Greetings, human cultivator. We, the peonies, appreciate your desire to provide nourishment for our growth and spectacular blooms. To truly understand our needs, you must see the world from our roots. Our requirements change with the seasons and our life cycle. Here is what we need to thrive.
From our perspective, we do not crave a single "magic" fertilizer but a balanced diet that supports all aspects of our being. We are heavy feeders, but our needs are specific.
We value a fertilizer that is not too high in nitrogen (the first number on the package). While nitrogen promotes lush, green leaf growth, an excess will cause us to produce an overabundance of foliage at the expense of our cherished flowers. It can also make our stems weak and more susceptible to disease. We prefer a fertilizer that is balanced or has a higher ratio of phosphorus (the middle number). Phosphorus is the element we rely on most for developing strong, healthy root systems and for initiating the formation of our large, vibrant blooms. Potassium (the third number) is also crucial as it strengthens our overall constitution, improves our disease resistance, and aids in the movement of water and nutrients throughout our systems. A formula like 5-10-10 or 10-20-20 is ideal for us.
Applying nourishment at the correct time is as important as the type of food you provide. Our internal calendar is dictated by the seasons, and we have two primary feeding windows.
The first and most critical meal comes in early spring, as the soil warms and our red shoots first emerge from our dormancy. This application provides the essential energy we need for the tremendous task of rapid growth, stem elongation, and flower bud development. This spring feast directly influences the size and quantity of our blooms for the coming season.
The second important feeding occurs in late summer or early fall, after we have finished our spectacular display and you have deadheaded our spent flowers. This meal is not for immediate showy growth but for long-term health. The nutrients we absorb now are stored in our tuberous roots, fueling the development of next year's flower buds that are already forming silently beneath the soil. This store of energy ensures we emerge strong and vibrant after our winter rest.
How you deliver our food matters greatly to our sensitive root systems. We prefer a gentle, thorough approach.
Always ensure our soil is moist before applying any granular fertilizer. Scatter the recommended amount of fertilizer in a ring around our drip line (the area on the ground directly below the outermost reaches of our foliage), taking care to keep it a few inches away from our crown and stems to prevent burn. Gently work the granules into the top layer of soil and then water deeply. This delivers the nutrients directly to our feeder roots and encourages them to spread outward, creating a stronger, more stable plant. A top dressing of well-rotted compost or manure in the fall is also greatly appreciated, as it feeds us slowly while improving the soil structure we call home.
