The Red Charm peony variety has been familiar to flower growers since the end of the Great Patriotic War. Over the years, its popularity has only increased. Beautiful red flowers on a chic green background attract the eye, and the light delicate aroma will appeal to even the most demanding connoisseurs of spring splendor.
- Description and features
- History of selection
- Landing
- Selecting a location
- Soil preparation
- Deadlines
- Planting scheme
- Care
- Watering
- Mulching
- Garter
- Loosening and weeding
- Top dressing
- Diseases and pests
- Preparing for winter
- Why doesn't it bloom
- Lack of sun
- Little fertilizer
- The shrub is planted too deep in the soil
- Use in landscape design
Description and features
The Red Charm peony variety is suitable for cutting and for decorating flower beds. It has a subtle aroma. The petals of the bud are regularly concave in shape and form an inflorescence of beetroot-red color. With the onset of autumn, the foliage turns purple. The diameter of the flowers reaches 20 cm. They feel terry to the touch. The leaf blades do not have excessive shine, their color is light green.
Red Charm is characterized by a thick and strong stem, however, due to the heaviness of the buds, it still requires a garter. The height of the bush reaches 0.75 m. The flowering period occurs at the end of May or beginning of June (the exact period depends on the climatic characteristics of the region). The plant is propagated by dividing the bush.
History of selection
Red Charm is a variety of American origin, obtained in 1944. Since then, peony has gained more and more fans, attracting their attention with its beauty and delicate aroma. The name itself translated means red charm. In China, this variety is considered a symbol of prosperity and happiness.
Landing
Planting peonies is similar to a similar procedure for bulbous perennials, but has its own characteristics.
Selecting a location
Peony Red Charm is susceptible to fungal infections, so it is recommended to grow it in a well-ventilated area. The area should be well lit by the sun, and the soil should preferably have a drainage layer and compost. The flower cannot be planted near fences or walls of houses.
Soil preparation
If fertilizers have not been applied to the site, then before planting the Red Charm peony, you should mix the soil with compost or other organic fertilizer. It is recommended to slightly oxidize the soil.
Deadlines
The best time to plant Red Charm peony is considered to be the end of summer or the very beginning of autumn.
Planting scheme
When planting a peony, maintain a distance between bushes of at least 1 meter. It is also taken into account that Red Charm grows well and is able to obscure small flowers or bushes.
Care
Caring for a peony is not difficult, but in gratitude for your attention, it will definitely respond with gorgeous blooms.
Watering
During the dry summer season, peony bushes are watered once every 7 days. Excess moisture leads to the development of fungus and root rot.
Mulching
To prevent moisture from evaporating very quickly and the soil under the bush from cracking, mulching is done. Mown hay, dried grass, straw, and pine needles are used as mulch.
Garter
The stems of the Red Charm peony are thick and stable, but still they cannot withstand the weight of the blossoming buds and need staking. Wooden or metal pegs are installed along the perimeter of the bush, on which twine, nylon rope or wire are pulled in a circle.
Loosening and weeding
To provide the roots with access to air, after watering and heavy rainfall it is necessary to loosen the soil. As they appear, weeds should be removed and the area around the peonies should be weeded. This will not only give them a well-groomed appearance, but will also prevent weeds from taking nutrients and moisture from the ground.
Top dressing
The Red Charm peony should be fed in the third year after planting on the site. Immediately after the snow melts, urea is added (recommended rates are indicated in the instructions). The flowers are fertilized a second time during budding. The third fertilizing is carried out at the very beginning of flowering, adding nitrophoska. 2 weeks after the end of flowering, superphosphate and wood ash should be added to the bushes.
Diseases and pests
Peony Red Charm can be affected not only by viral, but also by fungal diseases.To prevent their occurrence, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures in a timely manner. The most common diseases of these flowers are:
- rattling;
- mosaic;
- mottling;
- gray rot;
- rust;
- cladosporiosis;
- septoria;
- root rot;
- powdery mildew;
- verticillium wilt.
Some pests can cause irreparable damage to peonies, as a result of which you will not be able to admire the lush flowering of the bushes. The most common ones are:
- ants;
- chafers;
- aphid;
- nematodes.
They must be dealt with immediately.
Preparing for winter
Peony Red Charm is a frost-resistant plant and overwinters in open ground. But even such a flower requires preparation for the cold, which consists, first of all, of feeding and pruning the bushes. Pruning is carried out after the onset of the first cold weather. It performs a sanitary function and prevents pests from overwintering in the stems and leaves.
During autumn feeding, you cannot use nitrogen fertilizers, which can cause the flower to start growing ahead of time. Usually before wintering as only phosphorus and potassium are used as fertilizers. With the onset of the first frost, the trimmed peony bushes are hilled up, and a layer of mulch at least 15 cm thick is laid on top.
Why doesn't it bloom
Sometimes Red Charm grows and develops normally, but the long-awaited flowering never occurs. There are several reasons for this behavior in a flower.
Lack of sun
If the peony grows in partial shade or shade, then it will not be possible to achieve a riot of color from it. The plant is light-loving and can demonstrate all its beauty only in a well-lit area, where it is recommended to transplant it.
Little fertilizer
Over time, even fertile soil depletes its supply of nutrients, and on depleted soils this process occurs even faster. A lack of microelements and fertilizers manifests itself in poor flowering or its absence. Peony Red Charm must be fed in a timely manner starting from the third year after planting.
The shrub is planted too deep in the soil
Deep planting of peonies also leads to a lack of formation of buds and flowers. You cannot make a hole deeper than 60 cm, otherwise the bush will not be able to fully develop and will spend all its energy only on increasing green mass.
Use in landscape design
Landscape designers widely use the Red Charm peony variety in their work to decorate garden paths, sidewalks or gazebos. The plant is also used to dilute the background of other colors and create spectacular compositions. With its help, any area is transformed, becoming sophisticated and charming.
