Shirley Temple Peony, a lovely peony cultivar, makes a superb cut flower and keeps well in vases for up to seventeen days, unlike its progenitor, the Festiva Maxima. The Chinese Peony ‘Shirley Temple blooms early, has huge, double blooms, and is resistant to weather and wildlife. Discover at homegardenartful.com!
Ornamental features
Late spring to early summer brings up the Shirley Temple Peony’s showy, lightly-scented white cup-shaped flowers with shell pink undertones and pink centers at the ends of the stems. The blossoms make wonderful cut flowers. Its complex leaves maintain their green color all year long.
Bouquets
The peony frequently begins life as a pale pink color before turning totally creamy white during the blooming process. It works well for bouquets because of the little to medium-sized blooms it produces. Every performance by Shirley Temple is a smashing success.
Preparation for Planting & Caring for Shirley Temple Peony Plants
- Although soil must be well-drained, manure or compost must be added in large quantities.
- To allow for the free spread of roots, thoroughly turn it over.
- Make sure it is planted in a location with full or partial sunshine.
- Protection from severe winds is required.
Plant Materials Opening
Put all container plants in a larger container of water, wait until the water stops bubbling, and then remove the plant.
Planting
- Before the first heavy frost (around October), peonies should be planted.
- Create a hole that is 6″ or broader on the sides and no deeper than the depth of the container.
- Tap the pot’s bottom to help the plant slide out of the container.
- For plants in plastic containers, remove the bottom 2″ of the root ball with a shovel or knife.
- Adjust the plant’s position by rotating it. Avoid moving or lifting plants by the tops.
- Put the root ball within the opening.
- So that the root crown is just above the surface of the earth, adjust the plant’s height.
- Fill the hole’s bottom with fertilizer packets (if purchased).
- Make sure that the top of the root ball is visible and a little higher than the soil around it before backfilling the hole with soil.
- Around the plant, compact the soil. To settle the dirt surrounding the root ball, water well.
- When a plant is young, water it frequently.
Pruning: Following Planting
The appearance of your new planting will benefit from a mild trimming to eliminate any broken branches during the shipping process and improve shape, even though it is not necessary to prune container plants after planting.
Throughout the Season, Pruning
Stems from spent flowers should be cut off, but the foliage should be left to naturally wither before being cut back.
Avoid removing the blooming stems from types of Paeonia that produce attractive berries.
Watering
After Planting It usually takes plants six weeks to develop new roots in the soil. Water plants as frequently as every 2-4 days at first and at least once per week during this time.
If it doesn’t rain after the initial six weeks, water once each week.
To check the soil’s wetness, insert your finger about 3″ into the ground.
Challenge
The countries with the most sunshine are the ones where Shirley Temple Peony does the best. Therefore, it can be difficult in a place like The Netherlands where sunlight is scarce. But for outstanding gardeners, it is possible, and it is well worth the extra effort to get this lovely peony.
Tip
Cut the stems of the Shirley Temple Peonies diagonally, and then rinse them in lukewarm water. Then it’s time for the show—add some sugar or flower food to the water, and turn on the spotlights! We also have a piece of advice for gardeners: Due to her susceptibility to Botrytis, Shirley Temple can be challenging to grow. So it could be a good idea to check your humidity beforehand.