Oh, them peonies, they’re somethin’ else, ain’t they? Just the prettiest things. But like all pretty things, they need a little lookin’ after, ‘specially after they done all their fancy flowerin’. I been growin’ these for years, and I’ll tell ya what I know, just plain and simple.
What them peonies is
So, these peony things, they is all kinds of them. More than thirty, I heard. They all part of some fancy group called “pay-own-ee-eye” or somethin’ like that. It ain’t that important, really. Just know there’s lots of ’em.
After they done flowerin’
Now, after them peonies is all done with their big show, you gotta do a little somethin’. It’s like cleanin’ up after a party. See them dead flowers? The ones that ain’t pretty no more? You gotta snip ’em off.
- Snip, snip, snip! Get rid of them old flowers.
- Use some clippers, or your fingers if you ain’t got none.
- Don’t leave them dead flowers hangin’ around.
Why do ya do it? Well, it helps the peony get ready for next year. It’s like savin’ up your pennies. If you leave them old flowers, the plant’s gonna waste all its energy on ’em. And we don’t want that, do we?
You gotta cut ’em off at the stem, right down near the leaves. But not too far down, mind ya. Just above a strong lookin’ leaf. Don’t want no ugly stems stickin’ out. Makes the whole thing look messy, like a chicken with its feathers all ruffled.
Keep ’em happy in the heat
Them peonies, they like their water, ‘specially when it’s hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk. You gotta keep ’em watered good. Don’t let ’em dry out, or they’ll get all droopy and sad lookin’. Just like me when I ain’t had my coffee.
And a little somethin’ called “mulch” helps, too. It’s like a blanket for the dirt. Keeps the water in, keeps the weeds out. You just spread it around the bottom of the peony. Easy peasy.
You can also give them a little somethin’ to eat. There’s stuff called “fertilizer” you can buy. It’s like vitamins for plants. Just make sure it’s the kind for flowerin’ plants. Don’t want to give ’em the wrong stuff, now.
Leave ’em be
And most important, after you done all that, just leave them peonies alone. Don’t go diggin’ around ’em, or movin’ ’em around. They don’t like that. They like to be left alone to do their thing. Just like me, when I’m in the middle of a good nap.
Cut ’em back later
Now, when it gets cold, and them leaves all turn brown and yucky, then you gotta cut ’em back. Cut back the whole peony plant. But we ain’t gonna worry about that now. That’s for later. Just remember, for now, snip them dead flowers and keep ’em watered.
peonies care after flowering,it is not hard work.
No pods
You see them little pods startin’ to form after the flowerin’? Yeah, you don’t want them. Snip ’em off before they get too big. They just gonna suck the life outta your peony. We want all that energy goin’ to the roots, for next year’s flowers.
Taking care of peonies after flowering might seem like a lot of work, but it ain’t really. Just a little snip here, a little water there. And them peonies will be back next year, bigger and prettier than ever. Just you wait and see.
care of peonies after flowering. You remeber it.
Deadheadin’
That’s what they call it, “deadheadin’.” Sounds kinda gruesome, don’t it? But it just means takin’ off them dead flowers. Makes the whole plant look nicer, like a fresh haircut. And it helps the peony put its energy where it’s needed, not on them old flowers. It’s like when you clean out your purse – you get rid of all the old junk so you have room for the important stuff.
So there ya have it. My secrets to takin’ care of peonies after they done flowerin’. It ain’t rocket science, just good old common sense. And a little bit of love. ‘Cause everythin’ grows better with a little bit of love, don’t it?
