Peonies are a classic crowd-pleaser, and most of them are in bloom right now – but in case you missed the planting boat, I thought I’d take a look at this week’s burning question: can you plant peonies in May?
Well, the best time to plant peonies depends on the type and how mature the plant already is. You can buy peony plants in bud and bloom right now – and if you hurry, you’ll get to enjoy them before they finish flowering.
To find out which types of peony you can plant in May, I consulted the experts.
So, can you plant peonies in May? Technically, yes – but only if you select mature container plants, like Paeonia lactiflora ‘Command Performance’ from Gardening Express, which are in bud and bloom.
If you start from scratch with bare-root peonies, they won’t flower this year.
‘It’s too late in May to plant bare root peonies as they need time to develop their roots before they start to produce foliage,’ explains Lucie Bradley, gardening and greenhouse expert at Easy Garden Irrigation. ‘If you planted them in May, the warm soil would trigger them to start sprouting and producing foliage before their root systems were sufficiently developed to support the growth.’
That doesn’t mean you can’t learn how to grow peonies in May, though. In fact, buying container-grown peonies means you’ll see blooms straight away, rather than wait a few years for bare-root peonies to mature and reliably produce flowers.
‘If you want to introduce peonies into your garden in May, the best way to do this is to buy potted or container-grown peonies as they have already developed their root systems,’ says Lucie.
You’ll also need to learn how to move established plants safely to minimise root disturbance.
‘You will usually find mature potted peonies being sold in pots 30 to 40cm in diameter or above,’ Lucie adds. ‘Look for either patio peonies or intersectional peonies, as these are more likely to bloom in the same year they are planted. I’d recommend ‘Hillary’, an intersectional ‘Itoh’ peony which produces enormous semi-double to double blooms which measure up to 20cm across.’
You can order Peony ‘Hilary’ in a 3.6-litre pot from Thompson & Morgan. Lucie says it opens with petals of vibrant raspberry, which soften to apricot as they age.
Where to buy peonies in bud and bloom
Paeonia Coral Sunset – Peony – in Bud & Bloom
For beautiful sunset blooms!
Paeonia lactiflora ‘Command Performance’
A popular blazing red variety.
Paeonia Itoh ‘Enduring Rainbow’
If you act fast, you can still plant peonies in time for this year’s flowers!
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