Any peony people here? NGC obviously

[Chuck in Indiana]

When we moved on to the farm in '49, there was a patch of peonies growing in the fence row. I mowed them down regularly when I was a pup.  A couple of years ago, I found them with weeds and grass growing through them, etc. and thought, "I wonder if I could transplant them at our house?"
Dorcia is a Master Gardener, and is impressed with my googling how to do it. 
This is the first bloom in *years* that I know of. Now, I'm trying to figure out what variety it is.. There is generally an expert on about any subject on WG, so I thought I'd ask here first. 

[Zoom Zoom]

I'm pretty sure it is the pink variety.

Yeah, I know. I just couldn't help myself.

John Henry

[oldbike54]

 What kinda fertilizer ya gonna run ?

 Dusty

[Lannis]

My Mom used to have very nice, bright, showy peonies around our home when I was growing up ... and Fay and I were just this week talking about starting some ourselves.

If your in-house Master Gardener has any advice about what sort of soil preparation we should do for peony beds (I'm prepared to dig deep and haul soil in if I need to), that would be a good start; I'd rather hear from someone who's BTDT than just trust google, it's like anyone can be an "expert" out there ...

Lannis

[Zoom Zoom]

What kinda fertilizer ya gonna run ?

 Dusty

Has to be dino. Synthetic would ruin it

ZZ

[kingoffleece]

And you need the correct species of ants to open them............... .............I piled on.  15 yards!

[Chuck in Indiana]

My Mom used to have very nice, bright, showy peonies around our home when I was growing up ... and Fay and I were just this week talking about starting some ourselves.

If your in-house Master Gardener has any advice about what sort of soil preparation we should do for peony beds (I'm prepared to dig deep and haul soil in if I need to), that would be a good start; I'd rather hear from someone who's BTDT than just trust google, it's like anyone can be an "expert" out there ...

Lannis

Obviously, they are easy to grow. I've never planted a flower in my life.    Plant them in *early* fall, and not very deep.. maybe 2 inches. Mulch heavily the first Winter.
That was the problem when I was planting chickens.. must have been too deep. <shrug>

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

Only time I saw my grandma cuss was when my grandad came into the kitchen and told grandma,  "I solved your ant problem in the front flower bed, I went out and those white ones were covered with 'em! I just 7-dusted the heck out of them! I don't think you'll see any more of them, this year at least!"

[kidsmoke]

those must be the special Mid Indiana variety. they're exactly like what's poppin' at my place right now, only, as KOF said, minus the ants.

[JJ]

We have a few purple ones in our garden...my wife's grandmother raised them in Dayton, OH, so my wife is carrying on the tradition in northern AZ.

[slowmover]

Wife says you can dig em out and separate the roots to divide the plant for transplanting. Wait for wet soil conditions.Then water them a lot and fertilize.

[kingoffleece]

Over here you need the ants all over them to make them open-or so it appears.

[80CX100]

     Whatever you're doing, it sure looks like it's working 

     I think Peonies put on a beautiful display for how resilient and low maintenance they are; but I've had carpenter ants at different houses, so I would never intentionally plant them close to my house,lol 

     You mention that's the first flower in years? Maybe the root should be split for fresh energy or maybe you don't have a lot of ants or the right ones?

     The foliage looks really rich and dark green, perhaps cutting back on the nitrogen and a little more phosphorous and potassium to promote flowering.

     I don't know about Peonies, but  know some plants like a little hardship to trigger the flowering/reproduction cycle in an attempt to save itself, sometimes drought or tension and stress from being tied and pulled can trigger flower buds.

     All sorts of good soil recipes are on the net, (ie Vic's super soil), easily modified to amend your soil; it should breath, drain and hold water well.

     Iirc you have access to chickens, I've heard they produce the gold standard of fertilizer; my worst ever gardening mistake, was adding a trailer full of horse manure to my garden, horses don't digest weed seed well, as I found out 

     Carry on ! Tks for sharing

     Kelly

[Lannis]

   
     my worst ever gardening mistake, was adding a trailer full of horse manure to my garden, horses don't digest weed seed well, as I found out 
     Kelly

Me too, along with fresh manure from a dairy farm.

I had two years worth of weeds that didn't even look like they were from this planet ... nasty, fast-growing, deep-rooted, spiny, and hard to kill.    I had to just wait them out and not let them go to seed.

Lannis

[Moparnut72]

I have 4 groups of red ones in my front yard that were there when I bought the house 20 years ago. I have done nothing to them all mthese years. They get fertilizer and water when the lawn gets it. Someone gave me a couple of bulbs a few years ago. One of them came up and turned out to be pink. The red ones just finished blooming the pink one just starting to bloom. My do get grass in them but I cut and pull it as best I can. When they start to dwindle in the summer, foliage starting to brown, I mow them down. One year I mowed them too early and they didn't come back the next too strongly. Very pretty flowers.
kk

[Chuck in Indiana]

You mention that's the first flower in years?

Yeah, but that was down in the old farmstead from where I transplanted them.This is the third year since then. I thought it would be cool to keep them going. I have a pot of them that I've separated to give to The Kid in Wisconsin, so he can carry them on, too.
Dorcia said, "First year sleeper, Second year creeper, Third year leaper."  This is the third year, and they are doing well. I *think* they might be
 'Sarah Bernhardt'
Originator: (Lemoine, 1906)
Cultivar group: Lactiflora
Bloom period: Very Late
Bloom week: 7
Flower form: Double
Height: Very Tall
Distinction: Fragrant
Item number: 1918

Fragrant, full double; large flower, opens bright medium pink, excellent shape and substance. Good foliage, dependable, free flowering, and typically a good performer. Very long stems, spreading must have support when flowered in the landscape. Extensively propagated for its exquisite cut-flower qualities.

[pehayes]

Chuck:  There is a Peony Farm on the slopes of Mount Hamilton just above San Jose.  I'll print your picture and try to swing by some day.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[Guzzistajohn]

Can't tell you the variety, but we have a big bunch of 'em I dug up at the wife's Aunt Gladys' house after she passed. They're about done now. They peak around Mother's day in SWMO

[Muzz]

We had one Chuck that hardly ever flowered.  In my research I found that they have to be in a good sunshine are.  This one wasn't.  I transplanted it in to a sunny area last season and it promptly bloomed, so I guess Mr/.Mrs google was right.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Chuck:  There is a Peony Farm on the slopes of Mount Hamilton just above San Jose.  I'll print your picture and try to swing by some day.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

Thanks, Patrick. No need to make it a "project," of course. I'm just curious. I believe, however, this is the *first* time I've asked an off the wall question where there wasn't an expert in that particular field on WG.   

[JJ]

What kinda fertilizer ya gonna run ?

 Dusty

Just a spoonful of Miracle Grow in a full watering can works well for me...on everything!

[Two Checks]

Is more than one peon called peonies?

[th_01]

 

[Groover]

I've been using an app for the iphone called "PictureThis" to identify trees and plants. The good thing is that it gives multiple varieties of the matches. Not sure if that helps or not.

[Chuck in Indiana]

I've been using an app for the iphone called "PictureThis" to identify trees and plants. The good thing is that it gives multiple varieties of the matches. Not sure if that helps or not.

So. What does "Picture this" say?

[Steve Cas]

[pehayes]

Chuck:  Regina and I expect to stop by the farm on Wednesday.  Meanwhile, here is the PINK page from their website.  Fifty-one varieties of PINK!!!!  Take your pick.

https://4peonies.com/Pink_CoralPeonies.html

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[Groover]

So. What does "Picture this" say?

I didn't try it on this, you have to snap a photo of the plant's leaf then it gives you the matches. For example, a few weeks ago we were trying to figure out a plant in front of our neighbor's house, so took a photo of the leaf and it said what it was and it appeared to be correct after then cross referencing that name to Google images. YMMV, but I've had pretty good success with it. It also identified a tree in front of out house which we had no idea what it was, and it ended up being a Hackberry and gave all the other names the tree is known for. It's nailed a few other things, but I only posted two here. You can use the app for free, but it's always trying to get you to pay for it, just X out of the screen that wants you to buy it when that pops up (< guzzi content, right?)

Chinese Peony



Hackberry

[Groover]

Ok, tested this.. I just took a picture of yours on the screen with PictureThis , and it matched it, but not specific to the color.

It gives pages of the story on the plant (scrolling pages). Here are two pages:

[raul]

I have the same ones here, Chuck.  Exact same color.   My family has always used them for cemetery flowers since they always  bloom by Memorial Day here.