Growing peonies in your garden: Part 1 (Planting)

With years of peony growing experience in our South African environment, we pride ourselves on being able to walk you through every step of growing your own. Growing peonies on a large commercial scale is a challenging task, but fortunately growing them in your garden is far easier! As part of our peony planting guide, we’ve rounded up the top tips for intrepid gardeners who want to start the journey of growing peonies at home (please note this is not a technical guide for how to grow peonies on a large scale).

Here are our top 6 tips for growing peonies in South Africa:

1. The correct climate is essential: Growing peonies successfully means you first need to live in an area of South Africa that gets lots of frost or snow. If you have 30-60 days or nights that get to below 6*C, then you’re in an area where you should be able to grow peonies. See my FAQ list of places to grow peonies in SA. Or email us to find out whether you live in the right area.

2. Choose the right location: Peonies thrive in full sun to partial shade. Select a spot in your garden that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. Our African sun is hot, especially if you live at altitude, so make sure that where you plant your peonies will get afternoon shade.

3. Prepare the soil: Before planting, prepare the soil by removing any weeds, rocks, or debris. Ensure the soil is well-drained and fertile, by adding bone meal or a root booster when you plant your root. You’re laying the foundations for a plant that can last generations, so do this initial planting job properly. If you’re going to plant your peonies in a pot, please make sure it is at least 50cm x 50cm and has stones in the bottom of the pot for good drainage.

4. Planting: Plant your peony roots as soon as you get them, but soak them in water for at least 20 minutes before doing so. Dig a hole that is wide and deep enough to accommodate the peony root: it should be about 50cm – 60cm wide and 30cm – 40cm deep. Place the peony root in the hole with the eyes (buds) facing upwards, and cover it with soil, leaving the eyes 2cm – 4cm just below the soil. Think of two fingers lying horizontally below the soil for the depth that the root should be. If you plant your peony too deep that can be the end of your plant, so be precise about the depth of planting.

5. Watering: After planting your peony roots, water the peony thoroughly to settle the soil. Water regularly 2-3 times a week in spring and summer and be sure to keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Decrease watering in winter and do not over water, as you’ll then create an environment for fungus to thrive – this is your biggest threat. 

6. Mulching: Apply a layer of organic mulch around your peony plants to help retain moisture, suppress weed growth, and regulate soil temperature. Avoid piling mulch directly against the stems.

Next, be patient and wait for your flowers to bloom! See Part 2 of our peony planting guide for tips on what to do once that happens.