In a south facing border I have a peony that was doing great until one hot day seemed to burn the buds (they shriveled up and are black). The rest of the plant is vibrant and green. So I am wondering if I should move the plan to a more shady location or if not how can I protect it in the future? I was really sad to see those buds get spoiled.
"Sonia Van Tassel" expounded:
Those buds didn't burn, they're diseased, most likely Botrytis. Remove all of the diseased portions of the plant and dispose of them (don't compost them). In the fall be sure to clean up all peony debris and dispose of that, too. Peonies like sun, moving it into a shady location will promote more blight.
You probably had a combination of a wet spring and poor garden sanitation. Clean up all the diseased plant parts and get them out of your garden. There are sprays which will prevent botrytis but cleanup is the most important thing to do.
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