Peonies won't bloom!

Jenna · #1 (**permalink**) 05-09-2003, 06:47 AM

Hi Gardeners!

I haven't been able to get my peonies to bloom in about 3 or 4 years.

I have tried bone meal and covering them over the winter with straw, staking them up, and still they won't bloom. I have them on the south side of my house, so I think they are getting enough sun, at least 6 hours a day.

I would sure appreciate some suggestions!
Jenna

**Minny** · #2 (**permalink**) 05-10-2003, 07:48 AM

Hi Jenna,
I had trouble with mine when I first planted them...it took them about 5 yrs before they actually bloomed. I suggest you contact a local nursery & ask them what you could do. Most places will give you free information. I don't do anything to mine.... I just let them go without covering them in the winter & then in the spring I pull out all the dead stalks & let them go. I only have 2 bushes.

Caronamy · #3 (**permalink**) 05-10-2003, 07:53 AM

Oh Peonies, I love them.

When we built our house my mother in law gave me a bit of her peonies. She said that because it's new to my yard it probably won't bloom. I fed it Miracle Grow and it bloomed. Every year (17yrs I've had the original plant) I'll think them out and make a new plant or give them to others. Last fall I just replanted 3 and all 3 are coming up this year, haven't bloomed yet. They seem to be a hardy plant, we have terrible soil. I would try the Miracle Grow or maybe even planting them in a different spot. Check with a nursery too - take a picture into them with showing the plant where it sits and a close up too - maybe it has a disease.
Try talking to it "come on little plant, I know you can grow and bloom" - joking of course.

I'll blow to the wind a little of my green thumb to help you.

**Minny** · #4 (**permalink**) 05-10-2003, 08:05 AM

I talk to my plants all the time.LOL My neighbor thought I lost my mind .... but the plants grew. That is except for 1 rose bush that I've had trouble with from the beginning.... it wasn't a very good plant to start with & I've been babying it & coaxing it... but still don't do much good. I'm thinking of moving it to another location to see if it will help.

Caronamy · #5 (**permalink**) 05-10-2003, 08:12 AM

LOL - I sing a lot I think the plants like it. I have a phildedron plant, his name is Phil, I'll ask him what he thinks about things. LOL

Rose bushes - I think if you bury banana peels they like the potassium in them, that's what was on one of those home improvements shows anyway.

cravinmorecoffee · #6 (**permalink**) 05-10-2003, 09:42 AM

I have a row of peonies on the south side of my house and they bloom profusely every spring. I believe they do so because the roots are almost at the surface of the soil. These plants were there when we moved into this house 25 years ago and I have never fertilized them or done anything to them. I did transplant some that I had growing in another part of my garden and they have never bloomed... I think I planted them too deep. Another thing to remember about peonies, you should transplant them in the fall. Hope I have been a help.

Caronamy · #7 (**permalink**) 05-10-2003, 09:53 AM

Here are a few websites on peonies...

http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extnews/ask...owers/1234.htm

http://www.gardenguides.com/articles/peony.htm

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/hil/hil-8501.html

Hope this helps.

I have peonies all over my yard (N, S, E & W) - so I don't really think that it matters.

Jeannie · #8 (**permalink**) 05-10-2003, 10:03 AM

here's an article on why peonies won't bloom...

http://www.montana.edu/commserv/csne...hp?article=334

**Minny** · #9 (**permalink**) 05-10-2003, 10:40 AM

Caronamy, thanks for the tip on the banana peel... I'll have to try that. I used rose food on it, but didn't do much good. I think I'm going ot move it anyway... it's too close to the road & I'm afraid if someone runs off the road it will get run over. We live in the country & our yard runs right out to the road. I had a fence there but it finally got so bad I took it out & never replaced it yet.

Jenna · #10 (**permalink**) 05-10-2003, 10:40 AM

Thanks you everyone for your help!

I will be reading the articles that you sent Caron and Jeannie! I will also try some Miracle Grow, my Dad swears by the stuff and his gardent looks wonderful!

I have 6 peonies, they are all over 5 years old, one of them is 8 years old and still they won't bloom!

I love peonies, they are my favorite flower. We had them planted around our entire vegetable garden when I was a child. It was a huge garden, so there were at least 50 plants. The smell was so heavenly! I could smell them in my room at night, when the windows were open. It is a sweet memory of my childhood.

Maybe I will start to give my peonies pep talks! LOL!

Jenna