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How mature or how many eyes for peony to bloom?

11 years ago

Hi! I have been planning on putting several peonies in my garden and just recently found out that they don't bloom for a few years! :(. I don't want to give up on the idea but i would love to purchase them so they are ready to bloom, if they are even sold that way anywhere. (I might not even be living here in a few years!)

On-line I see most places talk about 2 to 3 eyes. How big is that? How old? How old do they need to be to expect flowers? Also, any recommendations as to where to get them from? I live in Plymouth, Michigan.

I am new at gardening! I would greatly appreciate any help! :)

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Comments (6)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
WELL.. here is your first gardening lesson.. patience .. lol ...

i have planted 6 inch conifers.. so i could enjoy them in 10 years or so ..

whats your hurry???

you plant some annuals for immediate gratification.. but they die at the end of the year.

then at the same time you start collecting perrenials that will live much longer..

peony in particular.. can live.. 100 years .. and you cant wait a couple years ..

think of it this way.. peony has HUGE flowers .. it isnt going to produce such.. until it has a root mass sufficient to feed such.. so that is summed up by.. grow the roots and the flower will follow ... and in this case.. it could take 3 to 5 years ...

and when they talk about eyes.. they are talking about a root mass ... so a plant that has 3 eyes.. should have more roots than a one eye plant.. so that should cut your time line down a bit ... but with planting stresses .. i would not be surprised that it might take a few years to really get going ...

all that said.. you HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE ...

and there are tricks to how to plant such.. those eyes.. should be at soil level.. not below ...

i just told you to go to hallsons in another post.. he probably has some nice filed grown ones.. but you will have to ask him.. if you make that trip.. make an appointment in advance ... and tell him i told you to come ...

ken

ps: and then after you have a nice perennial collection.. you start collecting shrubs.. and conifers and pretty trees ... lol ... its all about collecting.. and its a life time game ... there really isnt .. or there shouldnt be.. immediate gratification ...
aachenelf z5 Mpls
11 years ago
"How old do they need to be to expect flowers?"

From a 3-5 eye plant you could see a single flower next spring. No guarantees, but you could. I would say you will have to wait about 3 years to see a decent showing, but some varieties seem to recover much faster from division than others. There are just a lot of variables.

Kevin
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I would have thought by planting spring of 2006 that you might have had a bloom or two this season. However, this was a bad spring season in many places, with the very late freeze affecting some buds/blooms. but the plants are still short (about 12"), and no buds. Most peonies only bud and bloom one time and that is in the spring. There are a few rare exceptions I think...like possibly some 'tree' peonies. Are they pretty well getting full sun? Were you careful to not plant the 'eyes' too deep? The eyes should not be any more than 2" deep, or they will not flower. Sue
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NickDanger1
11 years ago
I agree with what Kevin Said. I usually see one bloom the year after planting, and then it varies from there. If you don't see flowers after a few seasons, it is often caused by being planted to deeply. As Ken said those eyes should be planted at the soil level.
Remy
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
11 years ago
If you are in a hurry for bloom, buy a container plant, preferably in from three to five gallon size. You can buy them in bloom in the spring. The choice of varieties will be severely limited compared to what is available bare root. Al
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
hey al .. that reminds me..

i bought from a CHEAP seller ..

and waited 5 years .. to find out.. it was NOT THE PLANT I ORDERED ...

now that will piss a guy off .. lol ..

and of course you MIGHT get ONE flower next year ... i was setting newbie up to be thrilled.. she beat the odds ... rather than disappointed.. if you dudes are wrong .. lol ..

ken
RenataM
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you all for the info!

Well...I only planted once and I didn't get to see the blooms even once because we moved. Then the new owner took absolutely everything out and put rocks because she had a dog. :( I don't want that to happen again. :) But I get what you mean.

I'll try to be optimistic but still realistic. ;)

And I did go to Hallsons. They were really nice there and had a lot of nice hostas. Thank you again for that.

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