Peony Update

My peonies are behaving the same way they did last year: strong start, but then their growth levels off and only one plant produces a viable bud. Now that we have a house with a yard, I plan to transfer them from their large deck pots to the ground where they will hopefully thrive!

(Last year's posts are here, here, here, here and here.)

Here are the cuties on March 29:

And here they are now:

Let's hope the single bud blooms!

Peony Update

Success!

You can almost smell its sweet fragrance through the computer!

This plant appears to be underperforming, but the season is young!

Peony Update

Blooming is imminent!

Peony Update

We've got two buds!

Peony Update

Looking good!

Peony

Miracle of all miracles! My peony plants are coming back this year!

Pot 1

Pot 2

Early readers of BlB will remember that my peony growing didn't go so well last year (first post, second post, third post, and final post). I have high hopes for this year! (Also, notice that only two of the three pots have sprouted, not sure what is going on with pot #3. But I guess we'll find out eventually!)

Peony Update #3

I know, I have been slacking on the peony updates. I keep meaning to take pictures of them, and then forget.

So there is good news and bad news. As you can see above, the bud is starting to open and the plant is growing nice and tall. However, as you can see from the close-up below, the edges of the petals are brown.

Not sure what the problem with the poor little thing is.
One of the other pots is looking pretty good:

You can't see it in this picture, but there is a little tiny bud on one of stems.The other random green plants are from a wildflower mix of seeds that Volkswagen sent with coupons on the side of the packet. Strange marketing gimmick, but I planted the seeds and will use the coupon next time Zeppy needs an oil change (which was a couple weeks ago - oops, haven't done that yet!).

I didn't bother with a picture of the "Home Depot" peony plant because it is still pretty small and the other random flower seeds (I should have saved the packet! I cannot for the life of me remember what I planted!) I planted along the exterior are kind of bigger than the peony plant and they have a nasty case of aphids. Ewww. I bought some eco-bug spray especially for potted plants and aphids this past weekend, but it didn't seem to do anything but make the ends of the leaves shrivel a little. I mean we have had some funky weather here in DC. It was in the 30s the past two nights, today is supposed to get into the 70s or 80s and last weekend it was so unbelievably windy you would have thought it was a hurricane, so maybe that has had something to do with it? I just don't know. All the peony plants in the neighborhood are in full bloom, so maybe next year mine will be big and pretty and fragrant like the others.

Peony Update #2

I am happy to report that the peonies are coming along very well. Here are the two "Valentines" peonies:

Notice the little bud on this one! So exciting! 

And the Home Depot bulbs have finally started to grow:

Slowly but surely!

First Peony Post

Peonies are my favorite flower and they aren't the easiest to find in flower shops around here. When you do find them, they are rather expensive. So this year I decided I would try to grow them on our deck.

I have three large pots:

• In one went four bulbs that I bought from Home Depot in February - two white and two magenta;
• The other two pots each got two bulbs (not sure of the color) that my thoughtful husband bought me for Valentine's Day (although they were on back-order, so I just planted them at the end of March).

The bulbs my husband bought me are doing really well:

The DC sun has been doing its job!

The other ones have just barely broken the surface (no picture, because really, there's nothing to look at). I am worried that I planted them upside down, but hopefully they will eventually find their way to the surface!