How to Grow a Coral Charm Peony in Missouri

Test the soil pH in a well-draining area open to full sunlight at least six months before planting. “Coral Charm” peonies do best in soil with a pH ranging from 6.5 to 7.0. Add 7 to 8 pounds of garden limestone per 100 square feet of soil to raise the pH by one point, or add 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of sulfur to lower the pH by one point, until you reach the ideal range. Test the soil pH the peonies grow in each year at the same time, and amend it as needed to maintain a pH of 6.5 to 7.0.

Amend the soil with 1 to 2 inches of composted manure or matured compost and work it in 12 to 14 inches deep, using a garden fork for the task.

Plant the “Coral Charm” peony tubers in 2-foot-wide, 18-inch-deep holes spaced 3 to 4 feet apart, with the pink buds, located on the end of the tuber opposite the roots, facing up. Add excavated soil to the bottom of the hole as needed to lift the tuber so the buds, also known as eyes, set no more than 2 inches below soil level.

Water the soil after planting with enough water to reach the bottom of the buried roots. If the roots reach 4 to 5 inches deep, which is normal for a “Coral Charm,” water the soil to a depth of 4 or 5 inches. Water the soil after planting to a depth of 4 to 5 inches every 10 to 14 days. Water the peonies with about 1 inch of water a week after flowering.

Spread a 1- to 2-inch layer of composted manure or matured compost over the soil, keeping it about 2 inches away from the peony stems, when the stems reach 2 to 3 inches tall in spring. You can also sprinkle 2 pounds of water-soluble, slow-release 5-10-10 or 5-10-5 fertilizer over the soil instead of manure. Water the soil with 1 to 2 inches of water after fertilizing to help the fertilizer dissolve.

Insert a double peony ring support in the ground around the stalk after it reaches 2 to 3 inches tall. “Coral Charm” develops large, heavy flowers that cause the stalks to bend to the ground unless staked.

Mix 1 tablespoon of Bordeaux mixture containing 13.3 percent copper with 1 pint of water in a spray bottle when the first new growth emerges. Spray the stems and shoots until covered for effective primary prevention against disease. Spray again if you see discolored, wilting or dying stalks, signs of a blight disease. Spray every seven to 10 days as needed.

Pinch off the spent flower heads after flowering, also referred to as deadheading.

Cut down old stems to ground level in fall just after the first frost of the season using sterilized pruning shears. Don’t compost the old stems.