Peonies in the long run

Pastel snowballs in years

At our last house, springs were full of my favorite flower to grow - peonies. From the moment we moved in, I would dig several tubers into the ground every year, and those I already had kept coming back. Watching them bud, then expand into blush marshmallows, and finally explode into pale pastel snowballs, was one of my favorite pastimes.

I figured when we moved to our new house, just a few miles north, my yard would be bursting with peonies again in short order. That still hasn't happened yet. Every year since we got here, I have dug the tubers into the ground, and then . . . nothing happens. At this point, I have spent hundreds of dollars on zero peonies.

So, I decided this year would be different. Although peonies do best when started in the ground and don't love to be transplanted, I thought I would try them first in big 5-gallon buckets and then move the plants and cut them back this fall. I will finally get my beloved flowers back one way or another.

Of the six I planted, four have come up. I didn't expect any to flower this year, but at least I have some shoots and leaves - that's better than I've done since we moved to this house five years ago. Then in the last week, two plants started showing damage; some of their leaves are curling and dying like someone held a lighter up to them.