I need help

Hi everyone.

It might seem strange that somebody from Phoenix, AZ would post on peony site.
I adore peonies and I am giving a shot at growing them. I know that I am setting myself for dissaster but I can not help it.
I have two Sarah Bernhard and one of them has a flower bud already.
I wanted to know if I need to feed them while the flower are forming and if the answer is yes what kind of fertilizer I need to use.
The next questions I have is related to ants. I heard a lot about the close realtionship between ants and peony blooms.
Is there any truth about the peonies not blooming without the ants help?
My peonies have no ants.
Thanks in advance for all you help.


Good gardening


Rodica

P.S. this is a picture of my peony and the little flower bud

Ants are attracted to peonies because of the nectar on the bloom. You do not need ants for peonies to bloom. Regarding feeding your new peony, I don't know, I've never grown any in pots, so.... Someone smarter than me will have to answer that one. :)

Diann

Although not ideal in pots it's worth a try! It's best to feed any peony in the autumn - if you can try bonemeal or well rotted manure but avoid the crown of the plant. Avoid compound fertilizer that is high in nitrogen as it encourages foliage growth at the expense of flowers. Good luck!

Thanks, everybody. Since this is the first time I had some success with the peonies I am very excited.
I thought that if I have some of them in a pot it will be easier for me to move them arounds for the best light exposure. I will try to record their progress and compare the ones in the pot versus the ones in the ground.
Thanks again for all your good advice.

Good gardening


Rodica