All plants are shipped in the fall, September to late November,
depending on your zone.
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Zone 4 will be sent in early September.
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Zones 5 & 6 from late Sept. through
October.
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Zone 7 & 8 sent about the 3rd week of
October to early November.
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Zone 9 sent mid to late November.
The success rate of fall
transplanting is almost 100%, so we do not ship at any other
time. You may visit the nursery and take plants away in root
control bags, but we ask you to leave the plants in these large
"pots" and not disturb their roots until fall.
Keep
the roots moist and shaded until planting. Tree peonies prefer
a soil pH of 6.5 to 7.0. They must be planted in a well drained
place. Standing water at the roots will kill them. The site
should be partly shaded. A shady spot will allow the flowers
to last longer without fading. Do not plant too close to trees
where roots will compete with peony roots for nutrients and
water.
The
hole should be two feet deep and two feet wide. Plant your tree
peony at the same depth as it was planted at our nursery. Any
new bud stems should be below the soil level. Mound the earth
so that the roots are fully extended. Fill the hole half way
with rich garden soil. Water in the plant to prevent air pockets.*
Fill the rest of the hole, again with rich garden soil and water.
Mulch with 6 inches of leaves or straw during the first winter
to prevent the earth from heaving.
Carefully
remove mulch a little at a time in early spring when all danger
of freezing is past. After the plant has bloomed, it's best
to 'dead head' the spent flowers.
In
the fall, carefully remove dead leaves. This sanitary procedure
will help keep your plants free of botrytis, a common garden
disease.
*When
watering in the plants, we like to use Neptune's Harvest. We
will include a pint of this organic liquid fish emulsion plant
food with your order. It is processed to retain the vitamins,
amino acids, enzymes and growth hormones all plants need. It
also contains micro and macro nutrients naturally found in fish.
Eight ounces of liquid concentrate is mixed with five gallons
of water for use in "mudding in" the roots. We have found it
is far more useful than any chemical fertilizers and adds considerably
to fast root development.
Planting
Peonies in containers
*More
detailed planting instructions
