peony plants do not bud - Ask Extension
I have four plants that have been in the ground for a few years. Each year the plants come up (only about a foot high) nice & green but never bud...
Knowledgebase
peony plants do not bud #371945
Asked October 22, 2016, 10:38 AM EDT
I have four plants that have been in the ground for a few years. Each year the plants come up (only about a foot high) nice & green but never bud. I've been told I planted them to deep. Dug them up & replanted shallower. Same result. I read your info on peonies & you said something about an eye. What is that? Is it to late to replant them now?
Thank You! KJ
Anoka County Minnesota
Expert Response
Eyes look like small little points. These reddish buds produce the stems the following spring. Peonies are very fussy about how deeply they are planted. When you plant a peony, cover the peony roots so the pink buds or "eyes" are pointing up. Make sure to plant the top of the roots only one and one-half to two inches beneath the soil line. Planting too deeply is the most common reason for failure to bloom. Ideally peonies should be transplanted at least six weeks before the ground freezes to allow adequate rooting time before winter arrives. Peonies need to be planted in full sun (six hours of direct sun) for best flowering.
