When and how to prune peonies in the fall. Rules for pruning peonies after flowering Peonies have faded when to trim the leaves

So June has passed its second half. Summer is approaching its zenith, and gardeners have more troubles. It is at this time that you should know exactly what care for peonies after flowering is.

It is clear that plant leaves cannot be completely cut off. After flowering, buds are laid for the next year, and nutrients are accumulated for wintering. And the openwork bushes themselves are quite beautiful. Is it worth removing this beauty? This must be taken into account when planting. But it is better to remove stems from flowers that have not been cut. The fact is that ovaries form on them. The plant begins to expend energy to ripen the seeds. And you and I don’t need this at all. We cut the peduncle to the first leaf after the last leaf of the flower has fallen off.

Peony pruning after flowering

When to prune peonies for the winter? Here gardeners' opinions differ. On the one hand, withered leaves create additional protection for the roots during the cold season. On the other hand, they are a breeding ground for diseases and pests. If you prefer to remove the leaves, be sure to leave stumps 2-3 cm high. This should be done no earlier than the beginning of October.

For bushes younger than three years old, caring for peonies after flowering consists only of weeding and loosening. The nutrients you provided during planting have not yet been used up. For older plants, fertilizing is required. After flowering, about two weeks later, we feed the bushes with potassium and phosphorus fertilizers at the rate of 15 grams of each per bush. Try to do this so that grains do not fall on the plant.

In dry and hot summers, faded bushes need to be watered occasionally. And of course, caring for peonies after flowering involves weeding. Although, in fairness, it should be noted that few of them grow, since the peony crown is quite large and dense.

Perennial peonies are one of those flowering plants that do not require careful care. But in the fall they need to carry out a number of agrotechnical measures for successful growth and development next year, one of which is timely pruning. Proper care of plants after flowering, pruning and shelter from winter cold will allow perennials to successfully survive the winter and enjoy active flowering in the summer.

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Caring for peonies in autumn

Autumn is the most crucial time in the process of caring for peonies. In the spring and during the summer, these perennials do not require special attention, and caring for them consists of timely watering, weeding and cutting off the buds after they fly around. With the onset of autumn, it is necessary to carry out several agrotechnical measures that will allow plants to successfully survive the winter cold. These include:

• feeding;
• transplantation, if necessary;
• autumn pruning;
• shelter for the winter.

Stop watering and autumn feeding

After flowering, peonies do not need the same amount of moisture that they needed during the active growing season. If in summer watering was carried out weekly in a volume of 10 to 25 liters per bush, then with the onset of autumn this amount of liquid is gradually reduced.

You cannot immediately stop watering the plants, since both adult and young bushes tolerate it very hard. It is recommended to reduce the amount of water poured onto each plant by 5 liters every week. Gradually, watering stops completely.

September and early October are the best times to fertilize. At this time, although flowering has already ended and the buds have flown around, the root system continues its development and gratefully responds to a new portion of fertilizers.

Potassium-phosphorus compounds can act as a top dressing. 15 g of potassium and phosphorus are diluted in 10 liters of water and the bushes are watered with the resulting solution. During the irrigation process, it is necessary to ensure that the liquid does not touch the root collar.

Dry fertilization can be used as an alternative. To do this, the plants are first watered abundantly, and then crushed fertilizer tablets are evenly distributed in the hole.



Proper pruning

Many novice gardeners do not bother with autumn pruning of peonies, believing that wilting is a natural process of plant development and there is no need to get rid of wilted foliage if it is not affected by diseases or pests. In fact, it is necessary to prune stems with wilted leaves in the fall, as this is an ideal place for various pests and pathogens to overwinter.

Some gardeners prefer to postpone this event until spring. You should not do this for the same reason - pests and diseases may appear in the spring due to old foliage not being removed in time.

Autumn pruning is carried out in two stages. Immediately after flowering ends, cut off all wilted flowers without touching the foliage. The process of photosynthesis is still ongoing at this time. The roots accumulate the necessary nutrients for plant growth, its restoration after flowering and for successful wintering. Flowers at this time need increased nutrition, which is facilitated by photosynthesis.

The timing of complete pruning depends on the climatic conditions in which the perennial is grown. Full pruning of peonies is carried out after the first frost, when the wilted leaves fall to the ground.

If there is a need for earlier pruning, then you need to leave 2-3 leaves on each stem so that the process of processing useful elements obtained from the root system along with the plant sap does not stop.



How to trim?

For novice gardeners, you need to know that ordinary varieties of peonies are pruned after the first frost, removing all the stems almost to the soil level. There should be no more than 3 cm of stem left on top.



Proper pruning of peony in autumn

Tree varieties of peonies should be processed completely differently. For these plants, pruning can be formative and rejuvenating.

Shaping is carried out in order to give the bush a more attractive shape. To do this, in the fall, all woody stems are cut to a length of 70 to 90 cm. Then in the spring many young shoots will appear on these bushes, and the plant will bloom profusely. In addition, after pruning, the process of covering the bush for the winter is greatly simplified.

Anti-aging is performed very rarely - once every 10–15 years. It is necessary to remove old shoots and stimulate the growth of new ones. It is very simple to understand that such pruning is necessary for a peony. It is enough to observe the plant in summer. If the bush grows poorly, flowering is rare or absent altogether, then there is a need for a rejuvenating procedure.

After completion, all cut areas are immediately treated with wood ash for disinfection. Cut parts of plants are removed from the site and burned so as not to breed insect pests.

Common mistakes

Many inexperienced flower growers make mistakes when pruning peony bushes in the country. The most common of them:

• Shoots are cut off too early. During a warm autumn, the early cut shoots begin to grow again and by the time the autumn frosts arrive they have time to grow sufficiently. A decrease in temperature in this case greatly weakens the perennial.
• Pruning is done too late. In this situation, the rhizome begins to rot.
• Too much of the stem is left above the ground. This inhibits growth during the growing season and reduces flowering activity.

Sheltering peonies for the winter

To protect against winter frosts, perennial bushes must be covered for the winter. Preparation for winter becomes especially important in regions where there are severe frosts and little snow at this time of year.

In peonies, the growth buds are located at a depth of no more than 6 cm, so to protect them, the pruned bushes are first spudded. Lay mulch on top of the resulting mound in a layer of at least 15 cm. Peat, sawdust, spruce branches of coniferous plants, compost or humus are suitable for mulching. In winter, you can additionally cover the peonies with a layer of snow. It will provide good protection against severe frosts.

Cut parts of peony bushes cannot be used as mulch, as they can harbor pests and pathogens.

With the onset of spring, the shelter is removed, but not completely. It is necessary to leave a small layer of mulching material in the hole. It will serve as a natural protection and inhibit the growth of weeds.



Sheltering peonies for the winter with spruce branches

Tree peonies grown in European Russia do not need to be covered for the winter if they grow in suitable conditions. To do this, the shrub must be located in a quiet place, protected from the wind, where the temperature in winter does not drop below -28 degrees, and the soil freezes to a depth of no more than 80 cm. In other cases, tree varieties of peony require shelter.

Young tree peonies are covered for the winter in any case. To do this, they are first hilled high and then covered with peat, laying a layer of at least 20 cm thick. The top of the bush is covered with an inverted bucket.

Features of preparation for winter depending on the region

For regions with harsh winters, such as in Siberia, peonies must be covered for the winter using a variety of mulching materials. The shelter is made more thorough than for areas with a mild climate. To do this, additionally place plastic containers or cardboard boxes on top of the mulch layer. Peonies are covered in a similar way in the Urals.

When growing peonies in the Volga region or Leningrad region, there is no need for such careful shelter. In this case, limit yourself to only a thick layer of mulch. In the middle zone and when growing peonies in the Moscow region, covering the perennial for the winter does not need to be done. If the bush grows in an open place, it is covered with a layer of mulch in case of a winter with little snow.

In autumn, peonies require special care, which will help the plants successfully withstand the cold season. When to prune peonies for the winter is a relevant question for all flower growers and owners of summer cottages. Proper and timely pruning will preserve the vital juices of the plant and prepare it for winter.

The features of spring pruning of tree and herbaceous varieties will be described in this article, and photos and videos will help novice gardeners carry out the procedure correctly.

Pruning stems after flowering is one of the important measures for caring for plants. Most often, novice gardeners wonder: is it possible to prune them immediately after flowering and how exactly to do this? Our article will try to clarify all the unclear points regarding this procedure.

The main thing you need to know is the fact that for some time after flowering the bush cannot be touched. In this way, we give it the opportunity to accumulate strength and nutrients to form new buds.

Peculiarities

It is recommended to completely remove all faded buds for the first three years. However, do not rush to cut off the buds as they fade. It is worth waiting until the entire bush has bloomed, and only after that remove the bud along with part of the stem down to the first leaf. This procedure will ensure more abundant flowering next year (Figure 1).

Note: But, if you want to achieve not an increase in the number of flowers, but an increase in their size, the upper buds should be left.

As for the foliage, cutting it off unless clearly necessary is not recommended, since the green mass plays an important role in the circulation of nutrients throughout the plant. In addition, cutting leaves can only be done in the fall in warm weather.

How and when to prune flowers correctly is shown in the video.

Rules

Although it is not recommended to trim each flower immediately after it has bloomed, it is worth making sure that faded and fallen petals do not cover the bush. Excess moisture collects under the layer of fallen petals, which causes the development of mold and rot.

Figure 1. Timing and technology for pruning bushes after flowering

Trim time

The time for pruning after flowering is determined separately for each bush. The main guideline is the complete flowering of the entire plant. Only after this can the buds with small parts of the stems be removed.

When to prune peonies for the winter

Preparing plants for winter is quite a responsible undertaking, because if you prune prematurely, there is a risk of ruining the entire flower. That is why the question of when to prune bushes for the winter is very important.

Here you should focus on the appearance of the bush. If all its stems descend to the ground, you can begin the procedure.

Peculiarities

Plants should be pruned at the root for the winter. All removed parts of the plant (stems, leaves) should be taken out of the flower garden to prevent the development of pathogenic fungi. Cut bushes must be protected from frost.

Rules

There are some rules that will help answer the question of whether it is necessary to prune bushes after flowering, and how to do it correctly.

For the procedure to be successful, you need to do the following(Figure 2):

• Start pruning for the winter after the first frost, when all the stems of the bush fall to the ground.
• The stems of the plant should be cut almost to the root, leaving sprouts above the buds no more than 10 cm high.
• The remaining root system must be carefully protected from the cold using humus or dry peat.

Figure 2. Pruning and covering bushes for the winter

Pruning tree peony in spring

Spring pruning of a tree-like crop is the best way to care for the plant. The procedure involves removing old and broken branches, shoots with dried foliage, as well as shortening healthy shoots to the first living point in order to rejuvenate the entire bush.

Peculiarities

Pruning a tree-like plant in early spring has a rejuvenating effect. At the same time, last year's shoots are shortened to the growth point, and weak ones are cut off so that 10-20 cm of the stem remains from the surface of the ground.

There is no need to be afraid to prune the plant every spring, because it tolerates this procedure well and quickly becomes covered with new shoots. In this case, specimens older than 10 years are recommended to be pruned at the root.

Rules

As in the case of herbaceous varieties, pruning of tree varieties is carried out according to certain rules.

Key features include(picture 3):

• Pruning in early spring is aimed at forming a bush and rejuvenating the plant.
• It is also possible to prune frozen shoots in late spring.
• In order to obtain larger flowers, it is recommended to remove a third of the formed buds during spring pruning.

Figure 3. Tree pruning technology

It is also necessary to remove root shoots from the rootstock if the bush was obtained by grafting.

Pruning tree peony in spring: video

For those who have never pruned a tree-like plant before, we recommend that you watch the video, which shows in detail all the details of this process.

Pruning tree peony in autumn

Tree varieties cannot be pruned in the fall, since flowering next year will occur on last year's shoots, and the bush itself will not look lush and beautiful enough.

Peculiarities

Autumn pruning is of a sanitary nature, that is, it is aimed at removing diseased or damaged shoots. If the bush looks healthy, there are no damaged parts or signs of disease, it is better not to touch the plant so that it can accumulate enough strength before winter.

Rules

If affected shoots are found on a plant, they must be removed immediately, without waiting for spring. The cut branches are burned, and the plant itself is sprayed with a solution of copper sulfate or potassium permanganate.

The crop requires proper preparation for frost. Thanks to a number of events, many beautiful flowers will appear next year. For winter, peonies should be pruned at a certain period of time. A premature procedure will deprive the plant of essential nutrients, and a late procedure can cause death.

Does it need to be trimmed?

Peonies should be pruned twice: after flowering and in the fall. In the first case, you need to wait until all the inflorescences have bloomed. If you take your time with the procedure, more beautiful flowers will appear next year. Exceptions are the need to grow seeds or increase the size of the inflorescence. You can obtain seed material only after waiting for the capsules to fully ripen. To grow large buds, leave 2-3 top flowers.

Autumn pruning of peonies is also required so that in winter the plants do not waste energy on the above-ground part instead of developing the root system. Another reason is fungal and bacterial diseases, which often affect leaves in the fall. The need and rules for pruning depend on the type and variety.

Timing of the procedure

Dried flowers can be removed after the bush has completely faded. The procedure is often carried out at the end of June and July. In autumn, postpone pruning peonies until it gets colder. An external sign of the plant’s readiness is the lowering of branches to the ground, dried, withered leaves. This indicates the end of physiological processes and readiness to overwinter without the negative impact of the environment. In case of infection, preparation for winter should be carried out earlier by treating the cutting areas and the soil around with a fungicide solution.

Beginning gardeners prune peonies as early as August. You can't do this.

The root system still needs nutrients produced through photosynthesis. The optimal time for most regions is late October or early November. You can even wait for the first autumn frosts at night.

Trimming technology

Stems with dried flowers should not be cut off completely, but leaving 2-3 leaves on the shoot. Remove the remaining part along with the rest of the shoots. It is important to consider the type of peony - herbaceous or tree-like. Pruning before winter must be done correctly, taking into account agrotechnical recommendations and varietal characteristics.

Necessary activities:

• preparation of instruments;
• removing branches;
• cleaning and burning of plant residues;
• fertilizing;
• insulation before winter.

Garden tools must be treated before use so that pathogenic infections from other crops do not penetrate through the cut sites. Simply wash and wipe with alcohol.

The remote above-ground part of peonies is a carrier of pathogens and can also serve as a home for rodents and insect larvae. For this reason, it cannot be used to insulate the root system before winter or added to compost. Cut branches must be removed from the site, dried and burned.

As fertilizers, use mineral complexes containing phosphorus and potassium, which are required for the development of roots. Nitrogen cannot be added, as it causes active growth of the above-ground part. Compost and rotted humus can be added closer to frost, because they are nitrogen-containing additives. Peonies love bone meal; when preparing for winter, you can add 1 cup to each bush. Wood ash is used as a fertilizer, a protective agent against diseases, and must be sprinkled on the surface of the earth and cuttings. Autumn feeding will make it easier to bear pruning and promote renewal of the root system.

Peonies are frost-resistant plants that can withstand frosts down to -15...-34 °C. At the same time, experienced gardeners recommend insulating bushes in regions with cold winters, as well as in the absence of snow. After trimming herbaceous varieties, you can add a layer of peat, sawdust, compost or cover with spruce branches. For tree-like ones, you will have to cover the soil surface with peat, build a hut from pine branches on the remaining shoots, and wrap them with twine. To protect from moisture, cover with film, leaving air vents. Hybrids are most susceptible to freezing.

Herbaceous

The branches of these varieties of peonies should be cut almost to the root. It is permissible to leave stumps 1-2 cm high, but no more. The instrument must be sharp, pre-disinfected, and free of soil and other plant residues. An infection can enter the bush through the cut site, which will lead to its death.

After pruning before winter, sprinkle fertilizers over the surface of the soil and loosen them, mixing the additive with the top layer of soil. It is allowed to sprinkle the resulting hemp with soil and mulch. The main thing is not to forget to remove excess cover in the spring.

Tree-like

Beginning gardeners sometimes prune peonies too much, removing skeletal branches. This cannot be done, since the first two years after this there will be no flowering. Tree varieties are formed or rejuvenated before winter. To give it a decorative shape, it is allowed to leave stems 70-90 cm high. In spring, many new shoots will appear. The second type of pruning can be carried out no more than once every 10 years. The need for it is noticeable by the deterioration of growth and flowering.

The technology for pruning tree peonies must not be violated. In normal preparation before winter, the woody skeleton should be left, removing only the leaves.

In the spring the procedure is repeated. This time, shoots without buds, dried, broken branches are cut off. For the purpose of rejuvenation, all healthy stems are shortened to the first bud.

Peonies need to be prepared for winter. Pruning is carried out in the fall in accordance with the varietal characteristics of the plant. It is important to disinfect working tools; after the procedure, the bushes should be fed and protected from frost. Cut branches cannot be used as insulation.

A long-term resident of the garden, the peony is an unpretentious and beautiful flower. It does not require serious care and is able to successfully develop and bloom even in cramped conditions. But you still need to help the peony - this will only make it better. Pruning in spring and autumn is especially important for flowers.

The importance of pruning peonies

The procedure is necessary for both tree and herbaceous varieties of peonies. The technology is the same. The process can be divided into three components:

• spring;
• after flowering;
• pre-winter.

Pruning peonies in spring is used to rejuvenate plants. Broken and dry branches are removed, and healthy shoots are partially shortened. The procedure after flowering, if only it is carried out strictly according to technology, will help the plant accumulate strength and direct it to laying new buds next year. You should wait until the peony bush completely withers, count a couple of weeks after that, and only then remove the faded buds. If done incorrectly, next year you will get lush greenery, not an abundance of flowers. Experts advise not to touch withered buds at all for the first three seasons of the plant’s life.

Advice. To achieve enlargement of buds instead of increasing their number, do not touch the upper flowers during this pruning.

In autumn, the crop needs the most attention. Pruning peonies during this period will help her:

• recover before frost;
• relax after active flowering;
• collect moisture for a new spring.

Technology for pruning peonies in spring and after flowering

Every spring, around mid-April, the bush is subjected to formative and rejuvenating pruning. Do not be afraid - peonies will quickly grow back even with severe shortening:

• cut shoots of the second season to the growth node;
• remove weak branches almost completely, leaving the stem 10-20 cm above the ground;
• cut off 1/3 of the developing buds to get larger flowers;
• completely remove the root shoots if the tree-like bush grows on a rootstock;
• remove frozen shoots (procedure for May, when they become noticeable).

Advice. Experienced gardeners advise every spring to completely cut off plants older than 10 years at the root.

The procedure after flowering boils down to tearing off the wilted buds. It is important to ensure that dying petals do not cover the greenery. They tend to accumulate moisture. An optimal environment for the development of fungi and mold is created under the layer of petals. Against these ailments, experts recommend spraying the plant with copper oxychloride three times a year: during shoot germination, bud formation and after flowering.

Autumn pruning of peonies: how to do it correctly

This procedure is best carried out in late autumn, but before the arrival of full-fledged frosts. The first frosts don't count. The optimal time is the end of October or the beginning of November. However, you should first of all rely on the individual climatic conditions of the region. If you treat the bush earlier - for example, in September - photosynthesis will be disrupted. The roots will feel a lack of nutrients, and such a plant will enter winter in a state of stress and weakened immunity.

Sometimes autumn pruning can be done earlier if:

• the greens began to dry out prematurely;
• flowers are affected by the disease.

The process of processing herbaceous peonies in the fall requires scrupulousness and attention to detail:

Attention! Tree peonies need to be shortened according to a similar pattern. Only in autumn there is no need to remove dry and damaged parts of the plant. Leave them until spring.

Features of caring for peonies after shortening

In addition to wood ash, you can feed peonies to prepare for winter with bone meal or purchased mineral mixtures, especially if the soil around the bush is dry. In this case, combine fertilizing with regular watering. The main mistake gardeners make during autumn work is not meeting deadlines. Peony bushes are often pruned at the end of August, immediately after flowering. A couple of months before frost, the crop manages to produce new shoots to replace the ones removed. Otherwise, when the procedures are delayed, the root system is under attack: the flowers begin to rot and die by the first spring thaw.

Attention! Peonies of different varieties are often used in bouquets. Cutting off flowering buds also negatively affects the flowering of the next season.

Peony is a cold-resistant plant. In addition, it is able to develop normally in one place without transplantation for up to 10 years. The ease of caring for flowers was appreciated by gardeners in the Russian Federation. The culture is very popular in home flower beds and summer cottages. Proper pruning will help make it even more beautiful and fuller.

How to trim a peony: video