Peonies are one of my favorite flowers, and they smell heavenly. But once peony buds start to open, the flowers quickly become too large for the stems to support the heavy flowers, and inevitably they go crashing to the ground. Adding peony supports at the right time will keep your peonies from falling over.
The biggest mistake people make with their peonies is leaving them completely unsupported. If peony flowers are left unsupported, they will collapse to the ground almost as soon as the buds open.
If peony flowers are left on the ground, they will only last a few days and you won’t get to see them in their full glory.
My peonies are falling over and need to be supported
Why Are My Peonies Falling Over?
Peonies fall over because the stems aren’t strong enough to support the huge peony blooms. The peony stems may be able to handle the weight for a few days while the buds are opening.
But throw a rain shower or two in there and… timber! The peony flowers quickly flop to the ground.
Hot pink peony falling over before adding plant supports
It’s so sad to see a peony bush completely collapsed just at the peak of its bloom time.
If you give peony flowers support, the blooms will last several days longer, and more of the flower buds will be able to open on the bush.
Stop peonies from falling over using a peony support frame
How To Keep Peonies From Falling Over
It’s not difficult to add plant supports to keep your peonies growing upright. In order to give the proper support for peonies, you need to get some peony cages to hold them up.
Just make sure that the support you use is the right size for you peonies.
Some peony varieties grow taller than others, and will need taller supports to hold the flowers upright.
If your supports are too short, the flowers will simply collapse over the top of the supports.
Also keep in mind that a large peony bush will require a wider support than a smaller one.
My beautiful light pink peonies
Types of Peony Supports
Peony supports come in many forms, and the type you use will depend on how large your peony plant is.
Peony cages: If your peony bush is small to medium sized, then you can have lots of options.
You can buy peony support cages that are specifically made for flowers like peonies, like this one with stackable rings. Wire tomato plant supports (like these heavy duty wire tomato cages or these convenient foldable tomato cages) also work great to support a small peony plant.
Grow through peony supports: A peony grid, or other type of grow through plant supports also work great for supporting small peony plants.
DIY peony supports (homemade): For really large peony bushes, you will need large plant supports. The easiest thing to do in this case can use heavy-duty stakes and string or ties (I love using these stretchy plastic ties or this cut-a-size wire garden twist ties) to create your own plant hoop supports.
Peony cages keep peonies from falling over
When To Add Peony Supports
The best time to add a support to your peony bush is either early in the spring before the stems grow too tall, or late fall after you have cut down the stems for the winter.
I prefer to add mine in the fall to prevent damage to tender new growth in the spring.
Then, as the peony stems begin to grow each spring (and they grow fast!), help them by carefully guiding them to grow through the center of the support.
Be gentle though, because the tender new growth can break really easily.
If you build your own peony support out of stakes and string, you can install it at any time. Just be careful not to damage the peony bulbs when you pound the stakes into the ground.
Add peony support cages before peony stems start growing
How To Support Peonies With Grow Through Plant Supports
If you’re using peony cages, wire tomato cages, or another type of grow through peony supports, position the support so that the plant is centered in the hoop.
Then you can simply push the legs of the support into the ground around your peony.
Ideally, the diameter of the hoops on your cages should be larger than the diameter of the rootball of your peonies.
If your peony cage is too small, you risk damaging the peony roots and bulbs when you push the cages into the ground.
Wire tomato cages are perfect for supporting small peonies
How To Support A Large Peony Bush
If your peony bush is too large to use grow through plant supports, then you can create a DIY peony cage using plant stakes and ties.
You can also use this method for supporting peonies that are already flowering, to prop up any flowers that are already drooping, or to support peonies that are too tall for commercial peony cages.
Here’s what you’ll need to make homemade plant supports for peonies.
Supplies Needed:
- Heavy duty stakes (the number of stakes you need depends on how large the plant is)
- Plant ties (I like to use twine, plastic plant ties or select-a-size wire ties)
- Hammer or rubber mallet
How To Make Plant Supports Step-By-Step
Step 1: Position a plant stake a few inches away from the rootball, then use your hammer or rubber mallet to drive the it into the ground.
Step 2: Work your way around your peony plant, driving in another stake every few feet until you have made a circle around your peony.
DIY plant support frame using tall plant stakes for large peony bush
Step 3: Tie one end of your plant tie to a plant stake, string it to the next stake, and wrap it around or tie it to the stake to secure it.
Keep wrapping the plant tie around each plant stake until you have a full ring around the entire peony bush.
If your peony already has drooping flowers, then gently lift them up as you work your way from stake to stake.
Using plastic ties to make plant supports for peonies
Step 4: Position the plant tie so that it sits just below the base of the peony flowers to give them the best support. If your peony ring is too low, the flowers can still flop over.
Tie up peonies using plastic plant ties and stakes
Don’t worry too much if your DIY peony cage isn’t perfect. Once the plant is done blooming, you can simply remove the support. I usually remove my peony stakes and plant ties when I prune my peonies after they’re done blooming.
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But, I just leave my peony cages in year round. It’s too hard to remove grow through plant supports once the plant has filled in, and you can’t really see them through the thick peony leaves anyway.
Light pink peony flowers kept upright with grow through plant supports
Peony Care & Growing Tips
- Remove the spent peony flowers as the petals start to turn brown. This will encourage the small buds to open, extending the bloom time.
- Since they are such early spring growers, it’s best to cut down peonies in the fall after hard frost has killed the foliage. This also helps prevent pests and disease. Simply cut the plant all the way down to the ground.
- Trim your peonies after they’re done blooming to remove the dead flowers, and give the plants a nice shape for the summer.
- Don’t cut peony foliage down to the ground too early or your peony won’t have enough time to store up the energy it needs to bloom in the spring.
Getting into the habit of adding your peony plant supports before your plant even start to grow will make it much easier to keep the flowers from flopping every spring. But don’t worry if you forgot, you can still stake your peonies after the flowers have opened, and save them from crashing to the ground.
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More DIY Plant Supports and Trellis Projects
- Building Sturdy Tomato Cages
- How To Make A Simple Cucumber Arch Trellis
- How to Build a Squash Arch
- Raised Bed With Cold Frame
Share your tips for keeping peonies from falling over, and tell us about your peony supports in the comments section below.
Very good posting. I have a running joke with one of my neighbors that’s essentially each of us asking the other – “Are you going to remember to stake your peonies this year?” This could be the year though, I have some foot high wire fencing material that I’m going to use to stake them up.
LOL, well at least you try to help each other remember to do it. I put the supports around mine as soon as I’m done trimming them down in the fall. That way, I won’t forget come spring. Good luck, hope you get yours done in time.
Amy
I love the tips. I stake everything because I can not bare to see wasted beauty. I would like to know when is the best time to divide my peonies?
The best time to divide and transplant peonies is in the fall.
Do not upset the roots. They do not like to be disturbed. A Peony plant can survive 100 hundred years. They are so divine. Good luck.Carmel.
I currently have a separated one from my mother in law’s grandmother! They are 100+ years old and look just as youthful and fluffy as the newly bought ones! I love them!!
Awesome, how fun!
Any thoughts on the grow through supports for peonies? Thanks
They work great. Just make sure to get tall ones, cause some of them are too short for peonies.
You never know when an old plastic tablecloth or used plastic paint drop cloth might come in handy. Last year, when I heard it was going to rain, I covered my blooming peony plants with these and was delighted to see my flowers were standing up, not soggy and droopy, when I removed the coverings.
Wow, that’s a great idea! thanks for sharing that tip.
Hi! I have a question about peonies. I have a peony bush that is no longer blooming. The foliage is very healthy, green. But for the last season or two no flowers, no buds or anything. Why would that be?
If it used to bloom, but isn’t blooming anymore then I would say you’re either removing the foliage from the plant too early in the season, or it’s not getting enough sun. Be sure to leave the foliage on the plant until after it dies back in the fall so it has plenty of time to build up enough energy to bloom in the spring. Also, check the sun exposure of the area. It may be that plant used to be in full sun, but maybe a tree has grown taller or a fence went up, and now it’s not getting enough sun. If that’s the case, then move it to a sunny spot in the fall.
Hi, Im having trouble with my Peony. The leaves are turning brown. Do I waite it out till Fall or trim it back now. It has been handed down through my family for years and I really dont want to loose it. Please help. Thanks
There are several reasons why peony leaves can start to turn brown and die. First, make sure your peony is getting enough water. If you live in a hot/dry area or have been having an abnormally dry summer, peonies can suffer and will need to be watered more often. If you’re sure it’s getting enough water, then it could be mildew or disease. I would take a few of the infected leaves to a local garden center and see if they can identify the problem for you.
What kind of peony would grow in Florida?
Unfortunately, most peonies require a long cold dormant period to grow and thrive. They are only recommended for growing in colder zones. I have heard of some that can be grown successfully in zone 8, and those might be able to thrive in certain micro-climates in zone 9 (like in the coolest spot in your yard on the north side of the house), but I’m not familiar with those varieties. You could check with local nurseries or garden centers to see if they can recommend anything for you.
I sold my home in mid July and bought another here in Oklahoma. I couldn’t bear the thought of abandoning and leaving all my peonies, so I dug up a few and planted them here at the new place. I cut back the stems to about 6-8″ and have kept them watered. I am SOOO hoping they survive, what do you think?
Awesome, glad to hear you were able to take some of your peonies with you! Yes, definitely keep them well watered during the hot summer months. I think they have a good chance of surviving. Keep in mind that they may not flower for you next year, it may take a year or two. Good luck!
I have never been successful growing peonies. I live in Southern California, zone 9. I just read another post and it as suggested to pour ice cubes on them several times during their winter season. Does anyone have an opinion?
Yah, peonies need a cold, dormant period in order to thrive and bloom. They definitely grow best in colder climates. I have heard of people successfully growing them in warmer climates by icing them, but I have no idea how often you’d need to do that in order to be successful. That is definitely one thing I would miss if I moved to a warmer climate. 🙁
Great article. I’ve grown peonies for years, but still learned a few things.
Would love for you to share it on Dishing It & Digging It. We go live on Sundays at 4 PM
Awesome. Thanks, I’ll check it out!
My peonies just started poking out of the ground, so I need to stake them stat! I have a broken tomato cage that would be perfect. Thanks for the tips!
Great! You’re welcome. 🙂
Such great info! My poor peonies are always drooping. Thanks for sharing at The DIY Collective!
You’re welcome, thanks for stopping by!
Yes, as soon as I begin my Spring clean-up, I put the Peony supports in. They’re a must, if you don’t want your plants to get wrecked.
Thanks for the tips. I live in a zone 2 in the mtns of wyoming and amazingly grow peonies. I love them. The area is classed as high desert and limited rain so I have to make sure they get enough water. This year I imported peonies from the Ukraine – 13 fabulously healthy roots with about 7 eyes each. I couldnt wait until spring, and now here we are May 3 and all are about 3″ tall. cannot wait to see if I get flowers this year. Fingers crossed. My “domestic” peonies have small buds forming already.
Wow, that’s fantastic!! Good for you. I would miss peonies the most if I moved to a warmer climate.
I have taken old newspapers and put down around all my peonys so there is no more weeds I have to pull. I then put river rock on top of papers so they cant be seen. I do have a problem with ants all over my peonys is this normal they seem to love peonys more than my other flowers
Awesome! Yes, ants on peonies is normal.
Yep ants and peonies come togeether. I use tomato cages for my supports and then put the green gardening velcro in a criscross pattern at the top to support the peonies as they grow. My husband buts off the bottom 1 run from the 32″ tomato cages and I use them for other things. Much cheaper than peony supports and work well. Here in the rockies my peonies are getting to be about 18″ tall with my new Ukrainian plantings smaller but all look healthy.
Awesome, thanks for the tip. My peony buds are just about to burst open, I’m so excited!
Thanks for the great article. I just put my peony ring on last week as I finally noticed how big the bush was getting. But I have a question. My neighbor has peonies that have been there for several decades, practically a solid bed of them. I don’t think once can distinguish individual plants anymore. What would you suggest as a way to support a mass of peonies that probably 2 or 3 feet by about 6 feet? Thank you.
It sounds like it might be a good time for your neighbor to divide their peonies to space them out a bit. It might be tricky to add supports to such a large, dense section of peonies. But, they could try using post stakes (like these), and put 3 or 4 around seperate sections of the plants. Then use twine or flexible stretchy ties to wrap around the whole section, having multiple sections throughout the bed of peonies.
My peony’s are already tall with lots of buds. I didn’t stake! My first year, beginners lack of knowledge. How can I stake or tie up now?
You can use post stakes (like these), and put 3 or 4 around each plant. Then use twine or flexible stretchy ties to wrap around the whole plant, and tie it to each plant stake. So, basically you’re making a circle around the plant, and the twine/plant ties are what will hold up the flowers so they won’t flop to the ground.
My mom is giving me all of her peony plants- I’m excited to plant them at my home BUT it’s late May in Michigan! I know the best time to transplant them is in the fall but the plants have to be moved now. How do I go about this without hurting the plant or future blooms?
Thanks!!
If they’ve already started to bloom, I would recommend waiting until after they’re done blooming before you transplant them. But, if you can’t wait, they’ll be fine. They’re pretty hardy. Before you transplant them, cut off the largest blooms and bring them inside in a vase of water to see if they will still flower for you.
One of my peony plants folage at a certain hight it starts to turn brown, any tips what it could be
Are the brown leaves dried out and burnt looking? Or do you think it could be caused by powdery mildew?
Dried out crispy
It sounds like it could be peony wilt. Remove the infected leaves as soon as you can. Then be sure to always clean up the foliage (cut it down to the ground) in the fall to help prevent the fungus from overwintering on the foliage. Don’t put the diseased leaved in your compost bin. Either burn them or toss them into the trash.
Should the eyes to the plant be how deep in the dirt, and how much water do they like
They should be planted shallow, only about an inch or two under the dirt. Peonies have average watering needs, just never soggy soil.
I have always had a major problem with my peonies drooping. I have a peony support but the bush is much wider than the support. I guess I could buy a second one or maybe divide the plant. However, even for the ones it is supposed to support, it does not appear to do the job for the height of mine. My peonies grow over three feet high and just droop over the top of the support. Next year I will try the tomato cage or possibly try what I saw on a mini vacation. In a Rose Garden in Nay Aug Park, their peonies looked great. None were drooping to the ground. They had curved top green wire fencing placed around the bush which seemed to hold them in a nice display. I am not sure if their flowers were as tall as mine but it certainly made them look so nice, not messy like mine.
The other question I have is whether the peony bush can be pruned early in Spring to keep them from growing so tall. I have Montauk Daisy bushes that had the flowers drooping the first few years. I asked a local Botanical Garden person and was told I should trim the bush to half it’s size before the Fourth of July and the flowers will bloom to a manageabke height in September. It worked beautifully. I just came in from doing that. My next door neighbor never did that and the daisies would grow so leggy, they drooped over to my lawn. She tied them but that did not help. They also drooped as a bunch. So, is there any early Spring pruning trick for peonies or would that just remove all the buds?
Yes, it definitely sounds like you need a taller support for them. I have a few peony bushes that are really tall too, and I use tall stakes and wrap twine all the way around the bush to hold the flower stems up.
No, if you trim them they won’t bloom. Some peony varieties are just taller than others. But now you have me wondering what type of peony you have. Are you talking about peony bushes, or do you have a peony tree of some sort? The reason I’m asking is because peony bushes die down to the ground every year, and they flower shortly after the leaves unfurl in the spring. So, spring pruning would definitely keep the bush from flowering.
Hi Amy,
They are definitely bushes. I cut them straight down to the ground right after Halloween every year. I would need dozens of stakes to support them separately with twine. I must have close to three dozen flowers, maybe more. While I love how pretty the flowers are, they look so sad and messy once they droop over the top of the support ring. A local botanical garden has a peony tree. I love the way that looks.
Another websight mentioned de budding the central bud on each stem early in Spring when it is the size of a marble, leaving the smaller buds to bloom. They said it would lighten the load for the stem. I think mine would still droop. I will try again next year with different methods and let you know how I make out.
Maybe it’s time to divide them to make them more manageable? That’s another option to think about.
How do I start a bear root with at least three eyes? Will I need to stratify it for how long in soil? I live in Texas…how many days in refrigerator should I keep it before I plant into ground in Fall?
Humm, I’m not sure. Are you planning to dig them up and stratify them every year? It’s tough to grow peonies in warmer climates, since they need a period of cold dormancy in order to bloom. I would recommend you ask someone at your local garden center, since they are more familiar with your climate. Sorry I can’t help you out with this one. 🙁
I have also got a peony that has plenty of foliage but no flowers……it has not flowered for the past 3 years, i will have to find a sunny spot in the garden for it but I’m not sure about planting it, i recently brought another peony and have planted it although the planting instruction said to plant it 2.5cm in the ground which i have done but to be honest it doesn’t look too good, have you any advise on what i should do, does it need to be deeper in the ground?
If peonies are planted too deep, they won’t bloom. And yes, they do need full sun in order to bloom their best too. So, I would definitely move the ones you have to a full sun location. As for the new one, 2.5cm sounds like a good depth. They usually say to plant them just under the surface of the soil, and less than 2 inches deep.
how do i divide my peonies? someone said fall but i do not know how to divide them or exatly when,, also one of my peonies got mildew so i sprayed it will it come back? should cut it down and hope for the best or?? thank you
Yes, fall is the best time to divide and transplant peonies. Wait until the heat of summer is over before transplanting them. Just be sure to plant the divisions at the same depth as they were growing in their original spot, and they will be good to go. Your transplanted peony plants may not flower for the first year, and it may take a few years before they bloom in their full glory.
Are you saying your peonies died after you sprayed them? If so, that is concerning and I’m not sure if they will come back. It depends on what you sprayed on them.