Dawns bloggy blog: The gift of peonies…

These peonies from Mom and Dads garden are not just beautiful, they are also plants that connect them to past friends and loved ones.

Peonies are great plants to share…

Dividing Peonies
After 10 or so years of growth, you may notice smaller flowers and crowded stems. This usually means it's time to make more peony plants. "The right time to divide peonies is in the fall," says Rogers. "By that time they've finished their year's growth and have started to go dormant."

This particular peony was given to my parents by the parents of my ex husband.

Its my favorite…

Its such a delicate peony compared with their others…

I love the striking yellow stamens..

To simulate the foliage dying back in the fall, we cut the foliage back to the soil line. Rogers then recommends removing all the soil from the roots and giving them a good soaking with the hose. Rogers manipulates the roots to get a good look at where they separate easily, and that's where he makes the first cut.

This peony was from my mother's mothers garden….

"Every plant needs a crown, which is this part," says Rogers. "It puts up the shoots and puts down the roots." Each section should have three to five eyes which are where next year's new growth begins. You want enough eyes to create a lush plant. All the fine rootlets need to be pruned away and with good reason. Pests and diseases aren't a huge problem with peonies - with one exception: There are some root diseases that can severely restrict the growth of peonies. That's why it's so important to always cut off the tiny hair roots.

This white one is from my father's mothers garden.

Planting Peonies

Dig deep and wide when planting peonies. A plant can mature to a width of five feet or so, and the hole should be prepped accordingly.

The most important thing about planting peonies is selecting a site. Choose a location with at least a half day of sun. More sun will give you
more flowers, and light shade will keep the blooms fresher longer. Once the planting hole is worked to his pleasing, Rogers fertilizes with bone meal. The bone meal will take two to three years to break down, making it a simple, long-term investment.
When you plant, make sure the eyes of the peony are facing up and are planted no more than two inches deep. Cover with soil, tamp the ground
firmly and water. As the plant grows, it will most likely need staking.