Recently, in the plots with the onset of spring, you can see many different colors. But peonies are especially popular. They managed to win the hearts of gardeners due to their beauty and ease of cultivation.
Festiva Maxima Peony (Paeonia Festiva Maxima) - what kind of variety
The Maxim Festival variety is one of the brightest representatives of peonies. It was brought out by breeders in the early 19th century. Herbaceous culture is a perennial, which is characterized by the fall of shoots during the onset of the first frost. Peony Festival is attributed to the milk-flowering group, due to the characteristic color of peduncles.
What does the peony of the Maxim Festival look like
The plant has a sprawling bush, reaching a height of up to 1.5 meters. The stem is strewn with wide leaves, dark green color. With the help of leaves, the plant manages to maintain decorative properties even after a flowering period. The shoots of the peony are strong, so the bush during flowering does not need a garter.
The description says that the peduncle of the peony ends with a double inflorescence, with a diameter of more than 20 cm, of a milky color. In the middle of the flower, there are red dots on the tips of terry petals. The buds on the bush can hold for 2-3 weeks, after which they crumble.
The positive characteristics include the following:
- A perennial plant does not require frequent transplantation. Peony can grow in one place for more than 20 years.
- An adult bush can withstand a temperature drop of -40 degrees, so it does not need shelter for the winter.
- Rarely exposed to disease and attacked by pests.
Huge and lush bushes began to be widely used in landscape design. Peonies are planted both in group and single plantings, used to design flower beds. They also combine with other perennials and are suitable for creating borders.
Peony Festiva Maxima is perfect for cutting buds that will decorate the interior of the house. And also fill it with aroma.
Attention! Cut flower stalks can last more than 2 weeks.
Peony Festival is a sun-loving plant. But light partial shade will not prevent him from releasing inflorescences. On the contrary, it will save the bush from direct sunlight.
Growing a flower, how to plant in open ground
Before embarking on the planting of any herbaceous plant, including Peony Festival Maxim, it is necessary to choose a suitable place and planting material. The best place will be illuminated areas with loose and nutritious soil. It is undesirable to plant a peony in the shade or in a draft, this can lead to the death of the bush.
Peony propagation by root cuttings
The procedure for transplanting or planting a perennial plant is best begun in late August, or the first decade of September. So that the bush has time to grow stronger and take root before the onset of frost.
Important! If you plant a peony in October, the plant will not have time to grow stronger. As a result, flowering will come only in a year. And with a sharp autumn cooling with frosts, it can die at all.
A grassy bush propagates by seeds or root cuttings. The seed propagation method is used for wild species.
How the peony is planted by root cuttings:
- First, marking the site. It is necessary to take into account the size of the future bush, adhering to the distance between peonies up to 1 meter.
- Depending on the size, they dig a hole with a depth of at least 0.5 m.
- At the bottom of the pit organize drainage. Expanded clay and gravel are suitable for this. Compost and sand are poured on top of the drain.
- A seedling is placed in the prepared pit so that its buds deepen 3-5 cm below the ground.
- Next, you need to fill the stem with loose soil, gently tamping it.
- After planting, peony is abundantly watered with warm water. At the same time, add a layer of soil so that there is no void between the roots.
Advice! Autumn plantings can be mulched so that the plant grows stronger and quickly takes root.
Plant care
Peony is not a demanding plant. It is enough to carry out the main agricultural activities in a timely manner:
- watering:
- loosening;
- weeding;
- top dressing;
- mulching.
Watering is carried out as the soil dries. The first time the bush is watered with plenty of water in spring, when the buds open. Further during flowering. And the last watering in autumn, after flowering. During this period, the laying of kidney growth occurs.
Important! Do not allow stagnation of water near the bush. This can lead to his death and decay of the roots.
The main stage will be weeding and loosening of the plant. Weeding should occur as grass sprouts. Loosening is best done in the summer after watering. This will help remove excess moisture. In the spring and autumn, loosening is best avoided so as not to damage the buds of the plant.
Peony care in the garden
Peonies do not need organic fertilizers. But mineral fertilizers must be applied three times during the growing season:
- the spring period when the swelling of the kidneys occurs;
- during the formation of buds;
- in the fall, when the bush lays buds for the winter.
The best minerals are nitrogen, potassium, superphosphate. They are available in special store complexes.
Flowering Peony Festival Maxim
Flowering at the peony begins at 3 years of its life. But the buds may appear in the first season. It is better to remove them so that the plant gains strength. Flowering begins in early June and lasts almost until the end of July. The duration of the process depends on the growing conditions and care that is provided to the bush.
Attention! To achieve large buds, only central peduncles are left on the shoots, and the rest are removed. During flowering, dried inflorescences should be removed from the bush.
Often there are situations when peonies do not bloom. There are many reasons for this:
- Incorrect choice of a place for landing;
- frequent plant transplantation;
- improper bush planting;
- insufficient amount of minerals;
- unsuitable soil;
- lack or excess of moisture;
- the development of bush diseases or pests.
If you do not allow possible reasons during the cultivation of peonies, the bush will delight its owner with beauty and fragrance.
Peonies after flowering
In autumn, a peony is prepared for winter. All shoots and leaves are cut off from it after they dry. Cutting should be carried out so that on each branch there are 2 leaves. Dried inflorescences will inform about the period of the end of flowering.
Peony care after flowering
In autumn, it is important to feed the bushes with fertilizers. They are brought into the grooves formed next to the bush so that they do not fall under the root and burn it.
Another major concern in the fall is transplanting. If the bush is large, it can be transplanted in the fall, this is the most favorable time.
The bush does not need shelter for the rest period. During the winter, the area around the roots is lightly sprinkled with peat or dry pine needles.
Diseases, pests and ways to combat them
A unique variety of peonies is disease resistant. If improper care is carried out, the herbaceous plant can undergo various diseases. You should know the most common of them:
- Gray rot. It is formed with high humidity, soil acidity, an overabundance of fertilizer applied. If a disease is detected, the affected areas are removed from the plant and the bush is treated with fungicides.
- Root rot. It is observed when there is an excess of moisture or stagnation of water near the bush. If a disease is detected, it is necessary to transplant the peony bush, removing the rotted parts of the root. Then treat with systemic fungicides.
- Rust. Appears as a spotting on the leaves of a plant. The affected leaves should be removed, sprayed with chemicals. For preventive purposes, all dried up and affected parts of the bush are burned in the autumn.
- Nematodes. Small worms that form on the roots. When digging a bush and detecting parasites, it is necessary to treat the planting material with fungicides. The main signal for the appearance of nematodes is a lag in the development of the peony.
- Ants. Appear during the ovary buds. To get rid of them, just spray the bush with Fufanol solution.
Peony leaves affected by gray rot
Peony of the Maxim Festival managed to establish itself as a plant resistant to various diseases and severe frosts. Perennial is famous among gardeners, has gained popularity due to its large and double inflorescences. It is also known for its unpretentiousness in care and is widely used in landscape design.
