Peonies & When to Cut Them
Freshly cut Sarah Burnhardt Peonies
I have had so many questions about when to cut peonies to enjoy in your home. This is really quite simple with a few things to keep in mind . . .
Harvest them when the bud feels similar to a marshmallow when you gently squeeze them (seriously, it’s that simple)!
If you have a lot of buds, you can experiment with storing them in the refrigerator for 1-3 weeks and taking them out a few at a time.
Strip the leaves, or at least the ones that will be below the water line.
Now, to be sure you have healthy plants year after year, consider these suggestions . . .
Make sure you leave at 2/3 of the peony plant stems on the plant so that it can photosynthesize over the summer
If the summer has a dry spell, be sure to water the plants
Fertilize them in August and then again in the spring, as soon as you see the first signs of growth
In the Fall, when the leaves turn brown, cut them back to ground level and discard the leaves rather than leave them around the plants
If you follow these steps, you will have healthy plants for decades to come!
Enjoy!!
One of 200+ peony plants on our flower farm.
Once they have buds, we check them three times each day for the marshmallow stage for harvesting so that they provide the longest vase life for our flower customers.