Keep your peony flowers from falling over with these simple staking methods.
AnjoKanFotografie / Getty Images
When they bloom in spring, the blowsy full blossoms ofpeoniesalways look dazzling.
But those layered petals, which make the flowers so beautiful, also make them heavy.
Credit:AnjoKanFotografie / Getty Images
The precious blooms can droop to the ground or even worse, snap offand no one wants that.
Here’s what you gotta know about when and how to stake peonies to support their gorgeous flowers.
Fornariis an author, radio host, and garden consultant.
You want to avoid disturbing the roots or breaking branches by installing stakes after growth has started.
Planning on adding a peony to your life?
Have your staking strategy in place before you install your peony, and ready at planting.
Cages and Rings
Specialized peony cages are the sturdiest choice for standalone peonies in mixed borders orgarden beds.
They are a metal hoop with a grid on top that supports growing stems and blooms.
They may be worth an investment if you only have a few peonies to support.
These should only be installed early in the season to avoid damaging stems.
With cages, less expensive, lower quality models will be thinner with weak soldering joints.
Some gardeners use standard tomato cages as an alternate to peony cages.
Rings are like cages but are a set of half circles without the grid on top.
Ideally, they should be at least 24 inches tall.
Corralling
This is probably the lowest-cost method, since it uses items that you likely have at home.
You are basically constructing a round cage using wood or metal stakes circled by twine.
For a younger peony, you’re free to evenuse fallen branches for the stakes.
Sturdy, thick wood or metal stakes will give a mature peony the support it needs.
The method: place 4-6 stakes in a circle around your peony when its dormant or just emerging.
The product looks like an umbrella spine.
However, the peony obscures it.
Wrapping
This works well for long rows of peonies (ordahlias, orzinnias).
The netting needs to be very taut.
A similar method is to use green metal stakes available at most garden centers with green twine.
you’re free to fix the twine by double wrapping it around the stake and holding tension.
