Swenson Gardens
Swenson Gardens is now closed for 2024. Check back in early January, 2025 for our exciting new year. Thanks again to our returning and new gardening friends!
We divide only three-year-old peonies, so you will receive a bare root that will produce a mature plant in three to four years. We do this in the fall and mail them to you immediately, at the time that is best for you to plant them. Our bare root plants are top-notch and certified disease- and pest-free. Proper peony care is vital to the health and longevity of your plants. Please consider these planting tips and suggestions carefully.
Drier soil than most plants.
Well-drained sites.
Sun! 8 hours is great. Corals like some afternoon shade to prevent their delicate shades from fading.
Fresh air. Crowding of plants can cause disease.
Soggy soil. Peonies need their soil to dry out between watering to prevent crown rot. Let God’s rain do the work for you. Also consider the watering needs of neighboring plants and sprinkler head locations before you plant. leftovers. Soil, that is. Don’t plant a peony where a peony was before. to be planted too deep or too shallow. See planting instructions below.
You will need: a shovel, composted cow manure (one shovelful per root), Milorganite (one cup per root), water, and muscle!
Dig a hole 2’-3’ wide by 18” deep. Place the root in the hole. Lay the handle of your shovel across the hole. Add or remove soil so the eyes of the root are 2” (the width of two of your fingers) below the handle. Intersectional peonies are tagged with a rubber band that can be left on the stem. This rubber band should be even with the bottom of the handle. Remove the root and dig another 6”- 8”. Toss the manure and Milorganite in the hole and put the 6”- 8” of soil back in. Add water and stomp on the dirt to create a firm base. Place the root, eyes pointing up, in the hole and fill in with dirt. Mound the soil to provide drainage. Water and check the depth again. Install a peony hoop to protect your growth next spring. You’re done!
If you live in zones 2, 3, or 4: When there is 2” of frost in the ground, cover your peony with 4” of mulch. We recommend loose straw, marsh grass, pine boughs or chopped corn stalks. Leaves and grass clipping can harbor fungus. Good news! This is the only autumn you will need to mulch.
If you live in zone 5: Lucky you! Mulching is not needed.
When tulips first appear or after the last hard frost, carefully remove and discard half of the winter mulch. One week later remove the remaining mulch. Add or delete dirt so the eyes are 2” below the soil level. The rubber band on the intersectionals stem should be at soil level.
Remember that peonies don’t like soggy soil. No watering is required. This is good for the peony because it forces the roots to develop quickly for water and nutrient retrieval. A strong root system equals a healthy plant!
In the third summer, you can cut as many as one-third of the blooms on your plant. At five years, you may cut as many as two-thirds of the blooms. Never cut all the flowers off your plant. Stems placed in warm water mixed with floral preservative can last up to a week. Intersectional peony blooms are especially beautiful cut very short and floated in a shallow dish or fish bowl vase. Optional: You can pinch off all marble-size buds before the plant blooms its first spring. This will strengthen the root system and produce more blooms the second and third year.
After the first few hard frosts, or when the foliage turns brown, cut the stems off to 2” above the ground. Burn the foliage or discard it in a non-recycling compost center. Peony foliage and soil can harbor disease, so you never want to reuse either.
Email us at info@SwensonGardens.com or call 763.350.2051.
Well-drained sites.
Sun! 8 hours is great. Hotter zone 7 areas and coastal zone 8 do best with early-mid blooming varieties and intersectionals.
Fresh air. Crowding of plants can cause disease.
Soggy soil. Peonies need their soil to dry out between watering to prevent crown rot. Let God’s rain do the work for you. Also consider the watering needs of neighboring plants and sprinkler head locations before you plant.
Leftovers. Soil, that is. Don’t plant a peony where a peony was before.
To be planted too deep or too shallow. See planting instructions below.
If your area has received below normal rainfall, gently pour ½ gallon of water around the plant site once per week until mid-November. This only needs to be done the first fall.
Add or delete dirt so the eyes are 1”-1 ½” below the soil. The rubber band on intersectionals should be at soil level.
Remember that peonies don’t like soggy soil. But, if your summer is very dry, slowly pour 1 gallon of water around the plant site once each week. Be cautious of watering too much! Do not water past early September to encourage dormancy of the root.
In the third summer, you can cut as many as one-third of the blooms on your plant. At five years, you may cut as many as two-thirds of the blooms. Never cut all the flowers off your plant.
Stems placed in warm water mixed with floral preservative can last up to a week. Intersectional peony blooms are especially beautiful cut very short and floated in a shallow dish or fish bowl vase.
Optional: You can pinch off all marble-size buds before the plant blooms its first spring. This will strengthen the root system and produce more blooms the second and third year.
When the foliage turns brown, cut the stems off to 2” above the ground. Burn the foliage or discard it in a non-recycling compost center. Peony foliage and soil can harbor disease, so you never want to reuse either.
Email us at info@SwensonGardens.com or call 763.350.2051.