This was a bad year for my perennials! My peonies--which bloomed terrificly for several years--got as far as forming a tall bud, but the still closed bud just browned and died. Shall I take it these won't come back for future seasons? Thanks.
Mary
Peonies can get fungal diseases like botrytis that will kill the buds. If the rest of the plant is still alive, then I would clean up the area now and again in early winter to get rid of any infected plant material.
Mary
I had this happen with some new peonies. They would form buds, but then turn brown. Last year I got one flower on one plant. This year all three of mine bloomed and had multiple flowers. I wouldn't give up on them. Peonies are long-lived perennials and are tough as nails. If fungal disease is suspected, you can try to improve the air circulation, observe good sanitation by removing any diseased materials, clear other plants away, and avoid watering the foliage in the evening.
sigh. I have been taking care of the peonies next door, first for the old man who has died (with his permission) and then for the people bought the house across the street. well he started to rehab the house and then stopped. he lets the grass get long and then came over and whacked the shit out of everything, including whacking the most gorgeous stand of hollyhock, which was the talk of the neighborhood to the ground. he also whacked the only beautiful white peony to the ground. will it come back? Ingrid
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
It blows me away that people do that sort of thing with no regard at all for the natural beauty of things, but it's all too common, I'm afraid. They'd be just as happy paving over the whole yard and installing mercury vapor lights to keep the boogie-man away. As far as the peonies go, I'd be willing to bet that they will come back next season, unless this jerk gave them a dose of herbicide. :) Gary
snipped-for-privacy@wi.rr.xx.com expounded:
It will, Ingrid. I took out a peony I'd waited three years to see bloom after rescuing it from beneath a yew when I first bought this house. Husband at the time was trying to pull the yew stump, had a chain on it, the chain broke and chopped the peony to the ground. It did come back, took another two years to bloom. GRRRRRRRR.
neighborhood to the
The year before last I accidentally cut off one of my peonies with an electrical cord. It came back just fine the next year and bloomed.
phew... I am so relieved. I am going to have DH have a chat with the guy. The guy is a one of those people smiling all the time that I dont trust but my DH is very diplomatic. I am going to have DH tell the idiot that when I saw the peony was whacked I burst into tears and cried because I have great feeling for "old things" and that peony is around 100 years old (actually I have no idea at all but it sounds good). That if he doesnt want that peony there or any of the others I will dig them up in fall and move them. But please dont cut them to the ground again. Maybe that will move him? INgrid
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
You know, peonies make those little buds in the fall at the top of the tuber. I'll bet if you checked gently with your fingers, you'd find some little "nubbins" there already. Peonies have thick tuberous roots, which give them great survival ability.
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