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Fern leaf peonies

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Sunnyday2day  Send Sunnyday2day a private message!



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Posted on Saturday, April 28, 2007 - 06:46 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Once these are mature (say 5 yrs. old) can they be divided? If so, what is the method?

Sunnyday2day - Tanya-Michigan, Zone "5"
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Diggersdeb  Send Diggersdeb a private message!




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Posted on Friday, May 04, 2007 - 04:51 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

They are simple and easy to thin. They grow like weeds for us and we have to thin them every 3 years. This clump was started 5 years ago with 6 starters.

It was that size the 3rd year and overwhelming Gourmet Popcorn and Si. I know... what was I thinking planting between a mini and a micromini?? We need to thin this clump again. It will go dormant in late August. Once it goes dormant, I just dig them up. The knobs (don't know the name) separate easily. I replant the ones that will stay immediately. The rest are given to friends or planted in other spots in the yard.
We may start thinning this clump every other year. Almost forgot.. I took that photo May 1 because it already has a bloom opening. It is on the other side. The pic showing it didn't look as good as this one :) It is the earliest blooms have opened by about 2 weeks. Strange weather this spring.

Ooops, this is actually digger.

Edit: the number of plants double each year. If we don't thin them... they don't have room and will decrease in number if too crowded. Part of that is because I keep them about 4 inches apart when replanting. (we like the look of the tight clumps) If you planted with more room you can probably wait longer between thinnings. I don't plant very deep either, only about an inch of cover over the knobs.

Debbie Montana 4b/5a
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Posted on Friday, May 04, 2007 - 08:39 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

That's a superb plant. You are lucky they do so well for you. They are very expensive here!

Galanthophile - Ann (Northern England), Zone "8"
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Posted on Friday, May 04, 2007 - 09:11 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Thank you soooo much Deb...I didn't know about micro minis...I must look into those! If you have time, could you elaborate more on them? This is one plant I really love so I want to give it the TLC it deserves.

Sunnyday2day - Tanya-Michigan, Zone "5"
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Posted on Sunday, May 06, 2007 - 09:32 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Thank you Ann, we consider ourselves very lucky :) They are very expensive here too. They never are in nurseries long enough to go on sale. People snap them up $80 each as fast as they appear. That pic is of our newest clump and contains 44 plants. It was started there when I saw a neighbor about to rototill the 6 plants under. He moved into a late friend's home and didn't want all those flowers... I dug them up and put them there because it was the only spot available at the moment. We got all our fernleafs free :)

Our pleasure Tanya :) Si is the only micromini we have. Deb just loved the tiny blooms.

Si isn't supposed to be hardy here but I figured it had the best chance planted in the ground. We got it in 2001. Si has been the first rose to bloom in our yard every spring since then. It gets about 8 inches tall and wide.
The only thing I can think of right away is to not baby them too much. A neighbor across the alley in back keeps using potting soil and overwatering. She can't understand why they don't thrive for her. I keep telling her to just amend our clay topsoil and water them less. I gave up. You can lead a horse to water....

She got pushed out of shape when I wouldn't give her any last year. We had given her 6 to 10 plants per year since 1998 or so. I was tired of giving plants a death sentence. I pointed out some left in Edna's yard that were doing better with no care than hers were. She stole those. I imagine she will kill them too.
I don't give them as much water as I do the roses. I soak the roses around them as I go through and give the fernleafs about half as much. They get fed MiracleGro same as the roses get.

They are a lot tougher than they look. We usually get some snow about now. It will flatten them and they spring back up after the snow melts. I do have rocks built up around the 2 biggest clumps to keep them from flopping on the ground.

Digger - Montana, Zone "4b/5a"
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Posted on Sunday, May 06, 2007 - 10:58 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

I am so glad for the information, Dave. Isn't it sad that people would plow them under or 'love them to death.' I don't get overly fussy with my plants either...I just have too many to do so. That micro mini is adorable and talk about healthy looking!

Sunnyday2day - Tanya-Michigan, Zone "5"
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Posted on Sunday, May 06, 2007 - 11:33 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Oh... Oh, Digger, I've been waiting for you to post pics of your plant. I still really want to get one, but last year was the first year I heard of anyone around here having a few and they were selling for $95. Too steep for my pocket book. I just wish you were closer so I could get some of your extra's when you divide. I guess I'll just have to admire yours.. for now.

Bloomorelse - New Brunswick, Zone "4b"
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Posted on Sunday, May 06, 2007 - 11:45 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

An impressive clematis! Stunning!

Ingmarie Sweden Zone 1 USD zone 6
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Posted on Sunday, May 06, 2007 - 10:03 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

I can't bring myself to pay the $$$ for them here but I think they're gorgeous. What an amazing clump, Dave!

SusanQ - Zone 4b-5b Wisconsin
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Posted on Monday, May 07, 2007 - 07:51 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Thanks everyone :) As much as I like the fernleafs... I wouldn't pay the prices they want for these. Free is very nice. I've also wondered if that neighbor is selling her plants in fall. You have to try to kill them in this area. I was thinning the branches on an apple tree in Edna's old yard yesterday for the new tenants. I noticed some fernleafs in the east bed. They have had no care since Edna passed away in 2002. They were struggling but looked pretty good. The tenant thought they were weeds and was going to pull them up. I thought about telling them I would dig the rascals up for them :) Resisted the temptation and told them what they were. Showed them what the fernleafs looked like in our yard. They say they are going to start caring for them.

Digger - Montana, Zone "4b/5a"
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Posted on Monday, May 07, 2007 - 08:09 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Oh those are simply divine! I couldn't pay that price for them, but oh so pretty!

I have two Peonies and I'm anxiously waiting for the buds to start opening. One bush seems like she'll be showing off sometime soon, but every time I think that I end up having to wait longer! That bush is larger and has more and larger buds than the other one, so I'm thinking I'll be seeing them bloom for a while if I'm lucky =)

Marvie - Virginia, Zone "8"
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Posted on Friday, May 11, 2007 - 04:43 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

They are impressive They look like they have silvermound leaves. I never seen peony,s like that before.Probably won,t grow in Ontario.

Perennial_lady - Ontario, Zone "5a"
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Posted on Saturday, May 12, 2007 - 07:23 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Thank you :) Edna got her first fernleaf peonies from a friend in Wisconsin. The picture I saw of the friend and her fernleafs was pretty impressive.

Digger - Montana, Zone "4b/5a"
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Posted on Saturday, May 12, 2007 - 07:48 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Digger wrote on Monday, May 07, 2007 - 07:51 am:

As much as I like the fernleafs... I wouldn't pay the prices they want for these. Free is very nice.


Can you imagine my shock when they were priced at $14.99???!!! When my sister and I got home, we looked at our receipts and they both showed that she charged us $13.99 each. I'm just delighted to know that given your instructions, they will be easy to divide.

Sunnyday2day - Tanya-Michigan, Zone "5"
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Posted on Sunday, May 13, 2007 - 08:25 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

My daughter is in Calgary, so I asked her to check out there for me. She called me yesterday and said she had been to 4 nurseries and none had them. The 1st one told her they order 10 only each year and they charge $100. each. I will have to visit Montana this Fall for a honeymoon trip and since that's the time to divide them, maybe I could wash off all the earth from a couple of your extra's Digger, that way I wouldn't be transporting any pest through Customs. Or, I could put one in each bra cup. Hee hee.

Bloomorelse - New Brunswick, Zone "4b"
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Posted on Saturday, May 19, 2007 - 07:26 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

LOL, if you can come by... we will make sure you don't leave disappointed :)

Tanya, that is more like it. I would spend that much for one... if I had to :)

Digger - Montana, Zone "4b/5a"
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Posted on Saturday, May 19, 2007 - 08:05 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Dave, I wonder why they are so expensive when they are easy to divide?

Sunnyday2day - Tanya-Michigan, Zone "5"
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Posted on Saturday, May 19, 2007 - 08:36 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

I have no idea. Your price seems more in line with reality. Even at that price... a half dozen would be expensive. We figure 6 is the minimum number to start with. We may have to transplant a couple hundred to our yard in the next couple weeks. I hate moving them before they go dormant though I have had good luck doing so. Only about one in ten have died the two times I had to. Edna's sister, Luella, is in a nursing home and won't be able to leave. The family is back in Minnesota and have to sell the house. Lu insists all her fernleafs are to go to us. She gets very upset when I suggest she could get a lot of money by selling them.

Digger - Montana, Zone "4b/5a"
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Posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - 07:48 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Digger, wouldn't you be able to ship them in the Fall if there was no soil on them? Isn't the soil the problem when shipping over the border ? If you find you can, put my name on the list. I'd pay a fair price.

Bloomorelse - New Brunswick, Zone "4b"
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Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 04:24 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message