should pay attention to the above methods and skills to ensure the health and beauty of peony flowers. Of course, there are many details and tricks in the cultivation of peony flowers, which require you to continue to explore and learn in practice. I hope you can enjoy the process of planting peony flowers, and you can also enjoy the fragrance and beauty of peony flowers.
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