cutting back peonies?

 Hi everyone,

In Chicago, the peonies looked great this year due to a long wet
spring. Mine bloom, then I generally cut the foliage down about halfway
to highlight other perennials in my little garden patch. Anyone cut
them down all the way in late summer? I'd like to give the mums and
black-eyed susans better light sooner. Suggestions?

 On 19 Jul 2006 15:49:52 -0700, "Merle O'Broham"


Severely pruning peonies back will effect next year's bloom.  It needs
the green leaves to make food, then stores the energy in the roots
over winter.

 

Here in Alaska, in Zone 2, 3, 4, we prune peonies back to the
ground in the fall and mulch the crap out of them.

   Jan

--
The way to a man's heart is between the fourth and the fifth rib.

 Merle O'Broham wrote:


In your area it is too early to cut them back if you want to have have a
"full amount" of blooms next spring (you should wait until fall to cut
them back).  Also, cutting them back half way is just as bad as cutting
them back all the way.  The leaves make the food and you need to keep
all the leaves you can to make the food.  If you want to take a chance
you can cut SOME stocks all the way back.
--
Bill R.      (Ohio Valley, U.S.A)

Gardening for over 40 years

To see pictures from my garden visit http://members.iglou.com/brosen

Digital Camera - Pentax *ist DL

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Bill R wrote:

Hmmm... I know that the plants need the leaves to feed the bulbs for
next year's blooms, that's why I was cutting only halfway and leaving
the half for the entire season. But, they've been blooming nicely in
the spring. I was wondering what an acceptable time was to trim down
further. I see we're in close to the same zones. I've been cutting back
halfway for the past 2 years with great blooms, so I guess I'll
experiment a bit. They'll be turning yellow then brown through
September and October, so I don't want to cut them to nothing just yet.

Thanks