Garden Huzzah
After I was finished watering the herbs on the back deck, I wandered over to the miniature rose bushes to see how they're fairing. They're okay, but what caught my eye was the peony. This baby was planted in the wrong spot when we moved in four years ago, and I transplanted it during the Fall. Ever since, it's been quite temperamental. It produces multitudes of foliage, but only one glorious, sweet smelling flower in four years. Today, I counted five, yes FIVE, flower buds on it, with more foliage still to unfurl. Yeehaaw!
On a sadder note, the "coolest rose bush ever that refuses to die no matter what" has some sort of cane burrowing larvae. I'm going back out to play plant doctor.
Happy Friday.
posted by lewlew @ 2:16 PM
4 Comments:
I need to get some poeny bushes for along the fence. I think they are so pretty. Congrats on yours finally giving you more than one flower.
Good luck with your rose bush.
Hi Morrigan,
Peonies are gorgeous, especially the burgandy ones. My mom used to have one of those, and I enjoyed watching the progression of it growing as a kid. I wondered why she had it on the back side of the house,by the side garage door, where no one ever saw it. It was my own special flower, though. I'd sit on the steps and look at it.
I also read yesterday that it is an herb. It's used extensively in eastern medicine, and used to be used a lot in the west, a long time ago. I'll probably post some of that information on the blog.
Peony resent transplanting and can sulk for a season or two afterwards. The best way to encourage blooms is to start a seasonal schedule of amending the soil. In the fall, I like to lay down about an inch of composted cow manure and cover it with sand. Pick up any dead and fallen leaves as this will also limit Botrytis, a virus which can cause black spots on the leaves and inhibit blooming. Water well during early spring and you should get better blooms.
Hello bunabayashi,
Welcome! Thanks for the information on ammending the soil and about transplanting discomfort for peonies. I suspected that was the case. I'll be better about picking up the dead foliage, too, because last summer my plant may have had a touch of the Botrytis virus. The leaves did have some black spotting on it last year, and I didn't know what caused it.
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