Peony Sarah Bernhardt (3 bulbs per pkg - Ships Oct thru Jan)

Planting Instructions for Peony Clumps (and good info for normal divisions too!) Peonies can be planted in the Fall or Spring (although we only ship them in the Fall). In areas with penetrating winter frost / freezing, I suggest a heavy winter mulch once the ground begins to freeze - this reduces the likelihood of the new plants 'heaving' in the Spring - and will not be necessary in following winters once the plants are established after the first full growing season. Peonies grow well in USDA hardiness zones 3 - 7. As a rule of thumb, zone 8 and higher are just too warm in the winter for proper flower formation. Peonies should be planted in full sun. In the Southeast, I would also suggest an area that gets as much cold as possible in the wintertime (ie. the area of your garden you would hate to have to work in Jan. - Feb.) since cooling is vital to proper vernalization of next years buds. Although you often hear that they should be planted in partial shade in our climate this will only make them 'leggy' when blooming and much more likely to topple, especially during rain. Peonies prefer a neutral to slightly acidic soil - pH of 6.5-7. They will grow in almost any type of soil but if you have a good garden loam that has naturally occurring drainage that is best. Peonies should be lightly fed in the Spring just after the new growth emerges and then again after flowering. We use a low N-P-K ratio on the first application (1-2-3) and a heavier ratio on the second application (1-1-1). Peonies should be planted shallow. Once established, the 'eyes' ( the shiny points which are next year's growth) will almost be at soil level when properly grown. I recommend you start by digging a hole about 30% larger than the actual plant and then backfill until the eyes are about 1" above the existing soil level when the clump is resting. Cover the plant with loose soil until you have mounded about 2" of loose soil above the eyes and then water thoroughly. Wait a few days and, if necessary, add some more dirt and repeat the watering process. Make sure that you don't end up with more than 2" of soil covering the plant. A mature plant's size is probably best likened to a small shrub. I would suggest a plant spacing of no less than 4 feet. Planting them too densely can also lead to 'leggy' plants since they have to compete with one another for available light. Further, giving them plenty of room allows for good airflow and makes the inception / spread of certain disease less likely. A clump is one plant. You can divide into smaller plants if you wish, but you will add years to the time it takes them to mature back into full bearing size clumps.

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