Your ultimate guide to peony care
Peony season has finally arrived, and if you’re anything like us, you’ll be filling every corner of your home with these showstopping stems. Their wonderful season is short, so all the more reason to make the most of it.
If you’ve ever seen a field of growing peonies, you’ll know what an unexpected sight it can be. A marching band of tall stems and marshmallow buds, they rear their alien-like heads from the ground for just a couple of months of the year. But when they bloom…boy, do they bloom.
The uninitiated in peony-mania might expect a delicate little flower to emerge from that humble bud. They’d be wrong. A diva in every sense of the word, the peony serves up a full frilly bloom as big as a dinner plate.
Easy tips to care for your peonies
Peonies are so magical, you’ll want to make them last as long as possible. With our easy care tips, you can do just that.
- Peonies are big drinkers, so check their water daily and change it at least every 3 days. Be sure to trim their stems at an angle for maximum water and nutrient absorption.
- Their enormous flower heads can make some peonies top-heavy, so trim them to give their stems the right support in the vase.
You can help your peonies along a bit:
- Dunk their heads in warm water to remove sticky sap that may stop the petals from unfurling.
- Give them a gentle tap on a hard surface to soften the heads before popping them into a vase of room-temperature water.
Tips to keep your peonies blooming
- Peonies are not a fan of a breeze, so position them away from draughts and out of direct sunlight.
- If your blooms are looking a little sad, spritzing the petals with water can perk them up.
- Avoid putting them near fruit bowls as this can prematurely age your precious peonies.
- Peonies starting to wilt? Submerge the entire flower and stem in lukewarm water for several hours to rejuvenate them with a hydration boost.
If you do want to speed up their blooming process, you can encourage your peonies with these tricks:
- Position them in direct sunlight for a short while so they start opening faster.
- They love to be pampered (that diva reputation makes sense after all): You can stimulate the petals by giving the flower heads a gentle massage at the base, where the petals meet the stem.
No one wants to say goodbye to peony season - and you don’t have to (yet anyways): Just dry your blooms and enjoy their puffball beauty for even longer. Choose peonies that are fully open but not wilted and group them into small bunches tied with string. Hang them upside down in a dark, airy space and let them dry naturally for a couple of weeks.
When dried, peonies take on a super delicate, tissue-paper appearance - we love placing a few single stems in jam jars and glass bottles for a summery, cottage-core vibe. To keep them looking gorgeous, avoid direct sunlight and moisture. It’s as simple as that!
But there's more to peonies than just good looks – find out in our blog: ‘Peonies: Everything You Need to Know’
Enjoy the wonder of the peony.
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