I have three really nice clumps and they bloomed beautifully this year, I think because we had an unsually cold winter. Should these be cut back , and if so, when and how much?
Old Fashioned Peonies
Ive been told you can cut them down to the ground anytime after 4th of July and it will not hurt the next years blooming. I wait until around Holloween and they've at least started to die back.
I've been cutting mine back. Some were knocked down when a tree fell in the garden in August and I'm hoping they had enough time. The area gets more sun now, so the peonies will certainly be happier.
it depends on the size of the plant and where you live, we are a the bottom of where you can successfuly raise most peonies. I do not reccommend removing leaves until they are yellow or brown as this increases their chance of blooming, Further north, it probably makes little difference but here they need every edge we can give them.