Container
Planting
Gardeners with terrace or deck gardens, or those who lack the space to plant
in the ground, may grow peonies in pots. We have tried many kinds of pots for
planting. Peonies planted in clay or plastic pots require continual replanting,
as the roots girdle and stop the plant from growing. Root control bags are
the best solution. These are made from a non-woven plastic fabric that looks
like black felt. These root bags are very fast draining and durable. At Cricket
Hill Garden, we have used them for 4-5 years with excellent results.
This type
of container provides
quick drainage and allows
hair roots to grow through
the sides of the bag.
The roots are "naturally" pruned
by their exposure to
air, and will not girdle.
This bag may be placed
in any decorative pot
or planter which has
good drainage holes in
the bottom. (See Shopping
Cart for Root Bags)
The soil
should be a very free
draining mix of topsoil
and perlite for drainage.Through
much trial and error,
we have found that 65%
topsoil and 35% perlite
makes a good mix for
peonies. Adjust the pH
to a nuetral 7.0. Do
not use a standard potting
mix, such as "Miracle
Grow Potting Mix";
it has too much humus
and peat moss which holds
moisture too long. Peony
roots need to breathe
and the water needs to
drain off quickly. Constant
moisture will cause the
plant roots to decay.
If the ground
freezes where you live,
plants in bags must be
insulated or stored at
35-40¢X F. In zones
4-7, root control bags
can be sunk into the
ground in the fall, or
insulated with bubble
wrap or a similar material.
A peony
in a root control bag
can be set into the ground
and will be easy to lift
out without damaging
the roots if you move.
The bags are not biodegradable
and can be left in place
for 5 years or so before
repotting.
In the past
several years, we have
grown ALL the tree peony
varieties in root bags
with good luck. Some
good and easy to grow
peonies for container
gardeners to try are:
Luoyang Red, Necklace
with Precious Pearls,
Black Dragon Holds a
Splendid Flower, Phoenix
White and Coral Terrace.
Place the
potted tree peony where
it will get at least
5 hours of sun. When
the plant is in bloom,
move it into a fully
shaded location for longer
lasting flowers. All
herbaceous peonies do
equally well in pots,
but prefer full sun.
A windy location will
not affect the plants
since their native habitat
is just south of the
very windy Gobi Desert.
HERBACEOUS
PEONIES
Herbaceous peonies in containers will also work well. The same issues of drainage
and soil apply, but these plants need full sun, or a minimum of 6 hours for
good bloom. Herbaceous peonies WILL NOT bloom well in zone 9, it is too warm.
Their range is zone 3 to zone 8.
