Saturday, May 31, 2008

Peony






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Another beautiful but brief spring display is put on by the herbaceous peony.

The full bushy plants look good all summer but bloom time is quite impressive. It’s a plant that doesn’t get a lot of attention until it produces that spectacular bloom.

According to Clemson University extension http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/hgic1170.htm
“Peonies have few pests or diseases. The most frequently occurring problems are the fungal diseases Botrytis blight and leaf blotch. To help control diseases, cut off all peony plants level with the ground in the fall. Do not add the old tops to your compost pile. Avoid overhead irrigation.”

A heavy rain adversely affects the seasonal peony bloom. Magnolia and Iris are also bashed by heavy spring rains some years. This year we’ve been lucky. Most of the spring blooms have not been spoiled.


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