I can't seem to find this in any of my gardening books - I have a peony
plant whose buds are now about the size of chickpeas. When's the best time
to cut a few stems to put in a vase? Now? When they show a bit of flower?
Next Tuesday?

"Doug Kanter" expounded:

I can't seem to find this in any of my gardening books - I have a peony
plant whose buds are now about the size of chickpeas. When's the best time
to cut a few stems to put in a vase? Now? When they show a bit of flower?
Next Tuesday?

When they are opening. If you cut them now, they'll just die.

--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************

"Ann" wrote in message
...
"Doug Kanter" expounded:

I can't seem to find this in any of my gardening books - I have a peony
plant whose buds are now about the size of chickpeas. When's the best
time
to cut a few stems to put in a vase? Now? When they show a bit of flower?
Next Tuesday?

When they are opening. If you cut them now, they'll just die.


Thank you, Ann.

To add a bit... the "perfect time" to cut them is when the buds are
soft like a marshmallow. Some added advice from an excommercial grower
with 1/4 acre of them to cut.... If you want big flowers pinch off the
side buds when they are tiny, if you leave them you get a bunch of
smaller flowers on a single stem, they look great either way. DO NOT
let them open on the plant for cut flowers! They won't last, maybe a
couple of days. Cut when I said and place the stems in HOT water (so
hot you can barely stand to hold your hand in it), add about a
teaspoon of vinegar, a tablespoon+ of sugar and if possible a drop of
bleach in a pint (2cups)of water, change the water every day (they
drink like fish the first couple of days), after day one the
"treatment" helps but isn't as nessacary. They will take a couple of
days to open, but they will last over a week, up to 2! treated like
this. Ohhh and when you get them in the house recut the stems under
water, it does work!


"Doug Kanter" wrote in message ...
"Ann" wrote in message
...
"Doug Kanter" expounded:

I can't seem to find this in any of my gardening books - I have a peony
plant whose buds are now about the size of chickpeas. When's the best
time
to cut a few stems to put in a vase? Now? When they show a bit of flower?
Next Tuesday?

When they are opening. If you cut them now, they'll just die.


Thank you, Ann.

Thanks! I like analogies like yours about the marshmallows! Now...I'm seeing
just a few ants crawling around the buds. I have a handgun permit. Should I
go out and start shooting (assuming it doesn't endanger the neighbors, or
Bob, the squirrel)? Or, spray them off with the hose? Yell at them? Or,
fuhgetaBOUTit because they don't matter?
-Doug

"jcart003" wrote in message
om...
To add a bit... the "perfect time" to cut them is when the buds are
soft like a marshmallow. Some added advice from an excommercial grower
with 1/4 acre of them to cut.... If you want big flowers pinch off the
side buds when they are tiny, if you leave them you get a bunch of
smaller flowers on a single stem, they look great either way. DO NOT
let them open on the plant for cut flowers! They won't last, maybe a
couple of days. Cut when I said and place the stems in HOT water (so
hot you can barely stand to hold your hand in it), add about a
teaspoon of vinegar, a tablespoon+ of sugar and if possible a drop of
bleach in a pint (2cups)of water, change the water every day (they
drink like fish the first couple of days), after day one the
"treatment" helps but isn't as nessacary. They will take a couple of
days to open, but they will last over a week, up to 2! treated like
this. Ohhh and when you get them in the house recut the stems under
water, it does work!


"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"Ann" wrote in message
...
"Doug Kanter" expounded:

I can't seem to find this in any of my gardening books - I have a
peony
plant whose buds are now about the size of chickpeas. When's the best
time
to cut a few stems to put in a vase? Now? When they show a bit of
flower?
Next Tuesday?

When they are opening. If you cut them now, they'll just die.


Thank you, Ann.

"Doug Kanter" expounded:


Thanks! I like analogies like yours about the marshmallows! Now...I'm seeing
just a few ants crawling around the buds. I have a handgun permit. Should I
go out and start shooting (assuming it doesn't endanger the neighbors, or
Bob, the squirrel)? Or, spray them off with the hose? Yell at them? Or,
fuhgetaBOUTit because they don't matter?

They don't matter. They don't do the peonies any harm, it's been
suggested that the peonies actually attract the ants with nectaries to
help protect the buds.

--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************

Ants are benign. They disturb some folks, but for no good reason. I
have seen other links in here that claim that the ants are needed....
no not at all, there couldn't be enough ants in my peony patch to get
to all the flowers. They don't harm anything either.... so enjoy your
peonies! and save the target practice for bambi.... bu that is another
thread.
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message et...
Thanks! I like analogies like yours about the marshmallows! Now...I'm seeing
just a few ants crawling around the buds. I have a handgun permit. Should I
go out and start shooting (assuming it doesn't endanger the neighbors, or
Bob, the squirrel)? Or, spray them off with the hose? Yell at them? Or,
fuhgetaBOUTit because they don't matter?
-Doug

"jcart003" wrote in message
om...
To add a bit... the "perfect time" to cut them is when the buds are
soft like a marshmallow. Some added advice from an excommercial grower
with 1/4 acre of them to cut.... If you want big flowers pinch off the
side buds when they are tiny, if you leave them you get a bunch of
smaller flowers on a single stem, they look great either way. DO NOT
let them open on the plant for cut flowers! They won't last, maybe a
couple of days. Cut when I said and place the stems in HOT water (so
hot you can barely stand to hold your hand in it), add about a
teaspoon of vinegar, a tablespoon+ of sugar and if possible a drop of
bleach in a pint (2cups)of water, change the water every day (they
drink like fish the first couple of days), after day one the
"treatment" helps but isn't as nessacary. They will take a couple of
days to open, but they will last over a week, up to 2! treated like
this. Ohhh and when you get them in the house recut the stems under
water, it does work!


"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"Ann" wrote in message
...
"Doug Kanter" expounded:

I can't seem to find this in any of my gardening books - I have a
peony
plant whose buds are now about the size of chickpeas. When's the best
time
to cut a few stems to put in a vase? Now? When they show a bit of
flower?
Next Tuesday?

When they are opening. If you cut them now, they'll just die.


Thank you, Ann.

Deer problems in your garden? :-)


"jcart003" wrote in message
om...
Ants are benign. They disturb some folks, but for no good reason. I
have seen other links in here that claim that the ants are needed....
no not at all, there couldn't be enough ants in my peony patch to get
to all the flowers. They don't harm anything either.... so enjoy your
peonies! and save the target practice for bambi.... bu that is another
thread.