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When and How Should I Move My Peonies?

“When is the best time to move Peony plants?” Question from Carin of Fall Creek, Wisconsin

Answer: Because peonies are extraordinarily hardy, I prefer moving them in the fall, but you can also moving them after they bloom in the spring. But, there are six things that you should know before moving peonies.

Six Things to Know Before Moving Peonies

  1. Peonies have very large taproots, so you need to dig deep to capture them all.
  2. I recommend digging around the clump to maintain as much soil around the roots as possible. The less you disturb the clump, the better.
  3. Peony buds like to rest just an inch or two below the soil surface. If you cover them with too much soil, they may not bloom.
  4. Peonies should be fed with an all-purpose 10-10-10 granular fertilizer once a year. Surprisingly, overfertilizing peonies can reduce flowering.
  5. Use a long, sharp shade to dig them up and divide the clump, if needed.
  6. Small peony divisions may not have enough energy to bloom for a few years.

Peony Moving Steps

  1. Dig around the clump.
  2. Wrap the rootball with burlap to keep it intact.
  3. Place the peony in a wheelbarrow or Tubtrug to transport it to its new location.
  4. Dig a hole a bit larger than the rootball, place the backfill on a tarp or in a wheelbarrow, and mix the backfill with Black Gold Garden Compost Blend.
  5. Sprinkle some bulb fertilizer into the hole and backfill.
  6. Place the peony in the hole, and make sure the top of the plant is flush with the soil surface.
  7. Fill in the sides with backfill, and make sure that there are no air holes.
  8. Water in your peony until the soil is saturated.

I hope that these tips help!

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

How and When Should You Prune Cape Jasmine?

How and When Should You Prune Cape Jasmine?

“When should an overgrown (8′ high) Cape Jasmine bush (we call them gardenias) be pruned? How severely can it be trimmed back? Thank you!” Question from Ann of Wake County, North Carolina

Answer: You have one happy Cape jasmine (Gardenia jasminoides, Zones 7-11)! You can take a couple of pruning approaches, but avoid pruning in fall. Spring is a better time. Be sure to use sharp bypass loppers, pruners, and a fine pruning saw (I like both Felco and Corona products). Always make cuts at a 45-degree angle for better healing. Here are two good options for pruning overgrown Cape jasmine.

  1. Renewal Pruning: This is the harshest method, but your shrub will be sized down faster. Cut the largest stems in spring as far back as 3 feet before new growth emerges. Be sure to prune and thin in a pleasing rounded shape. Remove any damaged or crossing stems as well as cumbersome old growth. Leave some fine branches with buds. Keep in mind, that this method will remove most of next year’s flower buds, but the plant should look quite nice once it leafs out.
  2. Two-Step Pruning: This method is less aggressive and will spare your flowers. Prune your Cape jasmine back to 5 feet after your shrubs flower next spring. Then prune again the following year after they flower to a final height of your liking. When pruning, strive for an appealing, mounding habit, and remove any old, crossing, damaged stems as you go.

For more information about Cape jasmine, click here to read a great resource from NC State Extension.

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist