However, cutting back peonies is just as important for properpeony care.
Is Cutting Back Peonies Necessary?
In addition to the aesthetic considerations, the main reason for cutting backpeoniesis plant health.
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It does not matter how much you trim the flower stalks.
Not every gardener eager to see the peonies bloom is willing to make that sacrifice.
Cutting back peonies in the fall, on the other hand, is always required.
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Pruning for Disease Control
Two common fungal diseases of peonies are peony leaf blotch andpowdery mildew.
The spores of both fungi survive in dead leaves and infected plant debris through the winter.
Peony leaf blotch is triggered by the fungusCladosporium paeoniae.
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The other fungal disease affecting peonies is powdery mildew.
This will result in reduced bloom the next year.
How to Cut Back Peonies
1.
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Cut off the stems at or near ground level after a hard frost.
The dead foliage might contain fungal spores that are not visible to the human eye.
“Growing garden peonies”.
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Horticulture and Home Pest News, Iowa State University.
The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham
Powdery mildew on peoniesSBSArtDept / Getty Images
