Peonies thrive on their own and even better with some fertilizer. But how often and with what do they actually have to be fertilized?
Peonies are extremely sensitive plants and therefore pose a real challenge for many a hobby gardener. But don't worry! With the right tips at hand, even the inexperienced can create a beautiful paradise of peonies in their home garden. You create the basis for this with the right fertilizer. But anyone who thinks that peonies are a bit difficult when it comes to fertilizing is wrong. But on the contrary. Peonies are weakly consuming plants. So you don't need too much or very special fertilizer. Too much fertilizer can actually harm the peonies.
Important: the floor has to be right
In order for the fertilizer to work properly, the soil must be right. Perennials and shrubs, for example, prefer deep soil, as the roots of the peony grow deep into the earth. Often even up to 1.5 meters deep. A loamy soil is always best because the roots can develop freely in it.
If you have rather heavy soil in your garden, prepare it thoroughly with sand and pebbles. It is also advisable to mulch the soil regularly.
When is the right time to fertilize?
Peonies are fertilized twice a year - once in spring when they bud and once in summer when the plant has finished flowering. This second fertilization is then there to promote the abundance of flowers for the next year.
How to properly fertilize peonies
The best way to fertilize your peonies is with compost or composted manure. If you don't have compost or you can't get hold of manure, it's best to use an organic fertilizer. Horn shavings and horn meal are recommended. Horn meal is even better as it is finer ground and will be broken down more quickly by soil life:
Once you have decided on a fertilizer, sprinkle it around the plant and then work it into the soil a little with a rake. But be careful: don't rake too deep, because the sensitive tubers of the peoniesare only a few centimeters underground.
By the way:
Fertilizing is also important to keep the peonies from snapping. After all, if the buds become too big and heavy, this can happen quickly. If you fertilize your peonies, however, this nourishes the plants from the inside and significantly supports the effect of the support.