Care of a Peony Plant

The peony is a hardy plant that will grow with little care. The peonies grow very well in zones three to eight with the proper soil and pruning. The peony will start growing as soon as the last frost has past and will bloom until late September if the weather stays in the 50's.

Soil

The soil that you plant the peonies in should have good drainage. A peony that is planted in a sandy soil will establish quicker than a peony planted in clay soil. If planting in sandy soil, add some compost and clay to the soil around the peony each year to renew the soil content.

Watering

The peony will do fine with rain water if it is the rainy season. In climates where the weather is warm or hot and has very little precipitation, daily watering is needed to keep the soil wet. By renewing the soil every year, the plant soil will have the nutrients and proper drainage to withstand some drought, but not continuous dry conditions.

Lighting

A peony plant will need a sunny location that provides at least four to five hours of direct sun each day. However, a peony will do well on the north side of the house that receives some morning sunlight. Peonies should be planted at least two feet apart from each other so that each plant can spread out and receive enough sun.

Fertilizer

Using good compost will provide the necessary nutrients to the soil, but if the peony is not flourishing or does not look healthy, a small amount of slow releasing fertilizer can be used. A good mixture of nitrogen, phosphates and potassium is 10-10-10 or 5-5-5 about once a month.

Pruning

Prune the peonies in fall after the first frost. The stems can be cut down to the ground and covered with leaves. When the flowers have bloomed and died, you can use a shears to clip the flower.