I discovered this trick (can't remember from where) when I rented a house with a long "hedgerow" of peony bushes. You laid a length of chicken wire down the row, just when the buds are first starting to peek from the ground. The shoots grow up through the chicken wire, and when they start to leaf out you gently pull the wire up off the ground. The leaves of the plant hide all trace of the wires, and the stems and flowers are supported, so that they never sag or droop, even when it rains!
This was such an easy, effective solution to the age old problem of beautiful peony blooms laying in the mud. I also tried it on a hydrangea bush of mine, with similar excellent results.
Anyone else keeping a roll of chicken wire around for their peonies?
Chicken wire for your peonies?
I've not tried that but I think you are so right about getting whatever staking system you are using in early. My peonies are about 2 feet high and not staked yet - will I never learn? I'll be out this weekend doing exactly that!
Mee, too!
I just never got around to removing the rings & support from last year so
I got a head start staking this year! Procrastination can be a good thing.
(It was a bit of a pain cutting down the old folliage this spring though)..
Ignorance is bliss... didn't stake since I have been here (3rd yr) and didn't know I should. Did buy some more since I discovered that I like peonies. Maybe I should stake them up somehow, now. Don't really remember them lying down in the mud or anything like that though.
I do remember the cleanup of the old foliage this spring (Apr 6th)... the big "splinter" from the stalk, the trip to dr after rt index finger doubled in size, the infected tendon, rechecks, all the anitbiotics, the hand specialist visit next Tuesday... horror story goes on. My dr thinks the continued infection may be due to piece of stalk still in there.
Lesson learned - I really do not like gloves, but going to wear them around those stalks from now on!!
~ Suzi :)
OWIE!OWIE!OWIE! I don't think I would go near a peony after all that. Just let them fend for themselves. :)
Columbines too. Jeanette
yikes! I never thought of peonies & columbines as dangerous!
Suzi - let us know how you make out with the hand specialist.
Tam
Tammy - I'm with you: never take the rings down and you won't have to think about putting them back up. I do cut mine back in late Oct. to Nov. Less chance of botrytis, which we've never had.
So sorry to hear about your thumb Briar Rose! That puts a damper on gardening for a few days. If that swelling doesn't come down I'd call the doctor. For heaven's sake don't put it in your chili or your soft serve ice cream!
Well, it hasn't stopped me totally. Have sore rt hand (fell Feb 3rd at work) that she wanted me to see specialist for since then. So, killing 2 birds w/1 stone - and have 2 appts on Tues. One for Workers Comp and one for my insurance. They wanted all ins info before would even make the appt, too much like work!
Have noticed that I now use left hand most of the time when doing anything requiring strength, ex-ripping out the back hedges, digging holes for planting, etc. More back hedges to go too, before can put up some kind of fence to keep out the deer and bunnies... I never knew that gardening could be so dangerous to your health! Hope that dr has good news! ~ Suzi :)
I meanet that the wire works good for Columbines also. Nothing wrong with columbines.
Be careful .
Jeanette
Well, Good News! Hand specialist sent me for an MRI. Said MRI indicated nothing still in there, which is good, since would have had to have surgery to remove it. Then, he said, come back in 2 weeks. Must have made a funny look, because he then said, "or would you rather come back in a month if the swelling isn't gone?" Of course, I picked the latter. Tendon is still swollen some, not bad, but noticeable. It is much better! He also said the rt hand is still sprained, should be okay in about 3 more months...
So, WEAR GLOVES when cleaning up the peony stalks and other assorted garden stuff!!! I say that as I was just out cutting the hedges w/o gloves... oops
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Now the really good parts! My peony has blooms!
Sorry, I cannot take pics cuz I cannot find the digital. :( Took pics on my camera phone, but it will not download to the computer, darn thing! ~ Suzi :)
That's good news Suzi. Sounds like you haven't quite learned your own
lesson yet though ;-)
Tam
Tam,
I absolutely HAVE learned about not cleaning up peony debris w/o gloves!!! There is NO WAY I will do that again! It has cost me lots of pain, money and time; infected tendon, 3 dr visits, 2 hand specialist visits and an MRI. This is over the last almost 8 wks and if not better in month, back to hand specialist... Won't do that again! ~ Suzi :)