Description and characteristics of the Red Grace peony variety, cultivation and care

Peony is a crop that is grown in any garden; the Red Grace variety is distinguished by dense red buds. The plant tolerates low temperatures and, with proper care, blooms within 3 weeks after bud formation.

Description and features

The plant has large, dark red flowers.The inflorescences are of uniform color, the diameter of the flower reaches 18 cm. The bud is dense and opens gradually. The Red grace peony variety is widely used for cultivation. The plant is tall, reaches a height of 1.2 meters, the bushes are spreading. The leaves are dark green, openwork.

Features of the plant:

• the petals on the inflorescence are round, the bud is shaped like a hemisphere;
• the first color appears in the second year after planting in the ground;
• the smell of the plant is pleasant, underdeveloped;
• The plant is winter-hardy and can withstand low temperatures.

The flowers retain their attractive characteristics for a long time.

Important. The plant has tall stems, so staking is recommended to reduce the risk of damage to the bush during flowering.

History of selection

This type of plant is a hybrid. First appeared in 1980 as a result of the use of two varieties P. Lactiflora and P. Officinalis. The plant has repeatedly received awards and is considered the most beautiful peony species.

Landing

In order for the peony to delight you with its abundant color, you should follow the specifics of planting and caring for the crop.

Selecting a location

When choosing a location, preference should be given to illuminated areas. The plant should receive at least 7 hours of sunlight per day. Also, the site must be protected from wind and drafts. The plant should not be planted near trees or houses.

Soil preparation

The culture prefers a light type of soil, saturated with a large amount of nutrients. Before planting, you must first prepare the nutrient mixture by mixing in equal proportions:

• humus;
• peat;
• sand.

The resulting composition is mixed with soil in a ratio of 1:2, and the peony is planted.

Deadlines

This type of flowers must be planted in the soil in mid-August or September.The autumn period allows the roots to adapt to the new soil and endure winter more easily. Crops can be planted in the spring after the soil has warmed up, but such seedlings are often susceptible to diseases.

Planting scheme

To plant a peony in open ground, you must first prepare holes up to 70 cm deep and leave it for several days.

Then you need to perform the following action:

• add fertilizer to the holes;
• put drainage, you can use pebbles or wood chips;
• seedlings must be selected with 2-3 buds;
• place in the hole and carefully sprinkle with the nutrient mixture.

After the hole is filled, it is necessary to compact the soil and water it with warm water.

Care

Proper care speeds up the development process of the plant and reduces the risk of pests.

Watering

The plant prefers moist soil, so the bushes need to be watered every 4-5 days. One bush requires up to 10 liters of water. However, if there is rain, watering is not carried out, since excessive moisture provokes root damage.

Loosening and weeding

The soil must contain a sufficient amount of oxygen, so the loosening process is mandatory. It is necessary to loosen the soil the day before watering, this will keep the soil airy. Weeding is carried out as necessary; it is recommended to remove weeds manually so as not to harm the plant.

Top dressing

In order for the plant to bloom profusely, it is necessary to fertilize in the third year after planting. Peony requires regular feeding, otherwise the buds may be small.

Fertilizers such as phosphorus and nitrogen are applied. Such additives will promote vigorous flowering. You can also use a solution of chicken manure in the spring to strengthen the stems and reduce the risk of diseases in the spring.

Bud formation

In the process of bud formation, the substance “Kemira-Kombi” is most often used, which contains complex elements necessary for the development of the culture.

Bloom

Potassium and phosphorus are used as fertilizer. It is introduced by the root method during irrigation.

After flowering

Potassium-phosphorus fertilizer is applied in order to strengthen the root system for the winter period.

It is also recommended to add humus to the soil in the fall, which will serve not only as fertilizer, but also as insulation.

Diseases and pests

Peonies are resistant to diseases. However, improper care very often leads to problems.

Gray rot

This problem most often occurs with frequent watering. The first symptoms of the disease are wilting of the bush and lack of buds. Leaves become dull with yellow spots. Gradually, the shoots of the bush become covered with a gray coating and die. For treatment, it is necessary to remove the damaged area of ​​the crop and treat it with Bordeaux mixture.

Aphid

Such a pest can appear at any period of crop development, but most often in mid-spring and summer. Small insects feed on the sap of the crop and lead to the death of leaves and shoots. To remove the pest, you can use a solution of laundry soap or the drug “Fitoverm” for spraying.

Ants

A common problem associated with peonies. The ants attack the buds and feed on the sweet syrup. Which ultimately leads to the destruction of the inflorescences. To remove pests, it is necessary to spray the area where the plants grow with special repellents.

Best neighbors in a flower arrangement

Peony is undemanding to its neighbors, but it must be taken into account that the bushes of the crop are large.Therefore, you need to carefully select flowers in the flowerbed.

According to the texture of the foliage

Peonies will not develop normally next to plants that are growing larger than the bush itself. Therefore, it is necessary to select crops that have the same leaf texture as peonies, filling the space in the flower garden.

Phloxes

Plants can be used with peonies in the composition. They do not have common pests, so they do not affect each other’s development. However, it is recommended not to plant them close to each other, leaving room for loosening the soil.

Irises

Unlike peonies, the roots of irises are located in the upper layers of the soil, so these two types of crops can be planted on the site. In addition, the appearance of the plants is combined in landscape design.

Sedums

Peony and sedum have a similar bush and foliage structure. Therefore, they can be planted in one area as the main plants, but a distance of at least 50 cm must be maintained between the bushes so that the bushes have the necessary space for development.

By vertical structure

Peonies can be grown with other types of tall crops that are larger than bushes.

Delphinium

The height of the crop is up to 2 meters; it can be grown on the site together with peonies and roses as an additional background for the composition.

Vatochnik

The plant has strong, fleshy stems and can be grown together with peonies. The height of the bush is on average 150 cm. The crop blooms in mid-summer. Therefore, it does not affect the development of pions.

Digitalis

The plant can act as an addition to the appearance of a flower bed; foxglove blooms in late August. Therefore, the development of peony buds is not affected.

Peony is a garden decoration.Peony Red Grace is distinguished not only by its attractive appearance, but also by its resistance to diseases. Despite the fact that the plant is odorless, peony is a popular crop.