Preparing peonies for winter: pruning time

Peonies belong to those species for which during flowering it is necessary to take care not particularly carefully. In summer, the same activities are carried out with shrubs as with other spring flowers. Peony care in the fall, preparation for winter play an important role. In the autumn months, bushes need protection from the cold and various diseases. Experienced growers perform a list of several steps to prepare plants for the cold. Those who are just starting to grow flowers need to know when to cut peonies for the winter, how to fertilize them and whether to cover them by winter time.

Autumn Peony Care Rules

Spring and summer care includes: regular watering, loosening the soil in the root zone, weed control and removal of buds that finish flowering. And care for peonies in the fall involves pruning the bush, feeding it, and shelter for a period of cold weather. In order for shrubs to survive severe frosts, they perform the following actions:

1. Bushes that bloom are fed.
2. If necessary transplant some shrubs to a new place.
3. Trim the bushes.
4. Cover the soil with mulch.

A list of these activities is necessary to prepare the plant for winter. Nothing unique needs to be done; these universal actions are enough.

Features of preparing for winter

Preparing plants for winter is carried out strictly at a certain time, because the flowering of bushes in the next season depends on it. Buds are laid about a month and a half after flowering. Improper preparation leads to the death of shrubs from frost, their infection with harmful insects or fungal diseases. Therefore, you need to first learn how to prune peonies, what and when to feed them after that.

The value of autumn pruning

Beginning gardeners cut the leaves when the bushes bloom, because withering shrubs greatly spoil the appearance of flower beds. Plant specialists believe that it is better to cut the leaves when the cold comes. That will give positive results for the bush:

1. Before the winter cold, plants restore their root system.
2. Moisture accumulates in the root tubers so that the flowers can germinate in spring.
3. Peonies are stored in energy after the end of the flowering period.

Is it worth it to cut the bush for the winter

Beginning gardeners are concerned about the need for pruning shrubs. They believe that the plant is pruned only when it is infected with some bacteria, fungi or pests. Yellowing and drying the leaves for them is the usual end of one of the life cycles. But for wintering, pests choose just wilted foliage. Therefore, such events are always recommended to be held in the fall, before the end of the growing season and winter dormancy.

When to cut bushes in autumn or spring

Gardeners must definitely figure out when to cut peonies in the fall or leave in the spring. Timing is important. Plants are pruned for the first time after flowering of the bushes. But only the buds themselves are removed, without touching the stems and leaves.It should be noted that after flowering, photosynthesis continues in the stems and the remaining foliage. The plant restores strength for the further growth of bulbs, accumulates energy in order to survive the winter frosts. Therefore, the final pruning of leaves is carried out later, after the onset of the first steady colds.

Cropping sequence

Pruning peonies requires a certain sequence of actions:

1. First prepare the tools and, if necessary, disinfect them.
2. Cut the shoots, leaving a length of 2 cm, so that the bush can grow further.
3. In tree peonies, only leaves are pruned.
4. After removing the stems, you need to add fertilizer to the ground and dig the soil near the bush, loosen the root circle.
5. Leaves and stems are folded into one pile and burned or dumped into a compost pit.

Instruction manual

The process of pruning shrubs of ordinary peonies is simple. This event begins when the foliage from the cold falls on the soil. Depending on the climatic zone, frost starts at different times, so there is no specific date. You need to navigate by the appearance of the peony in your own area. The stem is cut almost completely. It is only necessary for the stem to stick out from the ground for 2-4 centimeters.

Pruning a tree peony in the fall is done according to a different principle. Formative pruning is done when they want to make the bushes more beautiful, increase the number of buds or the size of the flower, by removing the side shoots. The stems are shortened by a maximum of a meter in height. This will help the plants grow denser and more blooming buds are formed. In addition, cut off stems are much easier to cover before winter cold.

Trimming a tree peony for the purpose of rejuvenation is necessary every 10 years. If the bush does not bloom so densely or ceases to bloom at all, then it is time to carry out an updated pruning. Old shoots are removed, thereby provoking the growth of new ones. With systematic proper care, the life expectancy of shrubs is approximately 70 years.

Peony care after pruning, top dressing

Peonies should be fed before winter rest 10-14 days before frosts. This is approximately from the second half of September to the first half of October. Fertilizers are added on dry warm days. It is important that the fertilizer contains phosphorus and potassium. These substances help the root system to grow and strengthen, giving it strength for a long period of rest.

Ways of applying dressing:

• dry;
• liquid.

If autumn turned out to be arid, then fertilizers are stirred in water and poured under the roots. In rainy autumn, pellets are scattered around the stems, rammed them a little on the soil, or sprinkled on top of the ground, loosened with a rake.

The positive effect of such dressing

Some gardeners consider this method of plant nutrition senseless, but it has its advantages:

1. By the next season, the kidneys are getting stronger.
2. Flowering is more intense.
3. The flowers are larger, and the color is richer and brighter.
4. Thanks to phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, plants better tolerate winter cold and germinate more hardy and strong.

Protecting peonies in winter cold

Often, it is not enough just to trim the bushes and fertilize. For those regions in which the winters are long, harsh and cold, and there is very little snow, it is important to cover plants for the winter so as not to lose them.

First they spud the bushes.They do this very carefully, because the buds of the new season are located at a depth of no more than 10 cm. On top, put mulch on a layer of about 18 cm. Use as mulch:

• humus;
• compost;
• dry leaves;
• sawdust.

With the onset of the warm season, shelter must be removed for air access. Ventilation will help as the prevention of rot.

Snowy winter is another natural stage in protecting plants from the cold. Snow prevents freezing during severe frosts.

What is the difference between preparing for the winter of a tree peony

In places where a strong cold wind does not rage in winter, tree peonies Do not need additional shelter. But young bushes require protection from the cold, so they impose a twenty-centimeter layer of peat and cover the stems with an inverted bucket, basin or other container of suitable height and diameter.

It is recommended to prune the tree-like peony not in the winter, as usual varieties, but in the spring.

Preparation for wintering shrubs in different climatic zones

Different regions of Russia suggest differences in winter temperature conditions. It all depends on climatic realities, so you need to prepare shrubs for wintering in different ways.

1. Siberia. Since this is a colder region than everyone else, the preparation of plants for frost is more solid. The stems are covered with a thick layer of mulch, and on top they are covered with boxes, buckets or any other containers that act as shelters.
2. Ural. In this region, peonies also need additional shelter, and the whole process is exactly the same as in Siberia.
3. Volga region. It is enough to apply a layer of mulch, and it is not necessary to cover with some other protective containers from above.
4. The middle lane. In case the winter is frosty and snowless, the bushes are covered, but more thorough preparation is not required.

Common mistakes

Novice gardeners often do something wrong in preparing shrubs for the winter months. Some of these errors are most common:

1. Plants are cut too early, before the first frost sets in, to suit the appearance of the flowerbed.
2. Dry leaves are cut not in the fall, but at the beginning of the spring season, which creates the prerequisites for the development of diseases and reduces the "immunity" of the plant.
3. On rainy days, add liquid fertilizer, exacerbating the situation. This prevents the complete absorption of fertilizing by the roots, erosion of nutrients on the soil surface, and not their concentration in tubers.
4. Incorrectly cover peonies before the cold, do not take into account the features of their region, which leads to the death of the bush.

Peony Planting Depth

When planting peonies, depth is taken into account. The kidneys should be at least 4 centimeters. If you plant them deeper, then the flowering of the bushes will be too poor, although there will be enough shoots formed, they will not be able to give full bloom. With a shallow planting of less than 4 cm, peony bushes die from frost, and new ones will have to be planted next season.

Autumn Disease Prevention

To protect the plant from fungi after autumn leaf fall, the bushes are treated with a three percent solution of copper sulfate or a two percent Bordeaux mixture.

Trying to make peonies were more resistant to various diseases and frosts, they use fertilizers with phosphorus or potassium. Moreover, it is more correct to alternate different formulations for the onset of a better effect.

Conclusion

Preparing peonies for winter is an important process for gardeners. It is necessary to follow all instructions in order to receive lush shrubs of peonies in the next season, pleasing with an abundance of flowers.If you make a mistake, then the plants fall ill with dangerous fungi or are exposed to the negative effects of harmful insects. Therefore, these shrubs require special care in the autumn and careful protection from frost.