Come visit us on the farm for a special event like no other.

Fragrance is a quality in peonies just like color, form and height. Whether or not a peony has fragrance and whether or not it’s a pleasant fragrance is determined by it’s parent plants.

Many of the old fashioned (lactiflora) peonies that were bred in China and Europe centuries ago have excellent fragrance that will instantly bring you back to grandma’s garden.

A past article from the American peony society that I came across this past week said it very well.

It is a good idea to cut back and clean up peony debris in the fall.

Doing so helps to prevent and spread any fungal diseases that may have settled in over the spring and summer. But now is not quite the time. We aren’t quite there yet.

It’s true, life for us slows down quite a bit now that the peony bloom season is over. In fact, I actually took a nap on Sunday afternoon after we closed. Peony season is hard work!

But even though the flowers are done blooming and our farm shop is only open Saturdays there’s still quite a bit to do on the farm.

Here’s a few tasks that continue through the summer and into fall.

The questions about powdery mildew have started to pour in so this email is a timely reminder for what to do about it.

WHAT IS POWDERY MILDEW?

Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that affects many plants, including peonies. It appears as a white or gray powdery coating on the leaves, stems, and flowers of plants. The fungus typically thrives in warm, humid environments and can spread quickly in crowded or poorly ventilated areas.

Understanding Peony Bud Blast and Solutions

Peony bud blast, where flower buds fail to open, often results from a combination of environmental factors and cultural care practices. Here's a detailed exploration of the causes and solutions for this common issue:

Tips for picking peonies

Whether you’re here or at home, here’s our tips for the best peony picking techniques.

• Choose stems that have flowers almost ready to bloom but not quite. We want to pick them in the “marshmallow stage” when the flowers have not yet opened but they are squishy soft like a marshmallow. A bud that’s too hard will struggle to open in a vase. A fully bloomed flower won’t last as long for you after it’s cut. Remove any leaves that sit below the water line.