A vacation on Balconies? If there is a blooming peony in the background, soaking up the sun is twice as much fun. But is this plant actually suitable for balcony cultivation? What demands does she have?
Can peonies be grown on the balcony?
Peonies can be cultivated on the balcony as long as they are in a deep terracotta pot with a capacity of at least 10 liters and are not exposed to stagnant heat. Preferably choose east or west balconies and care for the plant with regular watering, fertilizing, pruning and winter protection.
Balconies suitable for peony cultivation
If you would like to put a peony on your balcony, you should remember that these plants do not like stagnant heat. This often happens on south-facing balconies in summer. Temperatures rise to over 40 °C. These plants suffer from this. Therefore, it is recommended to only cultivate peonies on balconies that face east or west.
Find a suitable planter and fill it with soil
Can you find a suitable location? Then, after purchasing the peony, you can immediately plant it in a pot. Only large pots with a capacity of at least 10 liters are suitable as planters. The pot should be deep enough as peonies are deep-rooted. Terracotta pots are good (€79.00 at Amazon).
In general, you should keep in mind that shrub peonies are easier to cultivate on the balcony than perennial peonies. How to plant them depending on the species:
- Perennial peonies: Cover buds with soil by a maximum of 5 cm
- Shrub peonies: Place the grafting site 5 to 10 cm deep underground
What care does the peony on the balcony need?
It is not uncommon for peonies in the pot on the balcony not to bloom. Even the best care doesn't help. But you should definitely take this into account when caring for it:
- Keep soil moist
- fertilize every 1 to 2 weeks from March and until August
- cut off spent flowers
- Pruning perennial peonies in autumn
Precautionary measures are required in winter. Peonies are actually winter hardy. But on the balcony their roots would freeze without protection. Place them on the wall of the house after you have cut them back and cover them with brushwood or: Plant them out!
Tip
There are now small peony breeds that are perfect for container cultivation. These include, for example, the variety 'Little Medicine Man'.
