Peonies

My peonies don't bloom well. What do I need to add to my soil and what kind of fertilizer do I need. Will Lime help?

Thanks,
Gloria

Anne's Response:

Peonies that bloom early in the season and cultivars with blooms that have a single row of petals do better in the south. Lime may help if you have used pine bark as mulch or composted oaks leaves as a soil amendment. Peonies need at least 6 hours of sun - and in the south you want as much of that as possible before the plants get hot afternoon sun.

The plants need a good period of cold weather in the winter. To let the soil get a bit colder I remove the mulch around my plants in December, January and February. The plants will benefit from an application of fertilizer with a slow-release nitrogen in the spring as the buds open.
They also benefit from the addition of potash in the winter. Some gardeners use the wood ashes from the fire place as a source of potash.