Tree peony: care and cultivation in the Urals, in Siberia, in the Leningrad region

Tree peonies amaze with their beauty and aroma. The southern part of the country suits them best, but the inhabitants of the middle zone, and even the Urals and Siberia, can also enjoy their beauty and fragrance. Planting and caring for a tree peony in different regions have only slight differences. Even novice gardeners can easily cope with them.

Tree-like peony is grown even in Siberia, the Urals and the Leningrad region

How to plant a tree peony

The endurance and decorativeness of the bush largely depends on the quality of the planting material. It is better to order a seedling from a trusted nursery from your region. Quality control consists of visual inspection. Depending on the variety of tree-like peony, a seedling can have from 1 to 8 shoots. Each of them should have 2-3 well-developed renewal buds. The supply of nutrients necessary for rooting contains a seedling, the adventitious roots of which are thicker than 1 cm and longer than 5 cm.

In order for the tree-like peony to actively develop in the future, not get sick and bloom magnificently, it is necessary to correctly carry out all the steps:

1. Determine the best landing time.
2. Find a suitable location considering the sun, wind and soil.
3. Land strictly according to the developed scheme.

The first two years, the bush builds up shoots and only from the third begins to bloom. With proper planting and caring activities, the peony will increase the number of shoots with buds every year. It can take from 5 to 10 years for a plant to achieve maximum decorativeness.

When to plant a tree peony

Seedlings that fall into the ground at the end of the season take root most quickly. To more accurately determine the appropriate period, they start from the climatic features of the region – approximately 1 month should remain before the first frosts. So, in the Moscow region and the entire middle lane, peonies are planted on any day of September. In the Urals, in Siberia and the Leningrad region – in the last decade of August or the first half of September.

It is not recommended to plant a tree peony in the spring. During this period, all the forces of the plant are aimed at building up green mass, so the development of the roots is inhibited. The bush will take root for a long time and can get sick. If planting material is purchased in the spring, then it is better not to postpone the event until autumn, but to produce it in April or May.

Where to plant a tree peony

The tree-like peony is an unpretentious culture, but it can only reach its peak of decorativeness when grown in a suitable place. It is determined by three factors:

1. Sun. Lush flowering is possible only under the condition of full lighting for at least 6 hours a day.
2. Wind. Peonies do not tolerate gusty winds and drafts.
3. Ground. The roots develop well in loamy and nutritious soil with an alkaline reaction. When water stagnates, they rot.
4. Neighborhood. Tree peonies should not be planted close to trees and shrubs (at least 1,5 m).
5. Groundwater. If their level is less than 70 cm, the only way out is to create a high bed.

Peony bushes love sunny and calm places.

How to plant a tree peony

The soil is prepared a month before planting. To do this, dig a hole 70×70 cm. The bottom layer is drainage (15-20 cm). To create it, you need to have crushed brick or gravel. The next layer is a light and nutritious soil mixture. Sod land is taken as a basis, and organic matter is used as additional components. An additive of sand and ash will be useful.

Landing is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. Gently straighten the roots of the seedling in the pit, avoiding their creases.
2. Fall asleep half of the formed soil mixture.
3. Watered with settled water.
4. The rest of the substrate is filled up so that the renewal buds are 3-5 cm deep, and a trunk circle is formed.
5. Watered with a solution of “Kornevin”.

How to transplant a tree peony to another place

The culture is highly sensitive to transplants. In the issue of survival, she is very capricious, so constantly transferring her from one place to another will not work. It is important for the owners of a tree peony to understand in detail the main issues related to this event:

1. How often can it be transplanted.
2. When is the best time to do it.
3. How to prepare bushes.
4. What is the transfer algorithm.

Is it possible to transplant a tree peony

Sometimes situations arise when it is necessary to dig up a tree peony bush:

1. The former place is allocated for other needs.
2. Root disease was suspected.
3. It is necessary to propagate the bush.

In other cases, the plant is better not to disturb. With proper watering, pruning and feeding, the plant can not lose its decorative effect for decades without transplants. Extracting a peony from the ground leads to damage to the roots, which is why it does not take root well and can get sick.

When to transplant a tree peony

For transplanting and parallel propagation of a tree peony, the period from mid-August (new buds are laid) to the end of September is ideal, when the roots gain a sufficient supply of nutrients. Frost should be 3-4 weeks away.

Transplantation is not recommended in the spring. Roots damaged during digging and dividing will take root very slowly, and the plant itself may weaken. During this period, he needs a lot of strength to form new shoots.

How to dig and prepare bushes

Dig up the root system of a tree peony very carefully, using a pitchfork, in order to injure it as little as possible. We must try to keep a solid earthen lump. It is better not to shake it off, but to remove it with a pressure of water.

Next, the root is examined, diseased areas are removed and too long are shortened. Sections are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate or another disinfectant. If the bush is divided during transplantation, you need to stretch the root, using a knife only as a last resort. A sign of a quality “delenka” is the presence of several replacement buds. Before planting, it is immersed for a couple of hours in a clay mash or a stimulating composition.

A high-quality “delenka” of a peony has at least two buds on a branch

Tree Peony Transplantation Algorithm

The transplant is carried out according to the same scheme as the planting of the purchased material:

1. For a month, they dig a hole 70×70 cm.
2. At the bottom, if necessary, lay a drainage layer.
3. Pour into the pit a substrate of soddy soil and organic fertilizers.
4. The roots of the “delenka” are neatly straightened.
5. Fall asleep with half the soil mixture and water.
6. The remaining substrate is covered, covering the root neck, and watered with a stimulating solution.
7. Form a near-trunk circle.

How to care for a tree peony

Even with the best care, a peony develops slowly. Only from the third year does it begin to bloom. If several buds appear in the 1st or 2nd year, they must be plucked before blooming so that the culture does not lose strength. The most active flowering sometimes has to wait more than 5 years.

The main thing a tree peony needs:

• watering;
• loosening;
• weed removal;
• top dressing;
• pruning;
• winter shelter.

Watering Schedule

A tree peony does not need to be watered too often, but it is advisable to use 2 buckets of settled water under each bush. During the dry season, moisturizing should be done every week, the rest of the time once every two weeks is enough.

Immediately after planting, watering is done every three days for quick rooting. In rainy spring or autumn, the peony can not be watered. Before frost, soil moisture is stopped so that the roots do not freeze.

How to feed tree peonies

The first two years after planting, the culture can not be fed. The nutrients laid down at the beginning will be enough for him. Then the peony is fed 3 times a year, taking into account the needs:

1. In early spring – nitrogen and potassium.
2. In April-June, when the buds are tied, – nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.
3. In the second week of flowering – potassium and phosphorus.

In autumn, before the dormant period, 300 g of wood ash and 200 g of bone meal are added under each bush. After that, carefully close up the soil.

Trimming rules

Pruning a tree peony is carried out in two stages:

1. After flowering (summer). Each shoot is cut to the upper axillary bud.
2. After awakening of the kidneys (spring). Healthy shoots are cut to the first bud, weakened – up to 10 cm, dried and diseased – are removed completely.

The first pruning is done after flowering

Preparation for winter

Only in the southern regions, a tree peony bush can not be covered for the winter. In other cases, it is necessary to reliably protect it from freezing. Most of all, he is threatened by sudden changes in temperature. The root neck should be underground. Then, if severe frosts lead to freezing of the bush, dormant buds will come to life and the plant will rejuvenate.

Before the first frost, the branches are tied with twine, and the trunk circle is mulched with peat or humus. Agrofibre, spruce branches, dry leaves or bark are used as shelter. In regions where winters are often accompanied by blizzards, care must be taken to ensure that the shelter is not blown away by the wind. Open the peony in the spring after the snow melts.

Features of growing tree peonies in the regions

The southern regions of Our Country are best suited for growing tree peonies. However, the owners of household plots in the middle lane, in the Urals, in Siberia and the Leningrad Region, can also enjoy their beauty. To maintain the culture in a healthy state, they will have to make more efforts.

In the Moscow region and the middle lane

The middle zone is characterized by snowy winters with moderate frosts and warm summers with heavy rainfall. These conditions are quite suitable for growing most varieties of tree peony. Landing is carried out throughout September.

Due to the peculiarities of the climate, a massive shelter for the winter can not be built. But be sure to make a high earthen embankment or mulching in a thick layer. You will not have to water the bush often, especially in July and August, when there is the most rainfall.

In the Leningrad region

The Leningrad region is part of the northwestern region of Our Country, where the weather is the most unpredictable. Such unfavorable phenomena for vegetation as squalls, tornadoes, a sharp decrease in temperature in winter or intense heat in summer are often observed. In view of this, it is necessary to take care of a winter shelter for peonies that will withstand powerful gusts of wind.

In areas of excessive moisture, it is important to take care of a good drainage layer so that moisture does not stagnate at the roots of the plant. Before the rainiest months – July and August – it is worth treating the peony with a remedy for gray rot. In the case of a high location of groundwater, tree-like peonies are planted on an elevated bed. It is necessary to choose the quietest place on the site. Landing is best done during the first half of September.

In the Urals

Winters in the Urals are snowy, with sudden temperature changes, snowstorms and snowstorms. Tree peony must be carefully covered for this period. In July and June, there are a lot of thunderstorms in the Urals, so you need to treat the bushes with copper-containing preparations from gray rot. In the coldest regions, high beds are built.

For the Urals, you need to select the most frost-resistant varieties of tree peony. Landing should be planned for the end of August or the first part of September. It is better not to carry it out in the spring, since the risk of return frosts may remain until July. Given the characteristics of the soil, it is important to pay attention to the application of organic and mineral fertilizers.

In the northern regions, tree peonies need careful shelter for the winter.

In Siberia

Among Siberian plants, tree peonies are among the first to bloom, which makes them popular heroes of garden plots. Particular attention should be paid to shelter for the winter, because the temperature sometimes drops below -40 ° C. It is necessary to tie the trunk, cover it with spruce branches, lay several layers of covering material and tie it again. You can use roofing material or film, dry leaves.

With the planting of tree-like peonies in Siberia, it is better not to delay. Already in October, a snow cover may form, and in early November, a full-fledged winter will come. By this time, the seedling should fully take root. There is less rainfall in Siberia than in other regions, so you need to prepare for watering the bush at least once a week.

Pests and diseases

Tree peonies are not painful. Bushes that are old and weakened by transplantation or weather conditions can be affected by gray rot, brown spot or powdery mildew. Noticing signs of decay, it is necessary to spray the bush with copper sulphate, potassium permanganate or another fungicide. Rotting stems should be burned. Areas affected by brown spotting are removed, and the bush is treated with Bordeaux liquid. From powdery mildew, the plant is saved with colloidal sulfur.

The main pests of tree peonies are aphids, ants, thrips, bronzovka, gall nematode, and mites. They are successfully saved by modern fungicides.

Conclusion

Planting and caring for a tree peony is a feasible task for a gardener of any experience. In order for the plant to please with its beauty and aroma for many years, you need to adhere to the developed rules and advice of specialists.