Is it possible to replant peonies in August or is it better in September?

Peony is a perennial plant that decorates the garden with large flowers with a delicate aroma. Proper planting and adherence to agricultural practices support the longevity and health of the bush. In favorable conditions, peonies grow for decades, but in some cases they need to be replanted. We will tell you how to transplant peonies in August to another place and how to divide them correctly.

Is it possible to replant peonies in August?

Peony is a long-lived plant that can remain in one place without replanting for more than 10 years.. The literature for gardeners describes cases where peonies grew in flower beds for 40–50 years and annually delighted with lush flowering. However, most bushes lose productivity within 5–7 years after landings. The root collar becomes a haven for slugs, worms and ants, flower buds form deeply, which is why buds appear less and less often. These are the first signs of aging of the bush and a signal for replanting to a new location.

The procedure is performed after flowering, in August. In summer, the plant has time to stock up on nutrients for a successful winter.

Favorable period for the middle zone - August 20 - September 20, for Siberia and the Urals - mid-August - mid-September, for the South - September 15 - October 25.

Reasons for transplanting peonies:

• diseases, root rot, infection of foliage and buds by pests;
• shading of plants due to the growth of bushes and trees;
• reduction in soil nutrition and, as a result, delay or cessation of flowering.

Spots on the apical leaves and yellow foliage in the root area indicate that peonies need transfer to a new place.

How to replant peonies in August to a new place

When choosing a new location, gardeners take into account the level of illumination of the area. Peonies love sunlight and do not grow well in the shade. The ideal place for planting is an open area located on a hill, protected from gusty winds. Peonies do not like excessive moisture, so wetlands with close groundwater are not suitable. Due to excess moisture, the root system begins to rot.

The soil must be breathable and fertile. Loamy soil with neutral acidity is most suitable. To increase fertility, rotted manure and peat are added to the soil. Clayey and heavy soil is loosened using river sand.

Flower growers do not recommend planting peonies under spreading bushes and trees: in the shade they bloom less abundantly than in the sun.

Advice! Plant peonies along with lilies, clematis, phlox, delphiniums, and irises to create an interesting flower bed.

The new place is prepared a month before the planned transplant. Holes 60–70 cm deep are dug in the area. Broken brick, expanded clay, and pebbles are placed at the bottom as a drainage layer. Fertile soil from the store is poured on top or you prepare the soil mixture yourself. In a large container, mix 10 kg of peat, 10 kg of compost, 10 kg of river sand, 50 g of superphosphate, 200 g of wood ash.

How to dig up peonies

Before digging up the bush, the stems are cut flush with the ground with sharp pruning shears. The foliage is partially left to provide the plant with nutrients.

They dig around the bush with a pitchfork and carefully pry it up.Partial loss of roots does not have a negative effect on the plant. Next, swing the bush in different directions, holding the stems with your hands, and carefully pull it out.

The roots are shaken off the soil or washed with water from a hose. The bush is left in the shade for 3–5 hours so that the roots wither and become elastic. This makes dividing the bush easier.

How to divide a bush

If possible, the bush is divided manually or the rhizome is cut with a knife treated with medical alcohol or a strong solution of potassium permanganate. When dividing, it is important to maintain the integrity of the buds.

The optimal length of horses is 15–20 cm, with 3–5 buds left on each division. Long roots are shortened for ease of planting in a hole.

The rhizome is inspected, rotten and moldy areas are removed. The sections are treated with crushed coal, brilliant green, and dipped in a solution of potassium permanganate or the Maxim drug for 30 minutes.

To stimulate root growth, “Heteroauxin” and “Kornevin” are used. For additional protection, the roots are dipped in a clay mash: the clay is mixed with water to the consistency of thick sour cream, copper sulfate is added (50 g per 10 l).

Planting peonies in open ground

Replanting bushes can be done without dividing. In this case, the roots are not washed, but are immediately transferred to the hole along with a lump of earth. The buds are buried 5 cm, no more. The hole is filled with soil and leveled, watered with water and potassium permanganate.

Plants are placed in the center of the hole and covered with fertile soil. Small divisions are planted vertically, large ones - at an angle. The tree trunk circle is watered with settled water and mulched with bark, rotted sawdust or peat.

Caring for peonies after transplantation

After being moved to a new location, peonies need careful care. This determines how quickly the plant adapts.

For the first 2 weeks, the divisions are not watered or fed. Then irrigate abundantly 1-2 times a week. With surface watering, only the top layer of soil is moistened, and the roots do not receive enough moisture. Water consumption per bush is 10–15 liters of water.

Attention! The larger the plant, the more moisture it requires. During drought, peonies are watered every other day, and the soil under the bushes is loosened.

After the August transplantation, nitrogen fertilization is completely stopped, which provokes an increase in green mass. This greatly reduces the winter hardiness of the crop. Potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are applied after 2-3 years. Peonies feed on the substances that were added to the planting hole.

With the onset of cold weather, preparations for winter begin. The bushes are cut at the root, covered with straw, peat, and dry leaves. In areas with harsh winters and little snow, plants are covered with spruce branches or agrofibre.

Why do peonies not bloom after transplantation?

Often, after being moved to a new location, peonies refuse to bloom. This happens for a number of reasons:

1. Planting too deep. According to the rules, the buds are buried into the soil by about 2 fingers, but sometimes even when this condition is met, the buds are pulled into the ground due to the lack of a drainage layer at the bottom of the planting hole. In this case, the first flowers will appear only after a few years or will not appear at all.
2. Moisture and nutrition deficiency. Insufficient soil preparation before planting, close proximity of trees or large bushes, whose roots take away water and nutrition, negatively affect the condition of peonies.
3. Sunlight deficiency. Plants refuse to bloom in the shade, preferring sunny areas or, in extreme cases, partial shade.
4. When dividing an old bush, it is not always possible to achieve rapid flowering even with the most effective care.Such divisions take a long time to gain strength.
5. When dividing the plant, the gardener forgot to shorten the thick roots and as a result did not wait for flowering. This aggravating circumstance significantly inhibits the formation of buds.
6. Stagnation of water on the site provokes root rot. In addition, the root system of peonies is damaged by rodents and insects.
7. The transplant was not carried out at the end of August, and in the spring, contrary to recommendations.
8. When dividing, the bush was disassembled into too small parts without kidneys.
9. Too early to bloom. After transplantation, at least 2 years must pass before flowers appear on the bushes.
10. Plants did not survive the winter well and froze, which is why the flower buds died.
11. Bushes pruned too early. According to the rules, peonies are cut at the end of autumn.
12. Overfeeding flowers with nitrogen leads to a set of greenery and inhibits the formation of buds.

Transplanting bushes into too acidic or alkaline soil is undesirable. The optimal soil acidity is 6.5 pH.

Conclusion

Peonies are transplanted to another location in the fall or in August due to a decrease in the nutritional value of the soil, a decrease in the number of buds, and shading of the area. Old bushes need division and replanting to maintain health and longevity.

For plants, choose sunny areas with low groundwater levels. The soil must be nutritious and have neutral acidity. After transplantation, peonies are given time to adapt and maintain an optimal level of humidity.