"Sheila" wrote in message
...


Pam - gardengal wrote:
You can successfully hold peony
buds in cold storage for months at a time (and have blooming peonies in
December, for example), but it requires planning ahead. And it's a
little
late in the game now.

Can you do this in a regular refrigerator, and how do you do this, just
cut the bud and put it in water? I love peonies and would like to be
able to extend the time that I could have fresh peonies in the house.

Sheila

Cut when in bud, wrap loosely and gently in a barely moistened paper towel
and store in the refrigerator crisper in an open plastic bag. Be sure not
keep anything else in the frig that can emit ethylene gas - any kind of
fruit, even tomatoes. This will cause the flowers to rot. Once they are
removed, recut the stems and place in a tall container of lukewarm water.
They should open within a day.

I have to say I've never tried this myself, but I saw it on an episode of
"The Perennial Gardener" and I was pretty impressed - they had blooming
peonies for a Christmas bouquet.

pam - gardengal