Each grower must know exactly how to feed the peonies during the budding period and in the fall before the plants go to rest. Without top dressing, luxurious flowering of peonies is impossible. If the flowers are not fertilized correctly, it will be even worse than a complete lack of fertilizing.
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The nuances of autumn feeding peonies
In the autumn, peonies experience a high need for potassium and phosphorus. These substances allow the plant to accumulate enough strength for wintering and lay full buds, which are the key to high-quality flowering in the next season.
Fertilizing is possible in dry or liquid form. For each bush there should be 15 g of potassium-phosphorus fertilizer.
If it is used in diluted form, then it should be dissolved in 5 liters of water in a dosage per bush. Pour water under the root of the plant in a circle so that the composition gets on all sides. Fertilizer should not fall on the leaves, as this can easily cause a burn.
Is it really necessary?
Since the peony root grows during September and most of October, the plant needs to receive nutrients for a sufficiently long time. They also accumulate in the thickening of the roots, so that the flower can winter.
For these reasons, it is unacceptable to ignore feeding peonies in the autumn. Without it, plants will weaken more and more every season, and plentiful beautiful flowering will cease. Flowers will be piece and not very large. If autumn feeding is carried out every season, then up to 50 maximum inflorescences can form on adult bushes growing in a sunny place.
It is interesting: why peonies do not bloom, what to do?
How to feed peonies during budding?
Feeding pions during budding is of particular importance, since after winter they, like all plants, are weakened. Therefore, peonies without fertilizers may simply not have enough strength to form high-quality flowers for a long flowering period. Because of this, it is unacceptable to refuse spring fertilizing, which ensures good condition.
As in autumn, the plant is fed with a potassium-phosphorus composition, to which a mullein solution is added, or rather, a mullein, 20 g of potash and 40 g of phosphorus fertilizer is dissolved in a bucket. Under each bush, 3 l of the mixture is applied. In that case, if the weather is very dry, then watering is necessary before top dressing. Without this, dressing can burn over-dried roots.
Fertilizers are applied early in the morning or late in the evening. For work, you should choose a cloudy day. Under such conditions, the absorption of nutrients in the plant is better.
Types of fertilizers and rules for their application
All fertilizers for peonies used by gardeners are divided into organic and mineral. The former provide the plant with a maximum of nutrients that stimulate rapid growth and the formation of full-fledged flowers. Organic is introduced under the root. Foliar feeding of flowers using organic compounds is not carried out.
The main fertilizers from this category are as follows:
- mullein;
- horse dung;
- bird droppings;
- humus;
- compost.
The last two options for organic fertilizer are also good for transplanting, forming from them a nutrient pillow at the bottom of the pit, in which the peony will grow. The first three species are used for flower, diluted in water. Bird droppings are bred in a proportion of 1:20, mullein and horse manure 1:10. As a pillow, they will burn the roots of the plant.
It is useful in the autumn to mulch the planting of peonies with humus, since it can protect plants from freezing. If we add to the humus also fallen leaves, then in the spring, when the snow melts, the soil will be well enriched with nutrients.
There is also a ready-made organic fertilizer Baikal EM-1 on sale, which will additionally enrich the soil with beneficial bacteria, which will improve the condition of the plant.
Mineral fertilizing, which includes compounds with potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen, is vital for peonies. As a mineral fertilizer, you can also use wood ash and urea, but still, it is better to purchase a special combined composition. In recent years, fertilizers of the Kemir line have been especially popular. It is very simple to soil them. A circular trench is dug around the plant, after which fertilizer is evenly poured into it, then the trench is covered with earth.
Foliar top dressing (aboveground parts) with complex mineral compounds can also be used. The most common remedy in this case is the Ideal. The composition is diluted in water according to the instructions, after which they are sprayed with peony bushes. Such work can be carried out provided that precipitation is not expected in the next day.
Rules for feeding after flowering
A lot of effort is spent on peony blooming, therefore it needs top dressing for restoration. It is carried out immediately after the plants bloom. Prepare for this fertilizer as follows. 15 g of potassium sulfate and 30 g of superphosphate are dissolved in 10 l of bird droppings or manure infusion. This portion is designed for 1 square meter. Water the bush in a circle. Such a composition fully satisfies the needs of the flower, including phosphorus.
Soil requirement for growing plants
It is not enough to feed it regularly for full-fledged flowering of peonies, and even when planting, one should take into account the plant's need for quality soil. It feels best on drained loam. It is important that the soil is not excessively wet, which is why flowers cannot be planted in lowlands.Peonies capable of surviving a severe frost and lack of water for a long time can not tolerate excess moisture.
They also do not like acid soil, which is why it needs to be deoxidized before planting. For this, chalk is introduced into the ground.
Peonies, which are deservedly called the kings of the garden, with proper care will delight the grower for decades. The plant is one of the garden centenarians, which requires minimal care. Peony top dressing is necessary for full growth and long flowering.
