You'll know just how big of a newbie I am after reading this question...
Is this a stem or a flower coming out? I was given several peony roots and I planted them. Now I have several buds coming up, one of which is opening but it looks more like a flower, but surely it's a stem.
Also, do the old stems not put out new growth? They seem to just be sitting there. How long will it take for this to be beautiful...did I plant them too late?
I posted this elsewhere for someone but I forget where (lol) so I'll repeat it for you. I talked to a peony grower and he told me that in your zone (z8), to grow peonies successfully you should start with a large root, at least 5 eyes - that's the pink nubbies you see when they start growing. You should also cut them off to the ground in late Sept. or early Oct. and withhold water until Jan.-Feb. when they will start growing again. If you don't do that, they may not go dormant and then not put on buds the next spring. Up here, (z4), he recommends cutting them down in the fall after the first freeze to prevent fungal disease (as Sheila mentioned above). Good Luck!
Thank you Sheila, I hope I get a flower too, but I'll settle for just not killing them off and having flowers next year. We're installing landscape right now after an extensive remodel and the yard is in a state of complete dissaray. The previous owners of the house completely neglected the yard and the soil so we have a major project on our hands.
Thank you Kooger for the advice. The roots of the peonies are very large and have several of the little pink eyes on them. I put them just below the soil which is what I think I read to do. Your advice sounds familiar and I'm making notes in my gardening calender to remember to do this as it makes much sense!
Thank you both for helping out this newbie,
Tracey
Now comes the fun part.... watching them grow and grow and grow, make buds, and BLOOM! Woopeee! I hope you can post pictures of them so we can all ooooo and ahhhh with you. Oh, and don't worry about the ants you'll see crawling over the buds, somehow they help the flowers I understand, well I don't understand that that is what I have read.
