Rules and terms for propagating peonies by dividing the bush, seeds and other methods

Peonies are very popular among gardeners due to their decorative properties. Bright lush flowers can decorate any garden plot from May until mid-July. Peony seedlings are not cheap, however, if you wish, you can propagate the flowers yourself. Let's figure out how to properly propagate peony bushes.

Description and characteristics of the plant

Peony is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to a monotypic genus. In nature, there are about forty plant varieties. The herbaceous peony is characterized by the presence of bright, fragrant flowers that bloom in May and bloom for six weeks..

Dividing the bush

It is recommended to divide a peony bush every four to five years, since the old roots of an undivided bush are intertwined and tightly connected with fabric, which will make it difficult to dig up their roots. The bush is divided from mid-August to mid-September. You should dig a small trench around the bush and rock the bush until it comes out of the ground. Bushes should be separated using a stake.

How to propagate by layering

Reproduction by layering is one of the simplest methods. This method is suitable for a five to eight year old bush. At the beginning of spring, the earth is raked away from the bush, exposing the buds. You need to place a box without a bottom on top. It needs to be filled with a mixture of garden soil, compost and sand. Then, as the shoots grow, compost, garden soil and manure are added to the box in layers. The buds of the plant are pinched, preserving the leaves. In the fall, we remove the box with soil, cut off the rooted shoots and replant them in the garden bed.

Using air layering

Propagation by air layering is carried out in May, before the peony flowers bloom. It is necessary to make cuts on the shoot and wrap them with moss and film, and then bandage them. Roots form in late summer.

Cuttings

Cuttings are a simple and affordable method of propagating peony bushes. A branch for growing a new plant should not contain a bud.

Deadlines

The easiest way to prepare cuttings is after the peony blooms, during formative pruning. You must first remove all faded flowers and carefully cut off leaves that have disease spots. We form an even ball from the bush.

How to cut

After pruning, we select a stem that has not bloomed before. Divide the cut branch into parts so that each leaves two leaves. We make the lower cut of the cutting oblique, two centimeters lower than the sinus is located. We make cuts with sharp pruning shears. Make the top cut straight, two centimeters above the leaf. The bottom leaf should be cut to one centimeter, the green leaves should be cut in half.

Landing

Before planting the cutting, it is necessary to plow its lower part from bottom to top with the sharp tip of a knife, and treat the cutting with a solution for root growth. This is necessary so that the plant takes root better. A solution of Heteroauxin is suitable as a stimulant: 2 milliliters of the drug per liter of water.

It is recommended to keep the cuttings in the solution for sixteen hours.

Selecting a location

The landing site should be in the shade. Large shrubs are suitable as shelter from the sun's rays.

Soil preparation

The soil for planting should be kept moist all the time and not dry out. If you are planting flowers in a region with a cool climate, you can equip a small greenhouse.

Planting scheme

We dig a groove in the soil and fill it with water. The grooves should be spaced from each other at a distance of fifteen centimeters. We insert plants and compact the soil. Water the soil again and cover it with soil. In very hot weather, you can cover the cuttings with a thin protective material.

Vaccination

The best time to propagate peony by grafting is the end of summer.In this case, ten to fifteen centimeter sections of roots are used as a rootstock. The roots must be dug out of the ground and kept in a cool place for a couple of weeks. Young shoots of this year are used for the scion.

Wedge cut method

A wedge-shaped cut is made on the rootstock. The scion is cut from below to form a wedge shape. It is necessary that both surfaces are smooth. The scion is inserted inside the rootstock and tied with electrical tape. The outside is coated with garden varnish. After grafting, the plants can be planted in the soil, but it is better to first keep them in a greenhouse for several weeks to protect the young plant from exposure to direct sunlight. At the same time, it must be watered regularly and thoroughly.

Lateral grafting

When using this method, a diagonal cut is made on the scion. The wood is cut in exactly the same way, at the same angle. The root and stem are combined and coated with varnish.

How to collect and store seeds

To collect peony seeds, you need to leave the flowers on the bush until the end of summer. Then, at the end of August, in place of the flowers, a box with seeds is formed, representing pods connected in the shape of a star. When the pods open slightly, they are torn off and the seeds are removed. Full seeds of a shiny, light brown color are suitable for planting.

Features of tree peony propagation

The tree-like variety of peony can be propagated by various methods: layering, cuttings, seeds, division, and grafting.

By layering

To propagate a peony using the layering method, you need to select a shoot at the bottom of the bush, cut it and press it to the ground, and then cover it with soil.It is best to carry out the procedure at the very end of the spring season. In autumn, the shoot needs to be separated from the bush and transplanted to a separate place. Instead of soil, you can use moss to press the shoot, or wrap the shoot with a thin, durable film.

Cuttings

Cuttings are carried out in July. From a healthy bush you need to separate shoots with buds and leaves. The shoots must be placed a few centimeters into a substrate of peat and sand. The leaves on the shoot are pre-cut in the middle. The cuttings can be covered with plastic cups or bottles to protect them from the scorching sun. In the fall, the plants are transplanted into separate pots and stored at home until spring.

Seeds

Propagation by seeds is used mainly by professional breeders, and this method is not suitable for the average gardener due to the large labor and time costs. The seeds themselves must be fresh. When growing, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the regime of treating plants with heat and cold. Peonies grown from seeds germinate after two to three years, and bloom only in the sixth or seventh year of life.

Dividing the bush

This method is suitable for five-year-old bushes. It should be carried out in August or September. The bush needs to be dug up, its root system washed and divided into several parts. There should be at least three shoots left in each part. The separation areas should be treated with potassium permanganate and wood ash. Before planting in the soil, the roots are dipped in a clay solution.

Vaccination

Peonies should be propagated by grafting at the end of summer. To do this, you need to take part of the root and make an incision on it. A scion in the form of a young stem is inserted into the incision. The joints are wrapped with electrical tape and treated with garden varnish.A few weeks before planting, the workpiece is placed in a container with sawdust, covered with a durable film.

When and how to replant

Peonies can be replanted in spring, summer or autumn. In the spring, after the snow has melted, replanting should be done only if absolutely necessary. At the same time, in the spring you should not divide the bush, as you can damage the plant. The normal time for transplantation in the middle zone is considered to be mid-April.

In summer, replanting should be done at the end of August, after the heat has subsided. Rinse the roots from the soil, inspect for diseases and, if necessary, divide. After dividing, parts of the bush planted at the end of August will have time to take root before frost.

In September or October there is also an opportunity to replant and divide the bushes. This is the most optimal and safe period for replanting a peony, so this procedure is best done in the fall.

However, it should be remembered that the plant must be replanted no later than thirty days before frost to give it time to take root. The specific date should be selected based on the onset of cold weather in your region.