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! 

Before You Plant 

Choose the Right Type: 

• 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.
• 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.
• 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. 

Find a Suitable Place: 

• 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.
• 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.
• In mild climates, plant with northern exposure and avoid mulching to assure that peonies receive the required cold for best production.
• 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. 

Prepare the Soil: 

• 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.
• The best time to plant peonies is fall through frost.  A springtime planting may prevent the plant from blooming for a season or two. 

Planting/Growing 

What You Will Need:  

• Peony plants
• Small shovel
• Prepared soil 

Steps for Planting Herbaceous Peonies:

1. 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.
2. Use the shovel to dig a hole approximately 18” in diameter and 12”-18” in depth.   Plants should be 2.5’-3’ apart.
3. 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.
4. Fill the hole half full of prepared soil.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Apply mulch in cold climates, or leave the plant bed exposed for winter in milder regions.
8. Water deeply.  If standing water remains, you need to eliminate the ground conditions that allow it.
9. During periods without rain, water deeply once per week. 

Steps for Planting Woody Peonies:

1. 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.
2. Plant a tree tuber with 4”-5” of soil covering the graft (which is often marked by nurseries).
3. Continue with steps 6-9 for planting peonies. 

Growing/Pruning 

Follow these easy steps for a show-stopping display of flowers each spring! 

What You Will Need: 

• Pruning shears
• Stakes
• Coated wire 

Steps for Care and Maintenance: 

1. In the spring, add a 2” layer of mulch to deter weeds.
2. When plants are 2-3” tall, add a low nitrogen fertilizer such as 5-10-10.
3. When the first buds appear, remove the side buds from each stem, leaving the terminal (end) bud in place.  This encourages show-stopping blooms.
4. 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.
5. Remove fading blooms to prevent seed development.
6. 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.
7. 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. 

Additional Tips and Advice 

1. Ants are attracted to the sweet natural secretions of peonies.  They do little, if any, harm to the plants themselves.
2. It may take years for peonies to bloom for the first time, especially if they were transplanted.
3. Established peonies tolerate drought conditions well.

The rose is the undisputed queen of the garden. Amazingly delicate and with an unmatched beauty, roses are surprisingly easy to grow under the right conditions. In fact, a simple patch of sunlight is all you need to coax one of these stunning flowers from a dainty bud to an exquisite bloom. Best of all, with more than 7,000 varieties of roses worldwide, you are sure to find one just right for your own garden in almost any climate!

Before You Plant

Choose the Right Type of Rose:

• Hybrid Tea Roses are the most familiar plants. They grow in bush form, with flowers appearing at the ends of long, straight stems. Unattended, these bushes can grow to several feet in diameter and produce hundreds of full, florist-quality blooms.
• Floribunda or Climbing Roses are perfectly partnered with trellises and fencing. With proper support, they can grow more than 12 feet in a single season. They are characterized by a single row of petals, with flowers occurring in clusters.
• Miniature Roses feature tiny, perfect blooms on tightly formed bushes, usually only one to three feet in size. They are great additions to spaces where the delicate beauty of a rose is desired but there’s simply not enough room for the rambling, sometimes unruly vine or bush types.

Find a Suitable Place:

• Roses prefer sunny, well drained beds. Choose an area with at least four hours of direct sun each day. Most varieties grow well in USDA zones 4-9, which includes all but the northern- and southernmost extremities of the US, although hardy varieties for other regions can be found at local nurseries.
• Avoid areas with standing water. Roses love moisture, but will quickly die if they are forced to remain wet. Amend heavy soils with a sandy mixture to improve drainage, or simply create a raised bed for your roses.
• If soil is too dry, roses will not prosper. Amend the soil with organic matter such as peat, compost, or manure. Sandy soils may require the addition of topsoil to achieve optimum conditions.

Prepare the soil:

• To achieve a rich, dark soil with proper drainage, add peat, compost, loam, and manure to less than ideal soils. Work the organic matter into the soil until you have strong, earthy topsoil that holds moisture without becoming bogged down. If soil is too wet, add sand or raise the bed to create natural drainage.
• Most roses should be planted in spring or fall. Either time allows the roots to establish before the shock of extreme weather conditions related to hot summers and cold winters, although spring is more forgiving than winter in most cases. For less than optimal planting times, consider a potted plant instead of a bare root rose.

Container roses are more adaptive to the transplant process, as there is less disruption to the root system and therefore less shock to the plant.

Planting/Growing Roses

What You Will Need:

• Roses
• Small shovel
• Prepared soil
• Garden clippers
• Fertilizer made for roses

Steps for Planting Bare Root Roses:

1. Select a location with proper soil conditions and plenty of sunshine.
2. Trim all bruised, broken, or otherwise damaged branches or roots from the plant.
3. Cut the top growth back to 6″-8″ from the root ball.
4. Dig holes which are large enough for the roots without bending or breaking them. Make the hole a full 6″ deeper than the proper planting depth.
5. Add a bit of sand, small rocks, or pebbles to the bottom of the hole to help with drainage.
6. Combine approximately one tablespoon of rose fertilizer with loose soil before mounding the mixture at the bottom of the hole, creating a sloped surface to fully support the natural shape of the roots.
7. Once the rose has been positioned so that the roots will be below ground and the top growth is above ground level, begin to replace the soil around the plant, stopping to pack it gently but firmly several times as you work.
8. Mulch the plant to protect against weeds and hold in moisture.
9. Water roses in the morning, and only when the dirt feels dry two inches below the surface of the ground. Over watering will kill the rose, no matter how carefully you prepared the soil and the drainage. Water deeply to encourage root growth, monitoring the frequency as suggested. One good watering is worth more to the health of your plant than several smaller ones.

Steps for Planting Potted Roses:

1. Container roses can be planted nearly any time of the year, so long as the ground is not frozen. Ideally, plant in the spring or fall.
2. Dig a hole that is two times larger than the pot the rose is in.
3. Backfill the bottom with enough loose soil so that when you place the rose in the hole, the level of the dirt in the pot matches that of the ground.
4. Carefully remove the rose and root ball from the container. Do not jerk on the plant or lift it by the trunk.
5. Very carefully, loosen the dirt on the root ball, gently freeing some of the material.
6. Place the rose in the hole, firmly patting the remaining dirt around the plant.
7. Follow steps 8-9 to complete the planting process.

Growing/Pruning Roses

Follow these easy steps for a show-stopping display of blooms from early spring through frost!

What You Will Need:

• Pruning shears
• Stakes
• Coated wire
• Trellis or fence
• Rose food

Steps for Care and Maintenance:

1. Feed roses 3-6 times a year, or as directed on the package, beginning with a feeding in the spring as the plant begins growth. Remove mulch and work plant food into the soil around the plant, or use a liquid rose food that will drain into the soil.
2. Keep roses mulched to retain moisture and deter weeds.
3. Always water roses in the morning and at ground level. Avoid spraying the leaves with water, as the sun can “burn” them easily, causing damage to the plant.
4. Use pruning shears to removed dead blooms, clip damaged branches, or remove all but one bud from a single stem to increase your chances of growing one truly amazing rose.
5. Once climbing roses take off, be sure to support them with a trellis or fence. Particularly heavy canes may need to be gently tied to the vertical surface for additional support, which is almost surely needed once they are laden with blooms.
6. Large bush-type roses may also need to be staked. Use a sturdy stake and coated wire to firmly hold thick branches in place.
7. Use pruning shears to trim out weaker branches where they contact others for a healthier plant.
8. Each spring, cut roses back, leaving 6″-8″ canes. Damaged canes should be cut off cleanly.
9. Winterize roses by mulching heavily with peat or straw.

Additional Tips and Advice

• Always consult the tag or planting and care directions included with your rose before planting. There are literally thousands of varieties of roses, and each one may require a certain detail of care that was not mentioned here.
• Removing dead blooms, or deadheading, encourages new growth and a healthy plant.
• Properly space plants, using information on the tag. Crowded roses are more likely to become damaged or diseased.

Daffodils are beloved for many reasons, but one of the best is that they send promise of warm weather to come. Long before winter’s chill has melted away, daffodils burst from the earth, filling the garden with the sweet scent of spring in a wave of beautiful light. Not only are daffodils exceptionally easy to grow, they are resistant to garden pests and stunning when cut and displayed in vases, where they’ll last for days. To welcome these little beauties to your own garden in the spring, here’s what you need to know.

Before You Plant

Choose the Right Daffodil Bulbs:

• Daffodils are grown from bulbs. There are dozens of varieties, with hybrids numbering into the thousands.
• Look for large bulbs for big blooms in the spring. If cost is a concern, you can buy dozens of the smaller bulbs rather inexpensively, but be aware that they may not all bloom the first season.
• Bulbs should feel heavy for their size. Light or hollow feeling bulbs may have been the victim of pests or disease and are not likely to grow at all.

Find a Suitable Place:

• Daffodils are hardy in USDA zones 3-8, which covers much of the continental United States. Only the southernmost portions of the U.S. may prove to be too warm for this well-loved harbinger of spring.
• Daffodils prefer full sun to part shade. Keep in mind that they appear long before leaves do, so your deciduous trees will not pose a shade problem for daffodils.
• Plant in well-drained soil, as bulbs will rot in soggy conditions.
• Daffodils like slightly acidic soils with low pH (below 7.0) Test kits are available at garden centers, or visit your local cooperative extension office for help.

Prepare the soil:

• If your soil is wet, add sand or build the ground up before planting. Bulbs tend to rot in perpetually wet conditions. Alternatively, build a raised bed.
• To add acidity to your soil, turn in a bit of garden sulfur.
• Sprinkle bulb booster and work it lightly into the soil, or use it when planting.

Planting/Growing Daffodils

What You Will Need:

• Daffodils
• Garden trowel
• Prepared soil
• Bulb booster

Steps for Planting Daffodils:

1. Daffodils should be planted in the fall before the ground freezes. If possible, it’s best to allow time for the roots to establish before the first freeze.
2. Scatter the daffodils to the position you’d like to plant them. Ideally, you should allow 3-6″ between bulbs.
3. Dig a hole that is three times deeper than the height of the bulb (6-8″).
4. Sprinkle bulb booster at the bottom of the hole.
5. Place the bulb in the hole, making sure that the pointy side is up.
6. Cover the bulb with dirt, patting the surface firmly.

Growing/Pruning Daffodils

Daffodils require very little care. Here’s what you need to know to keep them looking their best.

What You Will Need:

• Pruning shears
• Garden trowel

Steps for Care and Maintenance:

1. Once daffodils begin to bloom, remove dead and fading flowers. Do not remove foliage.
2. Allow foliage to turn completely yellow before removing it. This allows bulbs to restore nutrients and energy for a better show the following spring.
3. To remove leaves, snip them off at ground level with pruning shears.
4. Many gardeners suggest digging up bulbs at the end of the season. Daffodils are particularly hardy and resistant to rodents (squirrels and deer don’t like them) so you can skip this step without consequence in most cases. If you prefer to dig your bulbs up for the summer, do so carefully. An inadvertent run-in with the sharp edge of a trowel can damage the bulb. It’s best to dig them before you remove the foliage so it’s easier to locate the bulbs. Store bulbs in a cool, dry place until it’s time to replant in the fall.

Additional Tips and Advice

• For an uplifting burst of spring in the dead of winter, you can “force” bulbs to grow early and daffodils are easy candidates. Plant the bulb in a small pot or container in early fall, and then treat the container to a cold winter by storing it at 35 to 48 degrees in darkness for 12-14 weeks, watering as needed. Once shoots begin to appear, bring the pot to a sunny, warm location and wait for the show to begin!
• Daffodils are also known as Narcissi – the two words are interchangeable.
• The ideal time to plant daffodils is when trees begin to lose their leaves.
• Divide heavy clumps of daffodils by digging them up and breaking the bulbs apart gently.