Reproduction of peonies. Reproduction of a tree peony How to plant a tree peony from seeds

Growing peonies in open ground is simple, but at the same time, once planting a bush in good place you can enjoy for many years lush bloom this plant.

If you are interested in how to grow peonies in the country - read our article. In it you will find all necessary information about growing these flowers outdoors and in pots.

Perennial peonies with large fragrant flowers are very popular among lovers garden floriculture. But they attract not only beauty, but also unpretentiousness and easy care.

Note: Even after the completion of flowering, the bushes do not lose their decorative effect due to the lush foliage. In addition, these shrubs do not need an annual transplant, and when good care can grow well in one place for more than a dozen years.

There are many varieties of both herbaceous and tree-like, as well as their hybrids, which differ in color and size of flowers, duration of flowering, as well as the height and shape of the bush (Figure 1). Features of growing and caring for some of them are covered in this article.

Features of site preparation

Choosing on your suburban area a place for growing flowers in open ground, it should be remembered that their root system goes deep into almost a meter, so it is not recommended to plant them in lowlands where groundwater comes close to the surface of the soil. In conditions of stagnant moisture, rot can form on the roots of the plant .

Figure 1. Features of growing flowers in open ground in the country

Give preference to a site that is well lit by the sun in the morning. In addition, the bed must be protected from drafts. The best option loamy soil with low acidity will serve. If the soil is too clayey, humus and sand can be added to it; in sandy soil, on the contrary, organic matter and clay should be added.

rules

Garden varieties do not need frequent transplants: they adapt to a new place for a long time. Therefore, transplanting is carried out in extreme cases, such as improper or shallow planting, the absence of flowers or a significant decrease in their size. In addition, once a decade, the bushes are planted by dividing the roots.

How to grow peonies in the country, such rules will tell(picture 2):

Planting and transplanting is best done from mid-August to early September.
The landing pit is prepared in advance (a week in advance) so that the soil settles a little. At the same time, its depth and width should be about 60 cm. A drainage layer is required at the bottom of the pit, the height of which should be 20-25 cm.
The planting pit is filled with a nutrient mixture, which includes humus (compost), superphosphate (200 g), wood ash (300 g), lime (100 g), potassium sulfate (100 g). The thickness of the nutrient layer should be 20-30 cm. All remaining space is filled garden soil mixed with compost.
The rhizome of the plant is placed in landing pit strictly in the middle, while the distance from the upper growth point to the ground surface should be no more than 5 cm.
The planted delenka is covered with garden soil and lightly tamped with hands.
Do not worry if the transplanted bush does not bloom in the first year, it needs time to adapt.

Figure 2. Planting technology

Subsequent care consists of regular watering and loosening the soil, top dressing and protection from diseases and pests, regardless of the method used when breeding the plant.

Ways

There are several ways to breed herbaceous and tree-like varieties, but dividing the bush and cuttings are most often practiced, much less often - breeding by layering or seeds (Figure 3). The latter method is used only in breeding farms.

Figure 3. Methods of propagation of culture: 1 - layering, 2 - cuttings, 3 - seeds, 4 - dividing the bush

The method of propagation by layering is applied to bushes that have reached the age of 6 years. They start work in April, when the buds begin to develop: the bush is spud fertile soil, regularly watered and fed. With such care, at the end of summer, well-developed roots appear on the stems, which, together with the shoots, are separated from mother plant and planted in a greenhouse. In anticipation of winter, young plants are covered with organic material (peat, straw, spruce branches). Layers are planted in open ground after 1-2 years.

The cutting method is most often used for propagation rare varieties when, with an insufficient amount of planting material, they want to get a lot of seedlings. Plants 4 years of age and older are suitable for harvesting cuttings.

Note: Planting material is cut from late May to mid-June, then kept for 8 hours in a root formation stimulator and planted in a greenhouse.

by the most in an efficient way reproduction is called the method of dividing the bush. In addition, it is also used to rejuvenate plants that have not been transplanted for more than 8 years. The most optimal period for dividing the bushes is the period from August 15 to September 5. The bush is first dug up with a shovel, and then carefully removed from the ground along with the rhizome with a garden pitchfork. The roots are cleaned of the remnants of the earth, washed under running water, and the plant is left for how many hours in a dry place in partial shade. Immediately before dividing, the stems should be shortened so that their height is 10-15 cm from the ground, and the bush itself is divided into parts called delenki. Moreover, each of them should have several growth points and adventitious young roots, at least 8-10 cm long. Delenki are soaked in a growth stimulator solution for 8 hours, after which they are planted in prepared planting pits.

The author of the video will tell you how to properly propagate and plant these flowers.

Growing a tree peony from seeds

For growing a tree variety from seeds at home, it is best to use freshly harvested planting material. After 3-4 days of drying, the seeds are sown in a box filled with wet sand to a depth of 3-4 cm, the crops are covered for the winter. Under these conditions, seeds can germinate next year, and on the second or third (Figure 4). Therefore, to accelerate germination, scarification and stratification procedures are carried out.

Note: Scarification is the sawing of the seed coat; stratification implies the maintenance of seeds under conditions of variable temperature. So, in the fall, a box with seeds is left in a cold room, and in the spring they are kept at a temperature of + 20-25 degrees.

If the seeds were collected immature, that is, before the opening of the carpels, then the cultivation technology is somewhat different. So, the seeds are placed in moist peat and stored in a warm room at a temperature of + 20 + 25 degrees for two and a half months. In early February, containers with seeds are transferred to a cold room (refrigerator), where they are kept until May at a temperature of + 5 + 8 degrees. In May, the seeds are sown in open ground to a depth of 4-5 cm, where they germinate in the same season.

Figure 4. Growing a tree variety from seed

Young seedlings are watered and fed several times with a solution of urea (50 g per bucket of water). For the winter they are covered with a layer organic mulch(peat, dry leaves, spruce branches). Overwintered young plants are planted in open ground on permanent place in the spring, after which they bloom the following year. The rules for preparing planting pits, nutrient substrate, care features are the same as when planting ordinary herbaceous varieties. In general, it should be noted that the cultivation tree plant rarely used from seeds, since it takes several years to obtain an adult plant. At the same time, this method is often used to propagate rare varieties.

Is it possible to grow peonies at home in a pot

Growing peonies in the country is considered standard, but is it possible to plant these flowers in a pot? Experienced gardeners are unanimous in their opinion that it is rather problematic to grow this plant at home in a pot, since this perennial has a fairly powerful and branched root system.

You need a pot to grow it. large sizes or a box (Figure 5). In this regard, you should carefully consider the choice of variety and give preference to undersized species.

Pot selection

Since these flowers, in principle, do not tolerate transplantation well, the ideal container for growing at home is flower pot with a volume of at least 5 liters or a box. In other words, the larger the capacity, the more comfortable the plant will feel.

Figure 5. Features of planting and growing peonies in a pot

Also make sure that the planting container has several drainage holes at the bottom. If you plant a plant in wooden box, pre-treat its walls with an anti-rotting wood agent.

Caring for peonies in a pot

Peonies are very fond of straight Sun rays, so place the container with the flower in a sunny, draft-free place. Windows on the south and west sides are best suited. With a lack natural light use fluorescent lamps. They must be placed at a height of 15 cm above the plant and used for 12-14 hours a day, starting from the moment the sun rises.

Water the houseplant when the soil is 2.5 cm dry. Feed with a water-soluble houseplant fertilizer until mid-summer. From the last weeks of summer, watering and the number of hours of additional lighting should be reduced so that the plant has the opportunity to smoothly prepare for winter. If the flower is on a balcony or terrace, leave it there until the first frost.

In autumn, when the leaves turn yellow and die off, cut the stems and place the container with the plant in a cold place (cellar, basement). The overwintered plant is placed in a warm sunny place and watered abundantly.

For more information on growing peonies in a pot, see the video.

Milky-flowered peony Charm: growing from seeds

Milky-flowered peony Charm is a representative of large winter-hardy perennials. Grows well and blooms northern latitudes. Unlike ordinary herbaceous varieties, the flowering period of the milky-flowered variety falls on the month of May (Figure 6).

Note: This variety is not only an ornamental, but also a medicinal plant.

Figure 6. Growing milky peony Charm

Like all peonies, it feels comfortable on loamy soils that are well lit by the sun. Its stems and leaves form a shrub with a height of 60 cm to 1 m, and large single and semi-double flowers delight pleasant aroma. As a rule, seeds are sown in open ground in autumn to a depth of 3-4 cm. At the same time, their germination occurs both in the next season and a year later. If sowing is done in the spring, then the seeds must first undergo a stratification procedure.

Peony root Maryin: growing from seeds

Peony Maryin root is also known as the evasive peony (Figure 7). He prefers dry soils without stagnant moisture, well warmed by the sun, although he feels good in the shade of decorative and fruit trees. It is widely used not only in gardening, but also in traditional medicine.

Note: Reproduction of the Maryiny root can be carried out both vegetatively and by seeds. The last method allows you to get a large number of bushes at the same time.

For rapid germination of seeds, they must be carried out through a stratification procedure, which consists of two stages. At the first (warm) stage, the seeds are in wet sand at a temperature of +25 degrees for 2 months. At the second (cold) stage, the planting material is kept in a moist substrate at a temperature of +5 degrees for a similar period of time.

Figure 7. Growing peony Maryin root

Prepared seeds are sown in the soil to a depth of 2-3 cm, after which they are fertilized with manganese and boron (during the active growing season), as well as mullein infusion with the addition of potassium-phosphorus fertilizer (at the stage of bud formation). In autumn, the aerial part of the bush should be cut off, leaving shoots 10-15 cm high above the soil surface, and the plant itself should be mulched with organic matter for the winter.

Lush peonies want to have every owner of the garden, so many are interested in how to reproduce them. Having learned how peonies are bred, flower growers choose the most acceptable method.

Now the internet tells various tips how to grow dozens of peonies based on a single copy. For breeding peonies, division of the rhizome, rooting of cuttings from stems or spring shoots is used. The most time-consuming is the seed method of reproduction, only specialists can do it. Reproduction of peonies by seeds is more often practiced by breeders.

Division of the rhizome

Most lovers get their peonies by planting cuttings from rhizomes. Reproduction of peonies by dividing the mother bush almost always guarantees good survival and abundant flowering after 2-3 years. perennial plants often need to be transplanted and rejuvenated if the intensity of their flowering decreases. Buds form on the rhizome in early August, which will develop next year. By the end of September, reserves will be fully formed nutrients white, rather thick roots. In the interval between these vital processes for the plant, the rhizome is divided in order to select fragments with a sufficient number of buds and developed old roots.

Division of the rhizome of a peony

For different regions dates are shifted, usually peonies are divided from mid-August to mid- or late September in the south. It is important that the plant has time to take root before the soil freezes. The spring division of peony tubers often ends in failure, as the bush begins to develop the aerial part to the detriment of the rhizomes.

Action algorithm:

They dig a bush with a pitchfork, stepping back 35-40 cm from it, and remove it from the ground, clearing it of soil and cutting the stems to 9-14 cm.
Using a jet of water from a hose, the tubers are washed and left for 1-2 days in the shade so that the fragile roots dry and become limp.
The rhizomes that have become more elastic are separated with a sharp disinfected knife.
Inspect the segments and remove rotten places.
slices are sprinkled wood ash.

Requirements to planting material peonies:

strong segments of rhizomes, 8-13 cm long;
each fragment bears from 2 to 8 buds, since more stems weaken the young root system;
the rhizome has 3-4 storage roots, 8-10 mm thick and up to 7-9 cm long.

cuttings

Important! Having studied how peonies propagate by cuttings, flower growers enrich the garden with especially valuable specimens or sell seedlings. The method is also used when there is a need to update a bush of a rare variety. Stock up on patience, because the flowers will appear 4-5 years after planting. It should be noted that some hybrids do not create sprout eyes on adventitious roots.

Root cuttings

Carry out at the same time as transplanting plants. The rhizome of the peony is either completely cut into small fragments, 5 cm long, or the remains are picked up after selection large segments that remained after transplantation. On pieces of a tuber there should be 1 kidney and a storage root.

Peony cuttings

Processing root cuttings:

The material must be disinfected in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for one and a half to two hours.
Lay out to dry for 2-3 hours.
Places of cuts are sprinkled with wood ash.
The cuttings are left for 16-20 hours for the sections to dry.
Before planting, the rhizomes are treated with a growth stimulator, guided by the instructions.

The segments are placed on a garden plot with loose soil, with an interval of 18-24 cm to a depth of 4-5 cm. Mulch is applied on top, which is removed in the spring and the sprouts are carefully looked after. Transplanted in the fall for 2-3 years of growth.

Note! Not all buds germinate, but if the rhizome is alive, the stalk may appear the following season.

stem cuttings

Way stem propagation labor-intensive and troublesome, difficult at home. Interspecific hybrids cannot be bred by this method. Preparing for cuttings of peonies, you need to tune in to the fact that even 30% of the seedlings received are already a success. No more than 4-7 stems are cut from 5-year-old and older bushes only in short period their most powerful development: a week before flowering and 2-4 days after blooming.

The branches are cut with secateurs so that each fragment contains 2 internodes and is at least 10 cm long.
The leaves are shortened, leaving a third of their area.
The lower sections of the cuttings are placed in a bowl with a growth stimulator, following the instructions.
It is better to land in a box standing in the shade. Loose soil enriched with compost will give an impetus to the formation of roots.
The cuttings themselves are planted in a 6-cm layer of sand on top of the substrate, deepening by 5 cm.
A mini-greenhouse is installed on top in order to better germinate the cuttings.

Peony stem cuttings

Important! Monitor humidity and temperature. When peonies are germinated, they are watered with weak potassium permanganate. Yellow leaves signal the death of the sprout due to waterlogging or high temperature. For the winter, the box is dug into the ground and covered.

Reproduction by pruning

This method looks promising, but peony seedlings are constantly looked after. From a large bush you can plant in early spring and in autumn several dozen new plants. The old bush is restored after 2 years.

In April, after the snow melts, or at the beginning of September, they clear the ground around the bush, exposing the root to a depth of 9-18 cm.
With a disinfected and sharp shovel, a horizontal cut of the rhizome is made, stepping back from the level of the kidneys down by 6 cm.
The fragments are collected and processed for planting.

Important! Old tubers are sprinkled with wood ash and garden soil, mulched with sawdust.

Reproduction by layering

For those gardeners who are interested in how to propagate peonies, quite suitable easy method stem cuttings. The start of work falls on May, when full-fledged branches form at peonies:

A shallow groove is dug near the selected stems, where the branches are bent, leaving a few upper leaves above the ground.
The stems are sprinkled with soil and watered.
The area with layering around the mother bush is kept in order, weeds are removed and watered.
Sprouts appear after a while, in the summer. The soil around them is slightly loosened.

Reproduction by layering peony

At the end of August, seedlings can be moved to a new place, covering them with mulch for the winter.

Important! When growing young peonies, they should not be allowed to bloom in the first 2 years of growth. The emerging buds are removed, otherwise the plants will weaken.

Reproduction by seeds

If a gardener is deciding how to grow peonies from seed, be aware that this is a complex process. Peonies are grown from seeds only for breeding purposes, because the plants differ sharply from the mother bush. Seeds give hybrids planted in divisions or wild species. Grains with a hard shell sometimes germinate after 2 years, and from tree-like peonies - up to 5 years.

On a note. If there is a desire to propagate peonies with seeds, the grains must be harvested still unripe, in mid-August.

The first stratification is carried out by sowing peony seeds in wet sand and heating the substrate to 30 degrees. The cooled substrate is placed in the refrigerator for a day, then heated again. In moderately moist sand, roots appear from bursting seeds by the end of 3 months. Sprouted peony seeds are placed in peat substrate and for 3 months provide a temperature of 5 to 10 degrees. Or they open the seeds a little and cover them with a cloth impregnated with a growth stimulator so that it touches the primordia of the sprouts. Peony seedlings are kept at temperatures up to 18 degrees Celsius until planting in May on a site that is in partial shade in the afternoon.

Reproduction by seeds

A pit is prepared for the sprouts, as for delenki, enriching the soil with mineral and organic fertilizers and creating the required substrate. The neck of the seedling is arranged at ground level. The shoots are treated with a copper-based preparation, watered regularly and moderately, loosen the soil, and free from weeds. With good care, the bushes bloom in 5 years.

Growers on personal experience convinced of the effectiveness different methods increasing the number of pions. The survivability of the material largely depends on correct processing cuts or preventive spraying of seedlings. The style of the Russian garden allows you to arrange picturesque bright curtains of peonies and peony poppies or other bush flowers against the distant background of coniferous crops or high fences.

Peonies are extremely common on garden plots. The popularity and charm of plants are due to the relative unpretentiousness, good survival in conditions harsh winters and, of course, the appearance of flowers, amazing aroma and variety of shades. The most common propagation of peonies is by dividing the bush. But even from seeds you can get flowers that will delight you every summer. Cultivation has many subtleties, but it is very interesting to wait for the result of our own breeding work.

Why are peonies rarely grown from seed?

Reproduction of peonies by seeds among amateur gardeners is quite rare. And there are objective reasons for this. The main thing they are guided by when purchasing peonies for their site is the beauty of flowers. Therefore, hybrids specially bred by breeders are selected. Their significant disadvantage is the exact preservation of the appearance of flowers only when the bush is propagated by division.

Peony terryness is not preserved when propagated by seeds

However, in amateur gardening, the purity of the variety is not as important as beauty. Most of the seedlings obtained from seeds give interesting results. In this way, wild-growing peonies, for example, evasive or thin-leaved peonies, can also be propagated.

Peony (Paeonia) is the only genus in the peony family. It includes herbaceous perennials and deciduous shrubs.

Some varieties do not bear fruit at all, hence the seeds are missing. These include, for example, Madame Forel, Marchal MacMahon, Montblanc, Celestial. To a greater or lesser extent, this applies to all terry and milky-flowered peonies, which, if they give seeds, then in very small quantities.

But even if you have collected the seeds, what will grow from them will only remotely resemble the original bush. Most of the varietal characteristics, especially the terry petals and the brightness of the shade, will disappear. This is not to say that the flowers will be ugly, but they will definitely be completely different. And to evaluate the result, you have to wait at least five years.

Reproduction of peonies by seeds requires certain skills. This is a rather complicated and time-consuming procedure, which has many nuances. But all the difficulties, inconveniences and long waits pay off when you see flowers bred by you personally.

Peonies are grown ornamental plants over two thousand years. For the first time their beauty was appreciated in China, where they were considered divine flowers. There was even a ban on the cultivation of peonies by anyone other than the imperial gardeners.

Physiological features of seeds

A characteristic feature of peony seeds is low germination, which is due to the presence of an underdeveloped embryo that poorly absorbs nutrients and microelements necessary for germination from the soil, and a dense shell. It is very good if about half of what you planted sprouts. From seedlings obtained decorative properties has about a fifth.

Another difference is the low enzymatic activity. This means that in the first year after sowing, a very small number of seeds will germinate if they are planted immediately in open ground. Most will rise in the second summer. If you breed tree peonies, it is not uncommon for seeds to germinate in the third or even fifth year. Therefore, in order to “deceive” nature, phased stratification is used.

This property of seeds also passes to seedlings. They grow very slowly, adding several leaves per year. They begin to bloom 5–7 years after planting in the ground (depending on the variety).

Selection of planting material

If you do decide to grow peonies from seed, start harvesting them when they are not yet fully ripe. Otherwise, they will "hibernate". It is almost impossible to get them out of this state and make them germinate.

Fully mature peony seed pod

The optimal time for collection is from the beginning of the second half of August to the end of the first decade of September. If you wait longer, there is a danger of rot, mold and other fungi.

The peony fruit is a multi-layered light green (lighter than the leaves) leaflet complex shape, resembling a star, at this time begins to diverge along the "seam". Be sure to wait for this moment. Unripe seeds will definitely not sprout. To form a leaflet, do not cut all the flowers from the bushes. Leave at least 7-8 pieces.

The seeds themselves are colored in all shades of yellowish-beige or light brown, have a glossy sheen. The shape is rounded, and the shell is slightly elastic, soft and smooth to the touch. The size, depending on the variety, is 5–10 mm. The tree peony has the largest seeds.

Depending on the type and specific variety, the seeds look slightly different.

If you buy seeds in a store, it is obvious that they have already lain there for quite some time. long time, the shell has hardened. Growing them will be more difficult. If the shell is also very wrinkled, refuse to buy. Seeds have lost a lot of moisture, the percentage of germination will be quite insignificant.

Boll - video

Germination of peony seeds at home

To "deceive" nature and get more germination next spring, the seeds are germinated at home, using an artificially created temperature difference - stratification, simulating the change of seasons.

Before planting, soak the pion seeds in settled water at room temperature for 2-3 days. It is even better to use a growth stimulator for this (the most popular are Epin, Rostock), having prepared the solution according to the instructions, or strong solution potassium permanganate (the color should be saturated, inky purple). This is especially true for store-bought items with wrinkled hard shell and tree peony seeds.

For tree-like peonies, scarification is carried out immediately before planting - the hard shell is slightly cut with a sharp clerical knife or treated with a soft sandpaper. Another option is to pour them into a container with coarse sand or small pebbles and shake vigorously several times.

Stages of stratification

Stratification can significantly increase the germination and survival of pions

Stratification takes place in several stages. It is important to strictly observe the time frame and all the recommendations given. This creates:

the best conditions for seed ripening;
a high probability of the appearance of roots;
proper development of seeds into seedlings;
proper growth of peony bushes after planting in the ground.

Phases of stratification:

warm phase. Seeds are planted in shallow containers filled with very moist heated sand or soil and sand in equal parts(if you squeeze it in a fist, water should ooze). To reheat, use a conventional oven or microwave oven. By the way, such a procedure is also an additional disinfection of the soil. Weather permitting, simply place the warming containers outside or in the greenhouse. Then they are covered with plastic or glass to create a greenhouse effect. Good lighting and extra warmth are a must. You can use a special electric heating pad or conventional battery heating. Optimum temperature- about 15 ºС at night (put outside as long as the weather permits, then use a glazed balcony or loggia) and 25–28 ºС during the day. Do not overdry the seeds - spray the soil daily with a spray bottle (the soil should stick together into a lump when compressed). Air them out at least once a week to prevent mold growth.
cold phase. After about two months, when the root appears, the plants dive, pinching the tip a little. They are transplanted one at a time into fertile soil. Best to buy in store ready ground. Also a good option peat tablets. The containers are cleaned in a room with a temperature of 6–12 ºС. If there is enough space, even a refrigerator will do, if it is not often opened so that there are no sudden changes in temperature.
warm phase. Seedlings should spend three to four months in the cold. When you see the first leaf, bring them back into the room and store them at room temperature(18–22ºС). Cover them again to keep the humidity constant.

The stage of cold stratification can be shortened if the plant is treated in the hypocotyl region (a segment of the stem directly under the cotyledons) with a 0.01–0.025% solution of gibberellic acid.

It is a natural growth hormone of organic origin, widely used in professional breeding to increase seed germination. A piece of bandage or a cotton pad is moistened in it and applied to the indicated place for a day. Treated seeds close up glass jars or the bottom of the cropped plastic bottles. If after 7–10 days no kidneys are observed, the procedure is repeated, gradually increasing the concentration of the solution, but not more than three times.

A less common stratification option looks like this:

cold phase. Immediately after collection, put the seeds in the freezer for two months.
warm phase. It also lasts two months. Take out the seedlings, plant them in small containers and put them in a warm place, providing light, and, if necessary, additional heating.
cold phase. From autumn, dig a bed in advance, making shallow trenches (about 10 cm) 10–15 cm wide in the ground, and cover polyethylene film. After the specified time, shovel the snow, place the containers with seedlings in trenches, fill the gaps between them with peat, needles or sawdust and wait for germination in the spring.

Conducting stratification - video

Growing and caring for seedlings

Step by step boarding process

Planting seedlings in a permanent place is carried out in the second decade of August. The planting pattern is normal, the distance between future bushes is about 50 cm for dwarf varieties and 80–100 for all others.

Drainage is placed at the bottom of the prepared pit - expanded clay, brick chips, small ceramic shards, needles and so on.
To half the earth from the pit, add 200 g of simple superphosphate, potassium sulfate and dolomite flour, mix and fall asleep back. The rest of the soil is mixed in equal parts with compost.
Then the plant is placed in the pit so that the root neck is at the level of its upper edge, and covered with earth to the brim.
To stimulate root growth, you can pour heteroauxin or sodium humate (respectively, two tablets or one ampoule per 10-liter bucket).

At the end of May, if the climate allows, you can temporarily plant peonies in a bed with light, loose soil, located in a slightly shaded place, deepening by 1-2 cm. Level it and fill it with sawdust to prevent weeds. Peonies love the cool morning sun, but not the midday heat. The ideal place is in the shade of a spreading tree, on the east side.

Caring for young peonies

Seedlings do not tolerate soil with high acidity. To neutralize it, use dolomite or bone meal, wood ash.

The main enemy of peonies is rot, so seedlings should be sprayed regularly, at least once every 2–3 weeks, with a 0.05% solution from a spray bottle. Bordeaux liquid(50 ml per 10 liter bucket) or other fungicide.

Also useful during the summer top dressing solution cow dung or complex fertilizers(Fertika-Lux, Rainbow, Reasil, Good Power, Crystal). But in accordance with the frequency recommended by the manufacturer. Too much fertilizer is worse than too little. The optimal interval is once every 7-10 days.

Pale green or greenish-yellow hue of the leaves is evidence of a lack of nitrogen. In this case, top dressing will help. ammonium nitrate. Be careful not to get the substance on the leaves. Water the plant immediately with clean water.

Peonies need rare but plentiful watering.

Equally important is watering - twice a month, but plentiful. It is performed not at the root, but along the edge of the garden or holes made between the rows of plantings. Loosening the earth at the roots promotes oxygen exchange and proper formation root system.

The normal development of a seedling looks like this:

Until the end of summer, before landing in a permanent place - one continuous sheet, without characteristic indentation. In favorable weather conditions - two. When transplanted, the main root stands out clearly and has a thickness of about 1 cm or a little less. A bud must appear in the axil of the leaf.
In the second year, mainly roots grow. The maximum number of leaves is 3–4. The stem is short, not higher than 15–20 cm. But the number of buds increases. The norm is 6–8 pieces.
The third summer - one or two shoots 35–45 cm high. Each has 3–4 normal leaves. You can already see that these are peony leaves. The root system loses a clearly defined main root. Number of kidneys compared to previous year doubles, their length is about 2 cm, smaller kidneys form in their sinuses.

Planting seeds in open ground

If you decide to plant peony seeds in the ground, you need to do this almost immediately after harvesting, allocating no more than 3-4 days for drying in order to prevent them from drying out and hibernating.

Light loamy soils are ideal for planting peonies.

This method is recommended for southern regions where winter comes according to the calendar. In this case, the seeds will also undergo a two-stage stratification, but in a natural way. The first stage lasts during September, when the temperature is kept at the level of 15-25ºС, the second one is October and November, when it does not fall below 5-10ºС. In more severe climatic conditions the seeds will freeze in the ground.

The bed must be prepared in advance. It must be dug deep, removing stones and weeds. The most best soil- light loam. If it is heavy - clay, peat, silt, humus is added when digging, river sand and compost. Sand needs half as much as the rest of the ingredients. For 1 m², about two buckets of such a mixture will be required.

Dig a shallow wooden box into the bed or otherwise mark the planting site, for example, with plastic or slate borders, because most of the seeds will not germinate next summer. You may simply forget the exact landing site. Yes, and the land in this case will need less.
Planting depth - 3–5 cm. Moisten the soil well beforehand.
In late October or early November (before the first frosts), plantings must be protected from winter cold. fit fir branches, straw, sawdust, fallen leaves and so on.
About a third of seedlings will appear next spring. The rest - a year later. Care consists in the usual procedures - loosening, watering, top dressing, weeding. The most important thing is to provide enough moisture, the soil must be moist all the time.
By the end of August, the resulting seedlings can be transferred to a permanent place. Be careful when transplanting, try not to damage the thin roots. It is best to take out the plant with a clod of earth around the roots.

You can use a combined method.

Plant the seeds in a box in the fall and leave them outside for the winter.
In early March, bring the container to a warm room and keep at room temperature until May.
In May - June, when the night temperature is stable at 15 ºС, plant in the ground.

Growing peonies - video

Growing peonies from seeds is enough laborious process. In addition, it takes a long time to wait for the results. But the bushes obtained in this way are better adapted to weather conditions locality and show a higher percentage of survival compared to store-bought cuttings. The main thing is that you will grow in your garden unique plant which is not found anywhere else.

We grow peonies, first of all, because of the beauty of their flowers, in order to get the most beautiful specimens, we purchase varietal peonies.

However, propagate varietal peonies for the sake of obtaining more instances can only be done by dividing the bush, because at seed propagation the varietal properties of pions are not preserved. In addition, many varieties do not bear fruit at all, for example, pink Madame Forel and Marchal Mac-Mahon, crowned Mont Blanc or terry Celestial.

Even if a particular cultivar produces seeds, hybrid peonies grown from seed may only be remotely similar to the original cultivar. Although this does not mean that peonies will be less beautiful. There is one more minus - plants grown from seeds bloom only in the 5-6th year.

How to propagate peony seeds

If, nevertheless, you have a desire to try to grow peonies from the seeds of your plants, then you need to collect the seeds at the beginning of their ripening, from about August 15-20, no later than September 10-15. The seeds are still light brown in color, not hardened, full, shiny. They are collected and immediately planted in the garden on beds or in boxes, digging to a depth of no less and no more than 5 cm.

Peony seeds need a two-stage stratification. The first stage is warm, at temperatures from 15-30°C, for 2 months. This is necessary to activate intrafamilial growth of the embryo and seed germination. The temperature at this stage should not be maintained at a constant level, it can fluctuate day and night.

The second stage is cold, at a low positive temperature of about 5-10°C, for 2-3 months. It is necessary for the development of the shoot growth point.

Thus, the seeds sown in August have time to go through both the warm period (in August and September) and the cold period in autumn-winter, so about half of them should germinate next spring. Despite the fact that 100% germination is very rare, some of the seeds will still germinate in a year, in the second spring.

If you do not collect seeds from your plants, but purchased them somewhere, then pay attention to how they look. Dry seeds are shriveled, with a hard shell, they have already lain down and their germination has greatly decreased. Therefore, before planting, the seeds are soaked for 2 days in water.

Then the seeds are placed in wide bowls in slightly moistened sand, the bowl is placed on a heating pad (during heating season to the battery). The sand is heated to 27-30 ° C, allowed to cool, heated again. Periodically, the sand is moistened. The procedure lasts up to 60 days, and should be crowned with the appearance of roots. As soon as this has happened, the seeds are taken out, the tip of the root is pinched and planted in boxes with earth, lightly sprinkled. You can plant seeds in peat pots, which are placed in a box and covered with earth (so the young are less injured when planting in the garden). Then the boxes are placed in a cool place where 5-10 ° C and wait for the leaves to appear.

When the first leaf appears, the seedlings are again transferred to warm room at 16-18°C. Then, in early May, peonies can be taken out into the garden.

The seedlings continue to live and grow in boxes until the end of summer, and in the second half of August they can be planted in a permanent place in the garden, keeping the distance between the bushes depending on the species requirements (50-60 cm for dwarf, 75-90 cm for ordinary bushes) .

Peonies are one of the oldest and most popular plants. With its beauty of a flower, lush flowering and delicate aroma they conquer from the first meeting. Their openwork foliage decorates the garden to late autumn, gradually changing from green to bright crimson. These beauties can grow without a transplant in one place for about 20 years.

Varietal peonies are usually propagated by dividing the bush, because when propagated by seeds, the properties of the variety are not preserved. And many varieties, especially terry ones, simply do not form seeds. And yet, you should not give up the pleasure of growing a peony from seeds, because in this case you can get hybrid offspring with fairly high rates.

Consider first the process of growing peonies from seeds collected in your garden from your plants. After flowering, the flowers are not removed, but left until the formation of seed pods. Peony seeds germinate very slowly. One of the reasons is their small underdeveloped embryo. To speed up the process of seed germination, the following conditions must be met:

1. Seeds from plants are harvested immature, from mid-August to mid-September. They are smooth, full, shiny, have a light brown color. harvested seeds should immediately be planted either directly in the ground, or in seedling boxes (preferably wooden), to a depth of about 5 cm, having previously held it in a dark solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection. Before sowing, it is necessary to prepare a bed. Peonies love loose loamy soils. If the soil is heavy, clayey, then it needs to be dug deep, while adding humus, compost, and sand in the ratio: humus - 2 parts, sand - 1 part and soddy land - 2 parts.

2. Two-stage stratification. Seeds need warmth first. Within two months, a temperature of +15…+30 °C is required. Moreover, the temperature is not at a constant level, it fluctuates from higher during the day to lower at night. At this time, the growth of the embryo inside the seed is activated. The next stage is cold, the temperature should be maintained at +5 - +10 °C for two to three months. At this stage, the growth point of the shoot is formed. For the winter, a bed with crops should be covered with peat, sawdust or covered with spruce branches.

When sown in open ground, the seeds have time to go through both stages - both warm (in August - September) and cold (in winter). But even under these conditions, best case rise in the spring half of the seeds, and some part - in the spring of next year.

Seedling care consists of regular weeding, loosening, timely watering and top dressing. Well-developed seedlings can be planted in a permanent place in a year, in the month of August. When transplanting, they try not to damage the root system, carefully digging up the plant with a clod of earth.

If peony seeds are bought in a store, they first of all look at them. appearance. Fresh seeds are full, shiny. Dry, shriveled, with a hard shell - these are signs that the seeds have already lain down for some time. The germination of such seeds has greatly decreased. It is necessary to soak them in water (or better in a solution of any growth stimulator) for two days. During this time, boxes or other planting containers are prepared, filled with fertile soil, river sand is poured on top with a layer of about 3 cm. Seeds are sown quite thickly. After sowing, the boxes are covered with foil and placed landing tanks on the battery (or in any warm place with a temperature of +27 ... +30 ° C) for several days, then let it cool down, and put it on warm again. It is necessary to ensure that the soil is constantly moist, do not allow it to dry out. Stratify in this way, bringing the conditions as close to natural as possible, within two months. Then they begin to check if the roots have appeared. As soon as the roots are formed, the boxes are transferred to a cool place where the air temperature is kept constantly around +5 .... + 10 ° C. It can be a basement, a refrigerator, etc. Under such conditions, leaves appear within one and a half to two months. With the appearance of the first leaf, the seedlings are again brought into a warm room (for example, in a greenhouse) and kept at a temperature of +15 ... +18 ° C until planting in the ground. In May, young seedlings can be planted on previously prepared beds.

Young peonies can be planted in a permanent place after two years. Peonies grown from seeds bloom in 4 to 5 years. The first two years, flowering is incomplete. Therefore, the assessment of flowering is done according to the results of the 3rd - 4th year of flowering.

Growing perennials from seeds last years fairly widespread. The main advantage of plants grown in this way is their better adaptability to local conditions, better survival compared to purchased plants. Try growing peonies from seeds - and it is quite possible that soon a new gem will appear in your garden!

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