Tree and herbaceous peonies: cultivation in open ground and care after planting, flowering, spring, summer, autumn, preparing peonies for winter, pruning time. Why peonies don’t bloom, leaves curl and turn black: peony diseases and their treatment

Peonies are the undisputed kings of the garden. The beauty and aroma of their gorgeous flowers set the tone for the whole summer. These flowers bring a lot of joy, especially if you cope with the problems that arise with them. Using the example of users of our portal, we will look at the diseases and subtleties of agricultural technology of these plants and understand what to do with them.

Insufficient feeding

A rare story, but still found on FORUMHOUSE: small buds appear on peony bushes that never bloom.

According to experienced users of our portal, who have been raising pythons for many years, this is most likely due to insufficient feeding. Until three years of age, caring for peonies comes down to loosening and watering; after that, the plants need to be fed. Typically, peonies are “fed” with mineral fertilizers three times: in early spring, during budding and after flowering, about a week later. But on an excursion to the botanical garden of Moscow State University, FORUMHOUSE user MiLeDi They said that they feed him five times. For feeding, complex fertilizers are used - Kemira or Fertik. And in the fall, experts recommend mulching peonies with compost; this gives very good results.

Root rot

But root rot is a common, even ubiquitous disease of peonies. The roots begin to rot even in peonies that are cared for the most experienced flower growers. This can manifest itself in different ways. Here's how it was Laura495: first the tips of the leaves darkened, then quickly, literally within a week, the whole bush dried out. Little by little the plant came to life and even bloomed sluggishly, but then the same story repeated itself.

The collective intelligence of our portal diagnosed root rot in Laura’s peonies. In this case, it is better to wait until the end of August or beginning of September, dig up and inspect the roots. Clean the rotten areas with a sharp instrument until they reach healthy tissue and soak in the Maxima solution. Sprinkle damaged areas with ash mixed with foundation in a 2:1 ratio. If the bush is old, you can, by the way, divide it. Then plant in open ground, not overly wet and non-acidic. Plant, observing all the conditions: in a large hole, at least 60x60 cm, into which about two buckets of a mixture of compost and humus, 300 grams of ash and 300 grams of bone meal are poured. If the soil is clayey, you will need to add sand, and if it is acidic, you will need to add lime. The rhizome should be buried 4-5 cm.

Gray rot

Gray rot is the nastiest and most common disease of peonies, the nightmare of any gardener. It affects all parts of the plant, from rhizomes to flowers. Usually early varieties of peonies are affected, but others are not immune: as soon as the shoots grow, ring spots appear on them, at the very base, then the stem rots in this place, breaks and falls. The stems may not die in spring, but then the rings form higher, 10-15 cm from the base. The leaves become covered with brown spots, the flowers become ugly and dry out. The disease develops very quickly.

This is what peonies look like Tatham, which she shared last year.

IgorM.

Ring mosaic

Here are the other peonies Tatham. See that marble pattern? This is a ring mosaic, a disease of peonies, common in many regions of the Non-Black Earth Region.

This disease is fought mainly with preventive measures: you need to choose a healthy planting material. Particularly valuable rhizomes are kept in warm water for about 20 minutes. If the lesion is not too severe, it is recommended to cut it out to the root and stimulate the peony’s immune system with feeding and immunostimulants. For all operations with a diseased plant, a separate tool is used! If the peony variety is not particularly valuable or the damage is too severe, the bush can be completely destroyed.

Rust

As a rule, peonies begin to suffer from rust soon after flowering. Spots appear on the leaves, leaves curl and dry out. The disease is very contagious and can affect all the peonies in the area in a few days. What they look like rusty leaves, we can see in the example of peonies from a user of our portal Zimorodok:

Dark spots appeared on one peony; I immediately cut off the stems with such leaves. The rest of the bushes are still in excellent condition.

In general, cutting the stems was not necessary. The roots need nutrition, and it was enough to remove and burn the affected leaves. And, of course, preventive treatments are necessary: ​​they are carried out two or three times, immediately after flowering. The period between treatments is 7-10 days. Peonies are sprayed with copper-soap liquid, a solution of colloidal sulfur and other low-toxic fungicides.

spotting

What is this and how to deal with it?

This is brown spotting, a common disease for peonies. Such brown-yellow-brown spots usually appear at the beginning of summer: first on the lower leaves, and then “creep” higher and higher. Diseased leaves are cut off and burned, peonies are sprayed with some remedy for fungal diseases. The problem is that spotting weakens the plant, it becomes less winter-hardy, and blooms worse next year. As in other cases, the best treatment for the disease is prevention - in the spring and during the budding period, spraying with Bordeaux mixture, phytospirin-M, etc. is carried out.

First flowering

Many people are concerned about the question of whether it is necessary to pinch out the buds of first-year peonies. It is believed that the first flowering takes away from young bushes their already weak strength; it would be better to build up the root system. Therefore, it is recommended to pinch peonies, especially in bushes that have grown from weak divisions with two or three buds. Place the bud in water, let it make you happy in the room, but in the second year there will be more buds, and in the third year the bush will bloom with a lush bouquet.

Division

There were precedents at Forumhouse when 20-year-old and even 60-year-old bushes were divided.

Why did I believe it: during the war, my mother, as a seven-year-old girl, brought a bouquet from the ruins of a manor’s estate near Kashira. And the great-grandmother said that such flowers grew in the lady’s garden. Nobody looked after them, but they bloomed even during the war!

On average, if created during planting good conditions, peonies can grow in one place for 20-30 years. But by the age of five or six, the peony root system reaches 60-70 centimeters in diameter and extends to the same length. Therefore, dividing old peonies is a dubious pleasure. magari w I once divided 20-year-old peonies. In place of two bushes, such a crater formed that “a couple of sheep would have drowned.”

Galija He remembers his story with a 20-year-old bush like a bad dream: the rhizome went almost a meter deep, branched out like an octopus, and grew overgrown. Many of the roots were old, many were rotten. It was scary to leave such a disgrace in the ground, so we had to dig everything out completely and spill the soil with foundation. Several sections were left, cleared and processed, the rest were thrown away. The new bush has already bloomed next year. In general, there is no need to wait 10-20 years: the peony is divided and replanted when it begins to “bloom rather poorly.”

Peonies can be planted in their old place, the main thing is to pour fresh soil into the hole. And it is better to plant not large roots, but medium ones.

vitrage-service:

– If you look at the stars through a large root, then best case scenario you can see one star. As they grow, the roots often intertwine, resulting in such a small pile. Nothing good, a lot of small flowers can grow at best.

A division of 4-7 buds, with two to four thick roots, is considered optimal. It is better to powder the places of the cuts obtained during division with ash. By the way, cuttings without eyes also germinate - such cases are not uncommon at FORUMHOUSE.

How to build a diamond-shaped lattice of twigs to support peonies, read. Here it's getting hotter discussion of varieties and agricultural technology of peonies, with demonstration of photographs and detailed description the entire growing process.

In culture, its resistance to adverse environmental factors is significantly reduced due to pathogens that cause various diseases. Fungi predominate among the pathogens, but recently viruses have also become widespread.

According to the literature, peony is affected by 5 viruses - tobacco rattle ( Tobacco rattle virus), latent strawberry ringspot ( Strawberry latent ringspot virus), raspberry ringspot ( Raspberry ringspot virus), cucumber mosaic (Cucumber mosaic virus) and alfalfa mosaics ( Alfalfa mosaic virus) .

Ring mosaic of leaves, or ring spot. This is a symptom of a widespread disease of peonies, found wherever they are cultivated. On the leaves, rings and half-rings, stripes appear between the veins various shapes and colors - from light green, greenish-yellow to bright yellow. They can merge, and a characteristic marbled or linear pattern appears on the leaves. By the end of the growing season, the spots sometimes become necrotic. The disease is caused by the tobacco rattle virus, which was formerly known as peony ringspot virus.

In the Non-Black Earth zone of Russia, including personal plots Moscow region, viral infection on peonies is widespread. In the collection of the Main Botanical Garden (GBG), the appearance of symptoms of a viral infection on this crop has been recorded annually for more than 30 years, and in last years There is an increase in the number of diseased plants with pronounced manifestations of diseases on the leaves: the first signs are usually visible in the spring. They are very diverse, sometimes change during the growing season and vary significantly depending on the peony variety and the type (strain) of the virus.

These can be various spots, manifested in the form of large or small, vague or clear, ring spots (including concentric) different colors– from light and yellow-green to yellow and bright yellow (Fig. 1–5).

Symptoms of virus infection tobacco mosaics (TMV) and tobacco rattle (TRV)	Cucumber mosaic viruses (CMV) and alfalfa mosaics (AMV)
Latent ringspot viruses strawberries (SLRSV) and Raspberry ringspot (RRSV)	Tomato aspermia viruses (TAV) and tobacco rattle (TRV)

On some varieties, necrotic spots were noted. Vivid symptoms such as white-yellow jaundice and yellow color, sometimes along the central vein (Fig. 6), mottled, mosaic (Fig. 7, 8) and linear pattern (Fig. 9). Some plants showed interveinal chlorosis and well-defined variegation. In addition, in a number of varieties the leaf blade was deformed (Fig. 10), becoming narrow, wrinkled, pitted and tuberculate, the leaf lobes were bent, the tips of which were sometimes chopped off and twisted upward. On some plants, curling of the leaves was observed, which became wavy, wrinkled and seemed to be pressed against the stem, turned inside out, and the petiole bent downwards.

Rattle virus tobacco (TRV)	Tobacco rattle viruses (TRV) and cucumber mosaic (СMV)
Alfalfa mosaic viruses (AMV) and carnation mottling (CarMV)	Cucumber mosaic viruses (CMV) and alfalfa mosaics (AMV)
Latent ring viruses Strawberry Spot Spot (SLRSV) and ring spot raspberries (RRSV)	Cucumber mosaic viruses (CMV) and rezuha mosaics (ArMV)

Peony flowers showed variegation.

As a rule, diseases are rarely caused by a single virus; a mixed infection is usually recorded.

As a result of testing diseased plants, in addition to the already known viruses on peonies, others were identified. For example, bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV) was found on flowers with signs of variegation, and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), rhizome mosaic virus (ArMV), and barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) were found on specimens with symptoms of leaf growth. Narcissus mosaic viruses ( Narcisus mosaic virus) and tomato aspermy virus. In most cases, the complex infection included the viruses TAV, CMV, ArMV, CarMV ( Carnation mottle virus– carnation mottle virus), TMV ( Tobacco mosaic virus– tobacco mosaic) in various combinations.

Viral diseases are dangerous because they are spread by contact, with planting material, through the soil, insects and nematodes.

From fungal diseases on peony most widely distributed gray mold, rust and various spots.

Gray rot(causative agents - Botrytis cinerea, B. paeoniae). All plant organs are affected - stems, leaves, buds, flowers and rhizomes (Fig. 11). Usually in the spring, immediately after the growth of young shoots, brown spots appear at their base, merging into a ring, then in this place the stems rot (a gray coating often forms here, and small black sclerotia are found on rotting tissues and in the soil) and wither, and subsequently break and fall. Later, the stems may also wither and die, but rotting occurs already 10–12 cm above the base. When leaves are damaged (usually along the edges), large brown spreading spots appear, which in dry weather gradually become necrotic, and in conditions of high humidity they become covered with a thick gray coating and rot. During the budding period, the same can be observed on buds, sepals and flowers. As a rule, small buds turn black, dry out or rot, while larger buds turn brown and bloom poorly, often only on one side, so they look one-sided. The petals turn brown and dry out, and the flower takes on an ugly shape. The disease develops very quickly, with severe damage the bushes fall apart, the stems fall and dry out. The pathogen persists on plant debris and in the rhizomes of peonies, causing them to rot, spreads during rain and is carried by ants. Active development The disease is favored by cold, rainy weather in spring and summer, as well as sudden changes in air temperature. The rapid course of the disease is observed in damp, heavy, clay soils and when located close groundwater, as well as on thickened, poorly ventilated plantings. In general, the development of the disease is promoted by high air humidity, excess nitrogen in the soil and shading of plants. Early varieties are especially affected.

In GBS, gray rot is observed on peonies every year, as a rule, on all parts of the plant. The degree of damage in some years reached 20–30%, such as in 2004 and 2010. In 2011 the strongest development Botrytis cinerea observed only on leaves and buds.

Rust (Cronartium flaccidum). This disease is more common in northern regions And middle lane Russia, the Urals and Siberia, Moldova, it is especially dangerous in Ukraine, including Crimea, where in some years there are epiphytoties. The first signs of the disease are usually observed in mid-summer, shortly after flowering (in the Moscow region in the 1st half of July). Brown, yellowish-brown or brown with a purple tint spots appear on the upper side of the leaves, sometimes surrounded by a brown border. On the lower side, small yellowish-brown or orange pads of uredopustules are formed, containing fungal spores, which are easily carried by the wind, infecting new plants. At the end of summer, yellowish-brown, horn-like curved columns of telytospores appear among the uredospore pads, completely covering spots on the underside of the leaves, which curl and dry out. Under favorable conditions, the disease can spread in 2–3 days, affecting peonies over large areas.

In autumn, telytospores germinate into a basidium with basidiospores and infect Scots pine ( Pinus silvestris) and s. Crimean ( P. pallasiana) – intermediate hosts of the fungus, which can be a long-term source of infection (the pathogen persists on trees and overwinters as a mycelium). In spring, yellowish-red swellings appear on the bark of trunks and branches (the aecidial stage of the fungus), which subsequently burst through. Affected branches thicken, bend and gradually die. In mid-summer, aecidiospores land on peony leaves and infect them. Later, telytospores are formed, which overwinter on the fallen leaves of these plants.

The development of the disease is favored by humid, warm weather. Under such conditions, the pathogen spreads intensively, causing the leaves to dry out already in July and shortening the growing season, which weakens the plants and negatively affects winter hardiness and flowering the following year.

Peonies vary significantly in their resistance to rust.

Thus, in the GBS collection the following varieties are most affected: 'Albatre', 'Duchesse de Nemours', 'Graziella', 'Feather Top', 'Marcella', 'Cornelia Shaylor', 'Advance', 'Livingstone', 'Marechal Mac -Mahon'.

Moderately susceptible cultivars include ‘Akron’, ‘Argentine’, ‘Iceberg’, ‘Blush Queen’, ‘Dr. F.G. Brethour', 'Enchantress', 'Florence Nicholls', 'Felix Supreme', 'Gladis Hodson', 'Inspecteur Lavergne', 'Lady Kate', 'Le Cygne', 'Mother's Choice', 'Nick Shaylor', 'Primever' , 'Torch Song'.

Most varieties of domestic selection are resistant to rust or are affected only to a small extent (‘Arkady Gaidar’, ‘White Sail’, ‘Varenka’, etc.); Among the cultivars of foreign selection, ‘Sarah Bernhard’, ‘Festiva Maxima’, ‘Felix Crousse’, ‘A.E.’ can be considered resistant. Kunderd', 'Omalia Olson', 'Bowl of Cream', 'Judy Becker', 'Dixie', 'Dandy Dan', 'Evangeline Newhall', 'The Fleece' and others.

Cladosporiosis, or brown spot (Cladosporium paeoniae, rice. 12). The disease usually manifests itself in the first half of summer, is found in the southern part of Russia, and is widespread in Ukraine. Large brown, brown or dark purple spots form on the leaves, which gradually grow, merge and can cover the entire blade. Over time, the spots darken and the leaves look burnt, wet weather a dark gray, smoky coating of sporulation of the fungus appears on their underside. Sometimes stems, buds and flowers are affected. Elongated reddish-brown spots usually form on young shoots, then the stem darkens and becomes covered with a smoky coating, the buds turn brown, and the petals fall off. Conidia of the fungus overwinter on fallen leaves.

Phyllosticosis(Phyllosticta paeoniae). This disease causes the greatest harm in the steppe zone of Russia and Ukraine. Small brown spots with a dark purple rim form on the lower leaves. Over time, they increase in size, acquire a round or oblong shape, lighten in the center and become covered with convex dark dots - fungal pycnidia, which are immersed in the leaf tissue. Such areas usually fall out, leading to rupture of the leaf surface. With severe development of the disease, premature drying of the leaves occurs, which in turn shortens the growing season and weakens the plants. Pycnidia overwinter on plant debris, which become a source of infection in the spring. The spores land on young leaves, germinate and infect peonies; the peak incidence occurs during the flowering period.

Septoria or brown spot (Septoria macrospora).

Leaves and stems are affected. The first signs of the disease appear in June-July on the leaves: brown and yellowish-brown rounded or elongated spots with a lighter center and a dark purple border form on both sides. Gradually, the spots merge and acquire a light brown color with an ash-gray tint. In mid-summer, pycnidia appear on them - sporulation of the fungus. The disease first appears on the lower leaves, then spreads higher up the stem. With severe damage, the leaves dry out completely, but may not fall off for a long time. The disease weakens the plants and adversely affects the winter hardiness and flowering of peonies next year. Pycnidia overwinter on fallen leaves.

In addition to the described spots, ramulariasis occurs ( Ramularia paeoniae), Alternaria ( Alternaria tenuissima) and ascochyta blight ( Ascochyta paeoniae), the latter disease is widespread mainly in the north-west of Russia.

In general, blight causes premature death of leaves and shoots. Their development is favored by high humidity and temperature. The infection persists on plant debris. In private plots of the Moscow region and plantings of GBS peonies, spots are observed annually in the second half of the growing season.

Mealydew (Sphaerotheca fuliginea f. paeoniae, Erysiphe communis f. paeoniae). On peonies, the disease has a local spread and occurs occasionally. Plants are usually affected at the end of the growing season. A white powdery coating appears on the upper side of the leaves, consisting of mycelium and conidiophores with conidia. Sporulation is marsupial: brown cleistocarps are located mainly on the underside of the leaf and overwinter on plant debris. Sometimes the leaves become deformed and dry out.

Root rot. The causative agents may be fungi of the genus Fusarium, Botrytis, Rhizoctonia, Sclerotinia, which reduce the intensity of flowering, cause rotting of roots, stems, cuttings and death of plants. The disease is widespread and is usually detected when a bush is replanted or propagated by division. Affected areas of roots and rhizomes turn brown, soften, rot and die. With high humidity, a whitish, grayish or pinkish coating forms (mycelium and fungal spores). The source of infection is soil and infected rhizomes. Usually weakened plants, cuttings and bushes separated during transplantation become ill. The development of the disease is promoted high humidity and high soil acidity.

In the GBS, root rot is recorded annually in the peony collection. Significant damage was observed in 2008-2011, which was largely due to weather conditions favorable for the development of rot, but not favorable for the growth of the plants themselves.

COMBAT MEASURES. Much attention should be paid to preventive and precautionary measures. First of all, it is necessary to use only healthy, high-quality planting material, which must be purchased from specialized institutions with the appropriate certificate. It is important to follow optimal agricultural technology, create favorable conditions for the growth and development of peonies.

About the agricultural technology of peonies - in the article How to feed peonies

It is recommended to grow this crop on well-lit, fertile soils; thickening of plantings should not be allowed; weeding and loosening of the soil should be carried out regularly, and if groundwater is close to the groundwater level, good drainage. During the growing season, it is necessary to remove and destroy bushes infected with viruses, as well as weeds that can be sources of infection. When caring for plants, use only clean tools. They must be disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate immediately after cutting flowers or diseased shoots or stems. Preventive treatments with insecticides against aphids and other insects that can carry viruses are necessary.

About protective equipment - in the section Preparations for diseases and pests

Gray rot. Diseased shoots are cut out to the rhizome, and in the fall, all stems must be cut low, and plant debris is also removed and burned. In the spring, remove the cover (peat, foliage, etc.) as early as possible so that the soil is dry and ventilated. If plants are severely affected, then upper layer The substrate is removed by 2–3 cm and fresh soil mixed with sand is added. In the spring, when young shoots are heavily infected, to destroy the infection in the soil, peony bushes and the ground around them are treated using the preparations zineb (0.5%), foundationol (0.2%), copper oxychloride (0.5–0.7%) or Bordeaux mixture (1–2%). Take 2–3 liters of a solution of one or another drug per plant.

In early spring, at the beginning of shoot growth, to combat gray mold, carry out the first spraying, then, if necessary, on growing shoots (with an interval of 7–10 days) – a second one, using one of the following preparations: Bordeaux mixture (1–2%), foundationazole (0.2%), colloidal sulfur (0.3%); copper oxychloride (0.5–0.7%) or zineb (0.5%). Then, from the moment the leaves fully open until flowering, use Bordeaux mixture (1%), copper oxychloride (0.5%), foundationol (0.1%), pure flower (4 ml per 5 liters of water). After flowering, it is advisable to carry out another treatment. At the end of August, spraying can be repeated.

Rust. It is necessary to cut out and destroy pine branches affected by this pathogen, but the main thing is not to place peonies in close proximity to them. Preventive treatments are carried out after flowering with an interval of 7–10 days and immediately when the first signs of the disease appear. To spray plants, use solutions of the same fungicides (with the exception of pure flower and phytosporin-M) as against spotting, as well as copper-soap liquid (0.25%), colloidal sulfur (1%) and its other preparations.

Root rot. When transplanting and dividing bushes, diseased roots are removed, rotten parts of rhizomes are carefully cut out to healthy tissue and sprinkled with crushed charcoal- coal powder mixed with foundationazole (2:1) or sulfur (2:1). For 30 minutes, the rhizomes are disinfected in a solution of copper sulfate (1%), Maxim preparations (0.2–0.4%), foundationol (0.2%), TMTD (1%) or a mixture of foundationazole (0.2%) with TMTD (0.6%). It is advisable to water the plantings (cuttings and rhizomes should not be deeply buried) with a mixture of foundationol (0.2%) and zineb or TMTD (0.6%). During the growing season, you can use foundationazole, phytosporin-M, baktofit, alirin-B, gamair.

Spotting. Treatments are carried out in the spring and before budding: Bordeaux mixture is used (up to 1%), copper oxychloride (0.5%), zineb (0.5%), Abiga-Peak (0.4–0.5%), pure flower (4 ml per 5 liters of water) or phytosporin-M (6 ml per 10 liters of water).

In the fight against septoria, the first spraying is carried out immediately after flowering, then, if necessary, every 10–12 days. The same medications are used as for other spots, as well as gamair (2 tablets per 1 liter of water).

Powdery mildew. When the first signs appear during the growing season, the plants are sprayed at intervals of 10–14 days, using foundationazole (0.2%), topaz (0.05–0.1%), topsin-M (0.1–0.2%) , pure flower (4 ml per 5 l of water), solution of soda ash with soap or copper-soap liquid, phytosporin-M (6 ml per 10 l of water or 2 g per 10 l), bactofit (0.7% or 10 g per 10 l), Alirin-B (2 tablets per 1 l).

To protect against a complex of fungal diseases in the fall after leaf fall (September–October), it is necessary to carry out eradication treatments with copper sulfate (3–4%) or Bordeaux mixture (2–3%). This technique subsequently allows you to reduce the number of sprayings during the growing season. In general, to increase the resistance of peony plants to various diseases, it is recommended to use phosphorus-potassium fertilizers and microelements, and when using complete mineral fertilizer eliminate excess nitrogen. The drugs must be alternated.

Literature

1. Prutenskaya M.D. Atlas of diseases of flower and ornamental plants. – Kyiv: “Naukova Dumka”, 1982. – 158 p.

2. Sinadsky Yu.V. and others. Pests and diseases of flower and ornamental plants. – M.: “Science”, 1982. – 591 p.

3. Sinadsky Yu.V. and others. Diseases and pests of introduced plants. – M.: “Science”, 1990. – 272 p.

4. Cardin L., Onesto J.P., Moury B. First report of Cucumber mosaic virus in Paeonia lactifera in France. Plant Disease, 2010. – V. 94. – N 6. – P. 790.

5. Samuitiene M., Navalinskiene M., Dapkuniene S. Investigation of Tobacco rattle virus infection in peonies (Paeonia L.). Scientific works of the Lithuanian institute of horticulture and Lithuanian university of agriculture. Sodininkyste ir darzininkyste, 2009. – 28 (3). – P. 199-208.

Magazine "Floriculture" No. 5-2012

Should you rush to trim and cover peonies for the winter? How will this affect the health and further flowering of the bush? and Ito hybrids are prepared for overwintering differently than. The above-ground part of herbaceous peonies dies off by winter, but the plant continues to live. Our task is to create optimal conditions to save it.

In dry autumn, it is possible to cut off the peony stems as they die

Timing for pruning herbaceous peonies

Herbaceous peony - perennial flowering plant, whose shoots and leaves die in the fall. In some bushes the above-ground part turns yellow and lies down, in others it dries up, maintaining a vertical position for some time. Only then do I start pruning. Of course, we are talking about healthy, not sick peonies.

The shoot of a young herbaceous peony wilted after the first autumn frost

The time to trim the stems of herbaceous peonies depends on specific climatic conditions. This is either the end of September or the beginning of November, it all depends on the weather. There were years when in the Moscow region, in early October, rivers froze and snowdrifts appeared. In other years, and re-bloomed in November. In mid-October 2016, our lilac bushes tried to bloom. The average time for pruning herbaceous peonies is mid-October, if there have been no frosts before.

Early pruning. In herbaceous peonies, two waves of root formation are observed: spring (April-May) and summer-autumn (August-September). Consequently, pruning too early (at the beginning of September) does not allow the rhizome to accumulate nutrients, coming from foliage. This leaves the weakened perennial plant vulnerable in winter. Such a plant will bloom worse. Premature autumn pruning shortens the period of preparation of the peony for wintering.

You can clearly see what early pruning and warming of a herbaceous peony bush leads to during a long, rainy autumn.

Late pruning. Another danger lies in wait for a peony when pruning the above-ground part of the bush is belated. Especially in the cold rainy autumn, when dried stems and leaves quickly rot. This can cause damage to the rhizome.

When pruning, I leave short (2-3 cm) stumps. They will mark the place where the bush grows, protect the buds, but will not interfere with the spring growth of shoots.

After pruning, I collect all the plant debris with my hands, and then superficially loosen the soil around the bush and.

Winter shelter for herbaceous peonies

Zoned herbaceous peonies can withstand winter hardships, but they still need to be covered for the winter. Without this, during the frosty, snowless period, renewal buds and parts of the rhizome are likely to freeze. On open places areas, a strong wind sweeps away the snow, leaving the ground “black”. Mulching the soil to a height of at least 10 cm reduces the risk of freezing.

In autumn there is often rain and sleet. If a herbaceous peony is damaged by insufficiently rotted manure or undecomposed grass and leaves, the stumps of the stems and rhizomes may rot.

I insulate my peonies with a mixture of high-moor peat with neutral acidity, sand and earth. I buy deoxidized peat in large orange packages at the nearest garden centers. You can get by with well-decomposed crumbly compost or loose garden soil. The approximate volume is a bucket of 8 - 10 liters for each herbaceous peony bush.

Before covering the growing area of ​​an adult peony with soil mixture, I pour a shovelful of sand onto the ground. For young bushes, one scoop is enough. Such a sand layer is useful not only for, but also for many rhizomes. It is not worth insulating peonies with sand alone, because... it doesn't hold heat well.

Ito hybrids of peonies

Some gardeners grow and bloom Ito hybrids mid-late varieties. Early varieties are less common. When pruning these perennials, a number of features must be taken into account. Strong bushes are not afraid of autumn frosts. In autumn their foliage, similar to leaves tree peonies, painted in bright colors, decorating the empty area. It often lasts until the first snow.

Ito hybrids are pruned at a later date than herbaceous ones. When pruning Ito hybrids, take into account that some of the numerous renewal buds are on the stem, and some are on the roots. Some of them sit close to soil level. When removing shoots, leave small stumps (like herbaceous peonies) or cut them off completely. Aboveground buds do not need to be protected: in the spring, new flowering shoots will rise from the underground buds. It is important not to damage the tips of the root buds of renewal.

There is another pruning option, in which you select two or three of the strongest stems with several large buds closer to the base. These stems need to be cut at a height of 10 - 20 cm. Pruning must be carried out in dry weather. After this they are insulated. The easiest way is to use wooden boxes, the inside of which is filled with shavings or non-woven material. It is better not to take hay and straw so as not to attract. You can wrap the shoots in lutrasil and build a hut of spruce over them. The cover is removed when the primroses begin to bloom. When it gets colder, use lutrasil or other lightweight material. With this pruning option, flowering of Ito hybrids occurs a couple of weeks earlier than with complete removal of the entire above-ground part in the fall.

Adult bushes of Ito hybrids are quite winter-hardy. However, it is worth covering them for the winter, at least for the sake of insurance in case of a harsh winter with little snow. The mulching area should be such that the bulk of the roots, located in a horizontal plane, are under the insulation. The soil mixture should not increase the acidity of the soil, so it is better to add it to peat or compost.

Peony spring awakening

Peonies of early varieties are the first to awaken in the spring. The mound of soil mixture that protected them from freezing prevents the soil from melting and inhibits the growth of shoots. Therefore, we need to carefully spread the insulating soil mixture without damaging the fragile buds. During the spring cold snap, you can cover the growing shoots with non-woven material or use another method. For example, throw hay or wood shavings on top.

When opening a peony, you should not create a funnel around it. The soil must be leveled so that excess moisture does not stagnate in the depressions. I build low borders to retain moisture after watering during dry periods later, when new shoots with foliage grow.

This year I planted luxury bulbs ("Ice Cream") late between the young peonies planted in a row. Therefore, I did not insulate the growing area of ​​the peony bushes by adding mounds of soil mixture, but mulched the entire planting strip at once. I hope that this will allow the bulbs to take root before frost and will provide additional protection against freezing.

Above the grassy peonies and tulip bulbs lies an even layer of loose soil mixture

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We can say that peonies have practically no pests. In any case, in 40 years of working with peonies, we have not noted them.

Some hobbyists complain about ants, but they can only cause harm if large anthills form directly near the bushes. The appearance of ants on peonies during budding is explained by the secretion of sweet sticky juice by the buds at this time; as soon as the buds open, the juice disappears, and with it the ants.

Diseases bring the main and very great harm to peonies. Let's focus on the most harmful ones.

GRAY ROT(pathogen – Botrytis paeoniae, B. cinerea). One of the most dangerous and most common disease. It affects the stems, leaves, buds, flowers and underground parts of peonies. Most often, the disease is detected on plants in the spring during their regrowth.

On a note. As a preventive or therapeutic measure against gray rot on peonies, it is recommended to water the inside of the bush with wood solution (one-liter jar per 10 liters of water). Ash not only alkalizes the soil, creating an unpleasant microclimate for bacteria, but also contains potassium, which strengthens plant tissue.

• A gray coating appears at the base of the stems. The stems near the surface of the soil turn brown-black and rot, then break and fall.
• Large brown spreading spots appear at the tips of the leaves.
• The leaves become deformed and dry out.
• Small buds turn black and also dry out.
• Larger buds open halfway, only on one side, the edges of the blossoming petals turn brown and dry out, and the flowers turn out disfigured.

Defeat by gray rot. 1 - stems; 2 - leaves; 3 - buds

The development of the disease is favored by cold, rainy weather and sudden changes in air temperature. The disease develops most intensively on heavy, clayey, wet soils, especially on acidic soils and on thickened, neglected, poorly ventilated plantings.

Most often and to a greater extent, gray rot affects hybrid varieties obtained from crossings with peony.

If gray rot mainly affects peonies in spring and early summer, then spotting appears most often after flowering and in autumn. They are not fatal to peonies, but they do spoil appearance plants and weaken them.

Removing plant debris from the site before the onset of winter is a good preventive measure to combat peony diseases.

BROWN SPOT OR SEPTORIASIS(causative agent - Septoria macrospora). The disease appears on leaves in June-July in the form of bilateral brownish-brown rounded or elongated spots with a darker rim. At first, single spots appear, then they merge. First of all, the lower, older leaves are affected, then the disease spreads higher up the stem, and all the leaves can dry out. The disease weakens the plant, affecting its winter hardiness and flowering next year.

BROWN SPOT OR CLADOSPORIOSIS(pathogen - Cladosporium paeoniae). The disease manifests itself in the form of large brown spots, growing, they merge and cover the entire leaf, which looks like it is burned. Elongated red-brown spots form on young shoots. The entire stem darkens and becomes covered with smoky sporulation of the fungus.

CONTROL MEASURES: spraying with one of the preparations: 0.6-0.7% solution of copper oxychloride, 1-2% solution of Bordeaux mixture or 0.2-0.3% foundationazole. The first spraying is immediately after flowering. As needed - every 10-12 days.

RING MOSAIC OF LEAVES(causative agent - Paeonia virus). This viral disease peonies. On the leaves, rings and half-rings appear between the veins that are lighter than the normal color of the leaf. The leaves create a characteristic blurred marble pattern. The harmfulness of the disease has not been studied; the virus does not seem to weaken the plant too much - it grows and blooms normally. On the same bushes, the disease sometimes manifests itself clearly, sometimes it is not visible at all. It has been noticed that a properly planted, well-groomed peony, apparently, fights the disease itself or transforms it into a hidden (latent) form. No infection of neighboring plants was observed.

CONTROL MEASURES: There are no specific control measures, but it is recommended to cut out and burn parts of plants on which mosaic is noticed.

Powdery mildew. Peonies are affected by it in late summer. A rare cobweb coating forms on the upper part of the leaves. Fortunately, this disease on peonies does not cause much harm and does not occur too often.

CONTROL MEASURES: it is possible to spray plants when the first signs of disease appear with a solution of soda ash and soap.

RUST. In mid-summer, brown spots with a purple tint appear on the upper side of the leaves. various sizes and outlines. On the underside of the spots, small yellowish-brown pads of fungal spores form. Affected leaves curl and dry out. The intermediate host of this disease is Scots pine. In humid, warm weather, rust is especially rampant, causing leaves to dry out as early as July, weakening plants and negatively affecting winter hardiness and flowering next year.

CONTROL MEASURES: During the growing season, peonies are regularly fed with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. When the first signs of the disease appear, the affected leaves are removed from the plant and the plant is sprayed at intervals of 10-14 days (alternately) with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture and a 0.5% solution of copper oxychloride. In autumn, stems with leaves are cut and burned.

PHYLOSTICTOSIS. Initially, small brown spots with a dark purple rim form on the leaves. Later, the spots increase in size, become round or oblong, become lighter in the center and become covered with numerous convex dark dots. When the disease develops strongly, it causes premature drying of the leaves.

CONTROL MEASURES: the main measure has always been prevention - eliminating the causes of the disease. That's why:

• do not plant peonies on soils that are too heavy, excessively moist and highly acidic;
• do not allow dense plantings that impede air circulation;
• cut out diseased parts of the plant in a timely manner and trim off faded flowers, preventing them from falling onto the leaves;
• in winter, cut peonies to ground level and remove all plant debris;
• systematically carry out preventive spraying of plants at least three times - at the beginning of shoot growth and the appearance of leaves, during budding and after flowering with one of the preparations: 0.6-0.7% copper oxychloride solution, 1-2% Bordeaux solution liquids or 0.2-0.3% foundationazole.

The article was prepared based on materials from Ippolitova N.Ya., Drawings by Tsareva V.G.

Peonies are perennial plants that delight with their annual lush flowering. Perhaps in every garden you can find peony bushes with different colors and shapes of petals. You can’t take your eyes off the blooming peony bush. Gardeners love the flower for its easy care and unpretentiousness.

The vagaries of nature, manifested in the form of cold, long spring rains, temperature changes and many other factors can cause a number of dangerous diseases that are destructive to plants. Let’s try to figure out how to treat peonies against diseases.

Diseases

Viral and fungal diseases of peonies have been identified. The symptoms of many diseases are very similar and often only specialists can reliably indicate the specifics of the plant disease. Let's talk about peony diseases caused by various pathogens and their treatment.

Viral diseases

Peonies are most susceptible to attack by fungal pathogens. But recently, cases of viral plant pathology have become more frequent. According to scientists, mixed plant viral infections often affect peonies. Diseases and the fight against them await gardeners throughout the summer season.

Viral infections easily transmitted through poor quality planting material, contaminated soil, garden tools. Ants and nematodes can spread the virus to healthy plants.

Ring mosaic of leaves is the most common viral pathology of peonies. The virus takes over the plant gradually. A multi-colored mosaic pattern appears on the leaf blades: rings, half-rings, lines, sometimes merging into stripes of different colors. Light green, yellow-green, bright yellow spots along the main veins create blurry single spots or can merge and radically change the color of the leaf blade. Peonies: leaf disease in the form of mottling and mosaic coloring of leaves indicates the viral etiology of peony disease.

Viral diseases cover plants after peonies bloom. The decorative effect of the shrub is lost with the appearance of variegation of individual leaf blades. In the initial stages of the plant disease, the damaged leaves along with the stem should be completely cut out.

The mosaic virus does not have a detrimental effect on the plant, the peony grows and blooms in due time. There is an opinion that a strong plant copes with the virus on its own, but by autumn it can go into a latent period of existence and appear in the next growing year. If a plant is completely infected with a viral mosaic, it is better to get rid of the diseased bush completely.

Fungal diseases

1. Gray rot
Gray rot is considered the most dangerous disease for peony. All parts of the plant are susceptible to the disease: from stems, leaves, buds, flowers, to the root system. Signs of plant disease can be observed in early spring. Peony shoots at soil level have a brown tint in the form of a ring; gradually they rot and disappear.

A characteristic dark gray coating is visible on the soil - sclerotia. The ends of the leaves become covered with brown spots. The affected leaf blades dry out and die on hot days, and in persistent humid and damp weather they become covered with a gray coating. Flower buds affected by gray rot do not have time to open. IN
Depending on weather conditions, they turn brown, dry out or rot.

If the fungal pathogen reaches the flower, then it has an ugly shape. The affected flowers open one-sidedly, the petals acquire a brown tint and dry out over time. The disease affects the bush very quickly. Literally after 2-3 days, the stems and leaves fall to the ground and the plant dies.

The causes of gray rot are considered to be rainy and cold weather with temperature changes, the close occurrence of groundwater in the area, heavy clay soil, thickening of peony plantings, large quantity nitrogen fertilizers for feeding. The causative agent of the disease persists in the soil and on infected parts of plants. Gray mold spores can be carried by ants throughout garden plot. Early varieties of peonies are most susceptible to the disease.

2. Rust
Rust is another common fungal disease of peonies. Spots on the leaves appear after the plant blooms: brown or yellowish, framed by a dark brown or purple border. On the underside of the leaf you can see orange swellings with spores, which are easily carried by the wind and infect healthy plants. By autumn, the swellings form into columns and dry out, keeping the pathogen inside.

Warm, rainy weather promotes the development of rust. Peony bushes affected by this disease dry out prematurely, do not tolerate wintering well, and develop and bloom poorly the next year. There are varieties of peonies that are rust-resistant.

3. Cladosporiosis
Cladosporiosis or brown spot is another type of leaf spot on peonies. In June, individual brown spots appear on the leaf blades of the peony; over time, they increase in size, gradually covering the entire leaf. From the outside it looks like the peony leaves are burnt. On inside leaf after prolonged rains, fungal spores are clearly visible in the form of a dark gray cluster.

Brown spotting can affect peony stems, buds and flowers. Cladosporiosis can be detected on the plant in early spring. Damaged young shoots have red-brown inclusions; over time, the shoots turn brown and acquire a smoky coating. The pathogen spores overwinter on cut peony leaves.

4. Phyllostictosis
Phyllosticosis is observed in peonies during flowering. On the underside of the leaf blade you can observe small round brown spots with a purple border. After some time, they increase in size and become lighter. Dark convex inclusions appear in the thickness of the leaf - fungal pycnidia. They lead to rupture of leaves, which gradually dry out. The plant becomes exhausted and develops poorly the next year. Pycnidia overwinter on plant debris and germinate in the spring, infecting young shoots.

5. Septoria
Septoria has a second name - brown spot. The disease affects the plant in June-July after flowering. The lower leaves and stems begin to get sick, and gradually the disease covers the entire plant. Brown spots appear on both sides of the leaf blades, outlined with a purple outline and a light center. Over time, the spots change color to ash-gray. Fungal spores, pycnidia, appear on the underside of the leaf, which can overwinter on fallen leaves and serve as a source of disease for young plants in early spring.

6. Powdery mildew
Powdery mildew does not affect peonies very often. Due to unfavorable natural factors, the disease affects individual plant specimens sporadically. On the top leaf plate a powdery white coating is formed, consisting of mycelium with spores. Affected leaves sometimes wrinkle and dry out. Pathogenic spores persist and overwinter on plant debris.

7. Root rot
Peony root diseases should be treated promptly. Root rot is caused by various fungal spores. Usually the disease can be recognized when replanting peonies or propagating the plant by dividing the bush. The affected roots have a softened appearance and are covered with mycelium and spores of pinkish, gray or white color, depending on the pathogen. The disease occurs on acidic soil with high humidity.

How to treat

Measures for the treatment of peony diseases come down to the timely removal of diseased parts of the peony bush or the entire plant and treatment with special antifungal drugs.

If fungal diseases are detected, damaged parts of the plant are removed to the soil surface. Peony bushes are watered with solutions of foundationazole (0.2%), zineb (0.5%) or TMDT (0.6%).

In early spring, when shoots appear from the ground, remove the top layer of soil to a depth of 2-3 cm and fill it with fresh, uncontaminated soil mixed with sand.

Peonies are treated with fungicidal solutions by spraying three times per season: at the time the first shoots appear, during bud setting and after flowering.

The following drugs are used for treatment: 1% solution Bordeaux mixture, 0.2% solution of foundation, fungicide Maxim, 0.1% solution of topaz, 0.5-0.7% solution of copper oxychloride. 2-3 liters of one of these solutions per peony bush is enough.

If necessary, spraying with antifungal drugs is carried out after 10-12 days until the signs of the disease disappear.

If there are not many affected plants on the site, then you can get by with natural medicines. To do this, brew 500 g of fresh celandine herb with 5 liters of boiling water, leave for about 2 hours and spray the diseased plants. After 5 days, spraying is repeated.

Prevention from diseases

Peonies: Diseases and pests are easier to prevent than to treat and eliminate, so the following tips will help you grow healthy plants with lush flowers.

• Mandatory preventive treatment of plants several times a season.
• Proper agricultural technology (timely loosening, watering, fertilizing).
• Use of healthy planting material.