The Soil Tip That Will Help Your Peonies Thrive In The Garden

Colorful peonies are a beautiful addition to any garden. Luckily, it's not difficult to successfully grow peonies in order to enjoy their stunning blooms. There's a special soil tip you can use to help you out and ensure these flowers thrive in your garden. Sam Arthurs, gardens manager for Local Matters and House Digest's flower specialist, shared that you should amend sandy or heavy clay soil that isn't suitable for growing peonies by putting amendments across an area larger than the root ball.

Amending only the top of the soil is a major mistake. "Go a couple feet deep and wide, allowing for the roots to grow in amended soil," Arthurs explained while speaking exclusively to House Digest. The flower specialist issued a separate warning for those amending clay soil — this process can be even trickier. "One thing you may want to be cautious of is the 'clay bow,'" Arthurs shared. "If you're amending clay soil, then make sure you go wide and deep enough to keep the impenetrable clay from holding the water around the root ball." The expert went on to reveal a few more soil tips you can use to produce lush peony plants that are happy and healthy.

Depending on the type of soil you intend to plant your peonies in, you may not need to amend it. The plant is actually pretty versatile when it comes to soil types. "They will grow in a variety of soil conditions," Arthurs said while speaking exclusively to House Digest. "The two extreme cases to avoid would be very sandy soil and heavy clay soil. These two environments are tricky for most plants, honestly."

She went on to detail why very sandy soil and heavy clay soil are not ideal. "The sand has a hard time holding water, so you will need to add compost or peat moss. The clay holds water too tightly and can become compacted, making it difficult for water to drain through the pores." Thankfully, it's possible to amend either type of soil so that it will produce healthy peonies. You can add organic material to heavy clay soil to promote improved drainage. Keep in mind that you can also amend store-bought soil.

If you don't have a yard or simply prefer to start seeds indoors, you can plant peonies in pots. Arthurs' soil tip is just one piece of advice to put to use if you plan to go this route. You also need to choose the right planter. "They have deep roots, and they are perennials, so you will need a planter that is deep enough and wide enough to accommodate that," Arthurs advised while speaking exclusively to House Digest. "Those kinds of planters tend to be harder to move, so buy a pot that can handle winter well when left outside." This will help keep peonies healthy through winter. The expert also shared that it's particularly important to stay away from soil that doesn't drain well when using these larger planters. "Potting soil is formulated for the container environment in mind, so the easiest thing you can do is buy a pre-made potting mix," she mentioned.

Avoid any cactus mix you come across when shopping for pre-made potting mix. According to Arthurs, this can drain a little too well. Keep in mind that you can also mix your own soil. The expert recommends adding perlite, peat moss, or coco choir to DIY mixes for better drainage. "You don't want to use compacted topsoil or heavy clay soil in a container for basically anything," she warned. As a final few pieces of advice, Arthurs added that peonies require timely rootball dividing and mindful flower selection. "Know the difference between an Itoh and an herbaceous peony, and don't just shop by flower color," she explained.