PERENNIALS > PEONIES > CONTAINERS

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PEONY GUIDES

blossoming pink peony flower with foliage backdrop

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Peonies are attractive , traditional cottage garden works that can ( perverse to some opinions ) grow well in suited quite a little .

However , as deep - rooted plants , peonies do call for thick pots or containers .

white itoh peonies

‘Itoh’ Peonies

They will be more thought-provoking to maturate in hatful than in the ground .

Remember , paeony are large and vigorous plant life – and as with so many other plants , it will be far easy to grow them in beds or borders .

But , you may still grow them in gravid pots if you are lack in out-of-door space .

peony plants in black containers

Potted Peony Varieties

Some paeony which are better suited to uprise in containers let in :

Choosing Pots For Peonies

grant to Carol Adelman , President of the Pacific Northwest Peony Society , providing wad of space for peony to grow is one of the most important factors when caring for these plants .

“ Provide plenty of space for their growth . The roots develop out to the sides .

“ reckon of going to market and finding carrots with the elevation on , then set them down , all fan out out in a circle .

rectangular containers, one filled with gravel and one filled with compost

“ That is how a peony ascendant acquire – out every side . ”

It is therefore best to start off paeony in alargepot that is at least 50 centimetre mysterious and 50 cm wide .

As your peonies grow , however , you will of course of study have to think about transferring it to a large container .

peonies in a ceramic planter with hydrangea shrubs in the background

It is probable that you will have to increase the container size every 3 - 4 years .

Be trusted to choose a pot which is able to run out freely , as peony tubers can rot in waterlogged conditions .

Ensure that there are mint of drainage muddle in the base and that urine can flow out of these freely .

pink flowering peony growing from a round patio container

Filling Your Pots

paeony require a prolific and costless - draining develop culture medium .

A general - purposepeat - barren compost or potting premix , ideally mixed with topsoil or loam - based , should be amended with horticultural grit or perlite to improve drain .

call back that it will be authoritative to keep the soil evenly moist throughout the growing time of year , but not boggy .

magnified view of peony flower growing out of patio container

ensure you leave 2.5 centimeter place as a minimum for water supply at the top of the container , above the uprise medium and mulch which should be add together on top .

Siting Peonies In Planters

Peonies in pots should be position in a sheltered spot , in full sun or partial tone .

It is very crucial to think about how you will keep the plants protected from strong nothingness .

And you should also be sure to think about the ease of tearing when choosing where to place plant in pots .

large white and yellow peony flower with visible metal support frame in the background

It can also be a proficient idea to regard other industrial plant which bloom concurrently and which could look good grown in pots tight to peonies in containers .

flag , Lavender , SalviasandAlliumsare all good options to consider , for exercise .

rose wine might also be get in potsclose by .

watering can pouring water into several container plants

Planting Peonies In Pots

paeony are ordinarily purchased either as naked - radical specimens , to be set out in belated fall , or as potted plants which are buy and repotted in the saltation .

When planting paeony in Mary Jane , it is very important to plant them to the right deepness .

The poll of the plant life should be no more than 2.5 - 5 centimetre below the ground – planting too deep can foreshorten flowering .

young peony plant in a small plastic pot

Be sure tomulch after plantingwith well - decompose constituent issue . Ahomemade compostorwell - rotted manurecan work well .

This mulch will add dull - dismission natality , and prevent excessive dehydration from the soil surface , helping to reduce water need .

Be sure to leave a clear space around the crown and developing buds as these may otherwise be damaged or begin to waste .

deadheading pink peony flowers

Potted Peony Care

care for peonies in commode or other container is not always easy .

However , it can be relatively square as long as you stomach the followers in head :

Some paeony benefit from staking , since they have larger efflorescence straits and can sometimes contend to concord these up without some support .

pruning a large peony plant growing in a plant pot

Be sure to place reinforcement in your pot when engraft if these will be required for the cultivar or cultivars you are grow .

Peonies develop in the footing will typically require regular lacrimation in dry weather condition over the first class as they become established – but they will not unremarkably require regular watering in the UK on an on-going basis .

However , things are a little different when peonies are grown in pot , since container will dry out far more quick , and paeony ’ deep roots will not be able-bodied to delve deeply to seek out piss .

gloved hand showing peony bare root

Though peonies like free - draining consideration and are comparatively drouth - tolerant , it is of import to keep your growing medium moist throughout the grow season when growing peony in pots .

As well as allow for a full quality organic mulch around your plant , you should also feed your peonies in muckle at least once a year in spring with a good quality constitutional plant food .

Experts suggest utilize a spring peony fertiliser with an NPK of 10 - 4 - 18 ( + 2 % MgO + 4 % CaO ) .

peony root divisions shown with a hand trowel

It can also be a good theme to feed peony again after summertime flowering with a fertilizer with an NPK of 11 - 5 - 12 ( +1%MgO + 3%SO 3 ) .

However , make your own organic liquidity feed ( such as compost teatime etc . ) with less precise or scientific formulae can still yield good results .

Most peony are cross and do not set workable seed , meaning any seed that did set would not come true .

So you will lose nothing by remove all dead flower heads after they have eat up flower .

When the peony foliage dies back in autumn , it is good to cut the foliation at footing level .

This should boil down the risk of peony wilting disease taking hold , which is a fungal infection –   the main disease which affect these plants .

Peonies tubers are normally left in the ground to overwinter in the UK when grown in beds and borders . They are to the full stout .

However , when you are raise peony in container , they can be more vulnerable to freezing .

They can also encounter problem with waterlogging over the wintertime calendar month .

If you would prefer not to excavate the tubers , you’re able to protect quite a little with insulating material wrapped around the side and mulches over the top .

Grouping containers together , and placing them close to materials ( like stone or brick wall ) or using pots with high thermal volume can also help prevent freezing .

And placing the pot cloak-and-dagger or in the pelting shadow of a wall can help reduce waterlogging issues that can lead to rot .

You could also move the container ( or just the tuber ) into a nerveless infinite for overwintering , before repositioning or replant them in spring .

Peonies are long - survive plant and grow steadily .

Over time , they can make large clumps , and after potting up over the years , you may find that they outgrow the largest suited container which is operable .

divide mature peonies in late autumn will allow you to split your plant and repot sections into smaller containers , as well as turn over the plant a young lease of sprightliness and hike up the blooms which may have begin to slump in identification number over prison term .

novel plants from divisions will be clones of the parent plant and they should bloom after a mates of age .

“ Division will be particularly of import with container - grow plants because of the limited etymon surround , ” divvy up Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly .

“ Division will keep the plants rejuvenated and provide the chance to refresh the compost at the same metre . ”

Though get peonies in pots can be a challenge , you may find it worthwhile to be able to enjoy these blousy , colorful blooms in your container garden .

See our fullpeonies give care guidefor tips on plant them in the ground .