Paeonia 2008

[Hans J]

  Thank you Joakim 

After my expierince comes the double flowers always as double flowers .....but maybe you have luck !

To the climate : I think you can grow well peonies like P. broteroi ( they are native in Spain and Portugal )
I have here luck with my climate -I can grow a lot of species from mediterranean area -but i have no luck with plants from cold areas ( like P. anomala )

[Joakim B]

Hans Funny You should mention P. broteroi, I just bought book for 5€ with it on the front page called plants of Algarve with ornamental interest. It is the first attempt to an easy flora I have found and so cheap! I think that some peonies will need more attention in Portugal than they would need in Sweden but I think that they would do well if watered. I will see what grows well here rather than what is sold in garden centers as half dead roots directly imported from abroad.

I had not heard of doubles becoming singles when planted and I have bought some peonies that have been a bit mistreated without them going to be singles so I did not expect that to be common, but maybe possible and if so You would know. I am not disappointed with the single flower on the peony since I have doubles in Sweden I will just take some to Portugal if the single survives.

Kind regards
Joakim

[Luc Gilgemyn]

More great plants Hans !!!
You seem to have an enormous collection of Paeonia 

[Hans J]

Rob ,

thank you for your compliments ...

There is no problem to grow so many peonies if you have the room ......

To this sowing method in Sphagum : I have never heard before ....but I know many of the americans make a similar methode with wet vermiculite in a plastic bag .....I can say nothing in this time -but please let me know how it works ......
To say the true : I would never give any pots with peonies seeds in the fridge ....for me is this method to artifical .....
In my eyes is it much better to let germinate the peonies outside in the garden on a shady place ....and mother nature will do her best ....and you can be shure : those seedlings which survive will stay later strong !
To your other problem with fungi : it is difficould to say without seeing the plants .....
It seems to be a kind of Bortritis .....I believe you wrote earlier that you have your garden in a wet area ....if this is so so you will always have problems .....
The key for a good cultivation of peonies is a excellent drainage !
Futher be careful with compost - also I like not fertilizer from animals .....
Dont be worry that your peonies need watering - only plants in pots ...

and at last :
I can really suggest you to buy books ,books ,books - speak with people and more ...and than buy new plants or seeds -it is so many written ...you have first to read all !!!

[Hans J]

Rob ,

I have really luck with my conditions for growing peonies - special for species from mediterranean area can I grow without a big problem .

My soil is calcy and as i have written i try to give give a perfect drainage .
You have to realize : the most of all peonies are mountain plants -they grows on slopes -often between rocks !!!

I will warn you : it is really difficould to get true seeds of species peonies -there are more or less no sellers ( it is a bad buisness ) - and you can forget mostly seeds from botanical gardens ( sometimes they are wrong named ,somtimes they are hybridisized .
Same story is it with seeds from societies like NARGS,AGS and other ......and believe me : it is a hard expierience to grow a peony from seed ....and if they flower so you see it is wrong !
I'm sorry to say - but really only few people can distinguish true species .....so blieve me :
You have to learn a lot - you should know all species !

To sowing :
If the seeds are fresh so it is not nesscary to soak the seeds ( I suppose your seeds are from last year ) - it is easy : lay the seeds in a jar -if they goes down so it is OK .
If they swim so you have to wait some days ( until all lay on the bottom )- plase change every day the water !
I would not suggest you to work with acidic !!! also not with other methods to break the skin of the seeds ...it is danger and you will lost the seeds....
Dont worry - P. delavay or lutea germinate mostly after the second year ....

To your fungi problem with the peonies : you should look to have enough room between the plants ....so it it's raining the plants can dry quick ....

[art600]

Hans

I have acid soil and Peonies seem to grow well.   I have tried to find out whether they prefer lime or acid soil, but can find no reference to soil. 
Can anyone comment please

[Hans J]

Arthur :

After mine expieriences grows the most peonies on limstone - I have mostly take with me little parts of soil when I have visit locations with peonies .
The normal PH value is 7.0 -the only exeption was peonies on Corsica -they grows on granitic rocks - so the PH value was 5,0 .
Also I have found some subspecies of P. mascula on schist - here was the ph value 6,0.

[johnw]

Hans - I was visiting friends in northern Nova Scotia on Tuesday and saw this peony in a row of P. obovata.  Is this leaf coloration common? I was rather surprised by it.

johnw

[Hans J]

John ,

My mature plant of P. obovata v. willmottiae has normal green leaves - but I have a pot full with seedlings ( seeds from the Archibalds ) they are also on beginning has such dark leaves -later they change in normal green .
To your pics : i have never seen so dark leaves in the time when they have buds .
P. wittmanniana make similar changes of the leave color.

[Joakim B]

Regarding "lime lovers" and the need for lime.
I have also heard that peonies like lime. BUT I have heard that it is not as important for "lime lovers" to have lime as it is for "acid lovers" to have an acid environment. I think it is due to the uptake of some ions that can only be done in acid conditions for the "acid lovers" wile the "lime lovers" do not need limy/alkaline conditions for the uptake of ions.
The lime lovers may do better with lime but not need it to survive. That is why Art can have his plants in the acid soil without giving extra lime.

I am not saying that peonies should not have extra lime just that they survive and thrive without. Take a rhododendron in pure limy soil and it will not survive long at least not thrive.

If people are of different opinion please correct me!!

Kind regards
Joakim

[art600]

Joakim

Thanks for your info.

I would like to grow Verbascums, but I understand that they will only grow on limey soils so I have not bought any.  This is the first time I have had an acid soil and I love the plants that flourish here - Camelias, Pieris and Rhododendron.

[Hans J]

Joakim and Arthur ;

we should always hold in our gardens those plants who can good grow !
p.e. I can not grow here Rhododendron ,Azalea,Camelia .....

I agree with you Joakim -plants must not have 100% the same soil -but if they have it ....it is much easier for us !

[Joakim B]

Hans I totally agree it is better to grow what works well than things just barely surviving. It is sad to see a rhododendron "slowly die" in a clay soil in full sun. Better to put something that likes it but so many want what they "can not have" rather then what they can have and do great!
Art is there not cheap Verbascum to buy in garden centers just to test if they grow well for You? If they do, test others more interesting. Some Verbascums are borderline on weed if they are not deadheaded. This is valid for our summerhouse in Sweden where there is not a typical limey soil nor an acid one and they are poking trough a thin granite scattering. So who knows? You might be lucky?

Kind regards
Joakim

[art600]

Joakim

The recent developments are not cheap, but you have encouraged me to visit a local nursery where I can buy most shrubs, including magnolia, for approx €3.00.  They are growing in 1.5 litre pots so are excellent value.  I am extremely lucky as trials will not break the bank - filling the back of my car - an estate - cost €75.00

[Joakim B]

Art sounds like You have got Yourself a great bargain of plants that will enjoy Your garden! Fantastic to encourage  people, I am not used to do that
Hope they will bring You joy.
Magnolias are great.If You like to try grandiflora from seeds I think I have some. Might be more trouble to grow than to buy. I do not know.

Kind regards
Joakim