What Should You Do With Peonies After Flowering?

For a few glorious weeks each year, peonies steal the show.

Their huge blooms seem almost too extravagant to be real. One day the buds are tightly closed, and then almost overnight they burst open into enormous flowers that stop visitors in their tracks.

It's one of the highlights of late spring and early summer.

The trouble is that peonies never seem to flower for long enough.

Many gardeners are now reaching the point where those spectacular blooms are beginning to fade. Petals are dropping to the ground, flowers are turning brown and the display that looked so magnificent a fortnight ago is starting to look a little tired.

The question I often hear at this time of year is simple:

"What should I do with my peonies now?"

Fortunately, the answer is relatively straightforward, and what you do over the next few weeks can make a real difference to next year's display.

Should You Deadhead Peonies?

The first task is usually deadheading.

Once flowers have faded, cut off the spent bloom heads before they begin producing seed.

This helps keep the plant looking tidy and prevents it from wasting energy on seed production.

Using clean secateurs, follow the flower stem down to the first healthy leaf and make a neat cut.

If some flowers are still looking good, there's no rush. Simply remove individual blooms as they finish.

Deadheading won't encourage a second flush of flowers like it might with roses, but it does help the plant direct its resources back into strengthening roots and building next year's buds.

Don't Cut the Plant Down Yet

One of the biggest mistakes gardeners make is cutting peonies back immediately after flowering.

It's understandable.

Once the flowers have gone, the foliage can sometimes seem a little underwhelming.

However, those leaves are doing important work.

Throughout the summer, the foliage acts like a solar panel, capturing sunlight and storing energy in the plant's root system. This stored energy is what fuels next year's flowers.

If the foliage is removed too early, you risk weakening next year's display.

Instead, allow the plant to remain in place throughout summer and early autumn.

The foliage may not be as spectacular as the flowers, but it is helping lay the foundations for the following year.

Feeding Peonies After Flowering

Although peonies are not particularly demanding plants, they can benefit from a little care after flowering.

A balanced fertiliser or a mulch of well-rotted compost around the base of the plant can help replenish nutrients removed during flowering.

Avoid piling mulch directly against the crown.

Peonies dislike being buried too deeply, and excessive covering around the crown can reduce flowering.

Many peonies actually flower best when the crown remains close to the soil surface.

Watering During Dry Weather

This spring has been unusually dry in many parts of Gloucestershire.

Established peonies are generally resilient plants, but prolonged dry conditions can place stress on them.

If dry weather continues, occasional deep watering is preferable to frequent light watering.

Young peonies and recently divided plants will benefit most from additional attention during hot spells.

A good soak once a week during prolonged drought is usually sufficient.

Why Peonies Sometimes Fail to Flower

While admiring this year's display, many gardeners will already be thinking ahead to next year.

If your peony flowers poorly or fails to flower altogether, there are several possible reasons.

Planted Too Deeply

This is perhaps the most common cause.

The buds, often called "eyes", should sit only a few centimetres below the soil surface.

Planting too deeply often results in healthy foliage but very few flowers.

Too Much Shade

Although peonies tolerate light shade, they generally perform best in a sunny position.

Recently Moved

Peonies dislike disturbance.

A plant that has recently been moved or divided may take several years to settle and flower properly again.

Immaturity

Young plants often require patience.

Some newly planted peonies may take two or three years before producing their best display.

Supporting Next Year's Flowers

One of the joys of gardening is learning to think ahead.

While today's flowers may be fading, next year's display is already taking shape.

The plant is now building reserves beneath the soil, strengthening roots and preparing the buds that will eventually become next spring's flowers.

A little care now can help ensure an even better display next year.

Continue watering during prolonged dry periods, keep the area around the plant weed free and allow the foliage to remain healthy for as long as possible.

Autumn and Winter Care

As autumn arrives, the foliage will naturally begin to yellow and die back.

This is the point when cutting back becomes appropriate.

Remove dead foliage to ground level and dispose of any diseased material rather than adding it to the compost heap.

This simple task helps reduce the risk of fungal problems carrying over into the following season.

Once cut back, peonies require very little winter attention.

In fact, one of the reasons they remain such popular garden plants is their remarkable longevity.

Many peonies can thrive in the same position for decades.

A Lesson in Patience

Peonies remind us that gardening is often about patience.

Their flowering season is relatively short, yet perhaps that is part of what makes them so special.

For a brief period each year, they dominate the garden with flowers that few other plants can match.

Then they quietly retreat into the background, spending the rest of the season preparing for their next performance.

As gardeners, our role is simply to help them along the way.

A little deadheading, a little feeding, a little patience and before you know it, next year's buds will be waiting beneath the soil.

Professional Garden Maintenance in Cheltenham

If your borders need attention, your perennials require dividing, or you'd like help keeping your garden looking its best throughout the seasons, Marcus Bergin Gardening provides professional garden maintenance services throughout Cheltenham, Bishops Cleeve, Prestbury, Winchcombe, Gotherington, Charlton Kings and the surrounding Gloucestershire villages.

For advice or to arrange a visit, please get in touch.