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	<title>How To Grow Stuff &#187; annual</title>
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		<title>How to Grow Peonies</title>
		<link>https://www.howtogrowstuff.com/how-to-grow-peonies/</link>
		<comments>https://www.howtogrowstuff.com/how-to-grow-peonies/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Jan 2012 01:49:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Susan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Annuals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[annual]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[flowers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[peonies]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.howtogrowstuff.com/?p=582</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Peonies are stunning, delicate flowers.  Native to Asia, southern Europe, and westernNorth America, peonies grow best in cool climates and require winter’s chill for blooms in the spring.  Because varieties can be either herbaceous or woody in nature, there is certainly a peony for every need and preference.  These long-lasting perennials are an excellent way... <a href="https://www.howtogrowstuff.com/how-to-grow-peonies/"> [Continue Reading]</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.howtogrowstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/peonies.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-599" title="peonies" src="http://www.howtogrowstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/peonies.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="461" /></a></p>
<p>Peonies are stunning, delicate flowers.  Native to Asia, southern Europe, and westernNorth America, peonies grow best in cool climates and require winter’s chill for blooms in the spring.  Because varieties can be either herbaceous or woody in nature, there is certainly a peony for every need and preference.  These long-lasting perennials are an excellent way to add a burst of color to your garden! </p>
<h2><strong>Before You Plant</strong><strong> </strong></h2>
<h3><strong>Choose the Right Type:</strong> </h3>
<ul>
<li>Herbaceous, or plant-like, peonies prefer cooler climate zones.  They will, however, grow anywhere they experience a cold winter, even as far south as northernFloridaandTexasas long as there are few cold weeks of winter.  Areas where the temperature dips more than 40 degrees below zero are less than ideal for a peony, which eliminates much of the northern tier of Midwestern andNew EnglandStates.</li>
<li>Woody, or tree, peonies are slightly less hardy in the cold.  In the northern half of theUnited States, tree peonies may need protection over the winter in order to thrive and produce spring-time flowers.  They will grow well into the southern reaches of theUSin all but the hottest regions, producing flowers in spring with exposure to below freezing temperatures during the cold months.</li>
<li>Both varieties of peonies have been successful outside of their optimum temperature conditions with a bit of extra care, so it’s quite possible to have success growing peonies throughout much of the United States. </li>
</ul>
<h3><strong>Find a Suitable Place:</strong> </h3>
<ul>
<li>Peonies require a great deal of sunshine, so plant them in full sun for a bounty of blooms.  In areas where summer temperatures reach extreme levels, a light shade canopy during the hottest time of the day will benefit the plants.</li>
<li>The area must be free of standing water, as peonies rot quickly.  They prefer a rich, heavy soil, so the key is to make sure that it is exceptionally well drained.</li>
<li>In mild climates, plant with northern exposure and avoid mulching to assure that peonies receive the required cold for best production.</li>
<li>Ideally, the soil pH should be 6.0 to 7.0.  Your local cooperative extension office can test your soil for you, or you can buy pH test kits from hardware stores.<strong> </strong></li>
</ul>
<h3><strong>Prepare the Soil:</strong><strong> </strong></h3>
<ul>
<li>Peonies prefer a heavy, rich soil that is well drained.  If you have less than ideal planting conditions amend the soil with peat, compost, and fertilizer as needed.  If you need to adjust the pH, there are fertilizers available for nearly any soil situation.<strong></strong></li>
<li>The best time to plant peonies is fall through frost.  A springtime planting may prevent the plant from blooming for a season or two.<strong> </strong></li>
</ul>
<h2><strong>Planting/Growing</strong><strong> </strong></h2>
<h3><strong>What You Will Need: </strong><strong> </strong></h3>
<ul>
<li>Peony plants<strong></strong></li>
<li>Small shovel<strong></strong></li>
<li>Prepared soil </li>
</ul>
<h3><strong>Steps for Planting Herbaceous Peonies:</strong></h3>
<ol>
<li>Choose a location carefully.  Peonies don’t like to be moved, so you should consider your new peonies to be permanent residents and space them accordingly.</li>
<li>Use the shovel to dig a hole approximately 18” in diameter and 12”-18” in depth.   Plants should be 2.5’-3’ apart.</li>
<li>Fill the bottom 2”-4” with organic matter (peat, compost, leaves, etc) and add ½ cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer to the hole (or use a fertilizer as needed for your soil conditions).  Do not leave fertilizer where it will directly contact the roots.</li>
<li>Fill the hole half full of prepared soil.</li>
<li>Place the bare root peony in the hole, backfilling under the roots with soil.  Be sure that the “eyes” are facing upward, and no more than 2” below the surface of the soil once planted.</li>
<li>If the plant is not bare root, prepare the soil as directed and plant the peony as the same level as it was in the pot.  Peonies do not like to be transplanted, so this method is less successful than bare root planting.</li>
<li>Apply mulch in cold climates, or leave the plant bed exposed for winter in milder regions.</li>
<li>Water deeply.  If standing water remains, you need to eliminate the ground conditions that allow it.</li>
<li>During periods without rain, water deeply once per week. </li>
</ol>
<h3><strong>Steps for Planting Woody Peonies:</strong></h3>
<ol>
<li>Tree peonies are planted much the same as herbaceous peonies are, but they require a different planting depth.  Follow steps 1-4 for woody peonies.</li>
<li>Plant a tree tuber with 4”-5” of soil covering the graft (which is often marked by nurseries).</li>
<li>Continue with steps 6-9 for planting peonies. </li>
</ol>
<h2><strong>Growing/Pruning</strong><strong> </strong></h2>
<p>Follow these easy steps for a show-stopping display of flowers each spring! </p>
<h3><strong>What You Will Need:</strong><strong> </strong></h3>
<ul>
<li>Pruning shears</li>
<li>Stakes</li>
<li>Coated wire<strong> </strong></li>
</ul>
<h3><strong>Steps for Care and Maintenance:</strong><strong> </strong></h3>
<ol>
<li>In the spring, add a 2” layer of mulch to deter weeds.</li>
<li>When plants are 2-3” tall, add a low nitrogen fertilizer such as 5-10-10.</li>
<li>When the first buds appear, remove the side buds from each stem, leaving the terminal (end) bud in place.  This encourages show-stopping blooms.</li>
<li>When plants grow heavy with blooms, stake behind the plant and secure plants with loops of coated wire in a figure 8 position, with one loop circling the plant and the other the stake, allowing them to cross in the middle.</li>
<li>Remove fading blooms to prevent seed development.</li>
<li>Cut no more than ½ of the flowers for vases or display, and leave as much foliage on the plant as possible.  For young plants, remove no more than 1/3 of the flowers, as this process with reduce flowering for the next spring.</li>
<li>To winterize herbaceous peonies and protect against fungus, cut them back to 3” from the soil after a heavy frost.  Do not cut back tree peonies. </li>
</ol>
<h2><strong>Additional Tips and Advice</strong><strong> </strong></h2>
<ol>
<li>Ants are attracted to the sweet natural secretions of peonies.  They do little, if any, harm to the plants themselves.</li>
<li>It may take years for peonies to bloom for the first time, especially if they were transplanted.</li>
<li>Established peonies tolerate drought conditions well.</li>
</ol>
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		<title>How to Grow Sunflowers</title>
		<link>https://www.howtogrowstuff.com/how-to-grow-sunflowers/</link>
		<comments>https://www.howtogrowstuff.com/how-to-grow-sunflowers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Nov 2011 01:30:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Susan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Annuals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[annual]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[flower]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sunflower]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.howtogrowstuff.com/?p=470</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Sunflowers are fun and easy to grow, and have been a favorite of gardeners for several reasons.  Not only are they hardy and pest resistant, as their name suggests, they are a sunny, cheerful flower.  Children especially love to grow them because of their typical height—it is a thrill to plant something as small as... <a href="https://www.howtogrowstuff.com/how-to-grow-sunflowers/"> [Continue Reading]</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.howtogrowstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/Sunflowers.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-532" title="Sunflowers" src="http://www.howtogrowstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/Sunflowers-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></p>
<p>Sunflowers are fun and easy to grow, and have been a favorite of gardeners for several reasons.  Not only are they hardy and pest resistant, as their name suggests, they are a sunny, cheerful flower.  Children especially love to grow them because of their typical height—it is a thrill to plant something as small as a seed and watch it grow into a friendly eight foot giant!  And aside from their towering beauty, sunflowers also provide us with a delicious and nutritious snack!  The sunflower seeds of most varieties can be roasted and enjoyed by young and old alike.  Sunflowers will also attract some beautiful birds to your garden (although they may steal away some of your yummy seeds) and some varieties attract butterflies as well.  Although most of us are familiar with the standard sunflower with its pretty yellow petals and dark center, sunflowers come in an assortment of colors, designs and heights.  They also are available as perennials as well as annuals, so there is sure to be a sunflower out there to suit every taste.</p>
<h2> <strong>Before You Plant</strong></h2>
<h3> <strong>Choose the Right Type:</strong></h3>
<p>Sunflowers come in many varieties, some as tall as 8 feet, some much shorter.  There are even newer varieties designed to be pollen free, thus making a perfect cutting flower to bring into the house for decoration.  Regardless of the variety you choose, the methods of growing and caring for your sunflowers will be the same.  Consequently, the variety you choose is more a matter of personal taste than it is necessity. Aside from the classic giant sunflower that carries a single large bloom with bright yellow petals and a large dark center, here are some varieties you may want to consider.  Keep in mind that, while annuals bloom the season that you plant them, if you choose a perennial variety, it may take 2 or 3 years to bloom initially.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Velvet Queen</strong>:  Plants grow 4 to 6 feet in height, mature in about 100 days, and produce multiple boom son numerous side branches.  The seeds are smaller and great for birds, but because of their small size, they’re not great for roasting and eating.</li>
<li><strong>Red Sun</strong>:  Unique sunflower that produces dark orange/red blooms with a tinge of yellow around its brown center.  This variety usually grows 5 to 6 feet in about 90 days and produces multiple blooms of about 5 or 6 inches.</li>
<li><strong>Ring of Fire</strong>:  This variety grows to about 4 or 5 feet in about 100 days, and produces a bloom with bi-colored petals, dark red around a brown center and golden yellow around the tips.</li>
<li><strong>Maximillian</strong>:  This variety is a perennial that grows to 4 to 7 feet tall and produces multiple sunny yellow 2 to 3 inch blooms all summer long.  It is a favorite of birds and butterflies, is heat and drought resistant and is great for cutting</li>
<li><strong>Tithonia Torch</strong>:  This is a shorter variety, growing about 2 to 5 feet in height in about 90 days, and produces Dahlia-like flowers in orange, yellow and bright red.</li>
</ul>
<h3><strong>Find a Suitable Location:</strong></h3>
<ul>
<li>Sunflowers in general are hardy plants that are heat and drought tolerant, and do well in all zones, so long as they are planted after the danger of hard freeze has passed for your zone.</li>
<li>As the name suggests, Sunflowers love the sun and do best in areas that provide full sunlight (at least 6 hours) every day.</li>
<li>While some varieties do well even in poor soil, for the most part, sunflowers do best in average to rich soil.</li>
<li>Avoid planting your sunflowers in sandy or loose soil as they can become easily uprooted.</li>
<li>Keep in mind that, depending upon the variety you choose, sunflowers require adequate space to grow, and overcrowding will diminish the beauty and health of your sunflowers.</li>
<li>Also remember that sunflower blooms will generally face toward the East, which may be a consideration to you when choosing the perfect spot for your garden.</li>
<li>Since sunflowers grow so tall, you may not want to place them around other plants that require sunlight since the sunflower may block the sunlight, providing too much shade.</li>
<li>Keep in mind that since sunflowers generally grow tall, if you’re using them in a garden with other flowers, you may want to use them as a background border, i.e. behind other flowers, so as not to block shorter flowers from view.</li>
</ul>
<h3><strong>Prepare the Soil:</strong></h3>
<ul>
<li>Soil should be prepared after the last danger of frost has passed.</li>
<li>Sunflowers can be started indoors, then once seedlings have established, they can be easily transplanted into your garden.</li>
<li>When sowing your seeds directly into your garden, late spring planting is best and will generally produce sunflowers midsummer.</li>
<li>Since sunflowers do best in richer soil, work your compost or fertilizer into your planting area before sowing your seeds.</li>
</ul>
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