How To Care For Peonies
6 Tips To Keep Peonies Fresh
You don’t need green fingers to be able to properly care for your peonies. You just need to follow these simple steps!
1. Buy Them At Closed Buds
When getting your peonies, choose the ones that are as closed as possible. It's tempting to get the pretty ones that have already fully bloomed, but those will only last a few days in your home, and they're more likely to get damaged during transit - petals falling off, etc. Buying them as buds requires a bit of patience, however it usually doesn't take long for them to open up.
2. Cut The Stems
When your bouquet arrives use some sharp shears / scissors to cut the stems down. You’ll want to cut about 3-5cm off to get rid of the dry ends so it’s easier for your peonies to drink their water.
3. Remove Some Leaves
If there are any low leaves that’ll sit in the water of your vase, make sure you remove them. The last thing you want is leaves falling or sitting into your water because this can cause nasty bacteria to build up, which your flowers definitely won’t appreciate.
4. Place Them In A Clean Vase
Make sure your vase is sparkling clean before filling it with lukewarm water and placing the peonies in it. If the vase is dusty this will dirty the water and the flowers will drink up all the bacteria.
5. Keep Away From Direct Sunlight
Peonies can be a tad high maintenance when it comes to finding a spot for them. While they enjoy a naturally sunny environment, it’s important to keep them out of direct sunlight so they don’t wilt. They’d also prefer it if they weren’t somewhere too drafty. We think that putting them on a side table in your living room, hallway, or any room that lets in lots of light, would be ideal.
You’ll need to avoid placing them near fresh fruit too. Fresh fruit actually gives off a chemical that causes your peonies to age prematurely. And that’s the last thing we want!
6. Water Them Regularly
It should go without saying really that you’ll need to water your peony bouquet regularly. Just like people, flowers need water to be their best, beautiful selves. Peonies do like to drink quite a lot so keep an eye on the water level and top it up whenever it’s looking low.