I am sure there are quite a few of you on here with a "Green Thumb" and I am looking for some pointers. My Neice is getting married this coming Saturday and has her heart set on having some of my Peonies in her bouquet. With the crazy weather we have had, they aren't opened yet and are just a ball about the size of a walnut. Does anyone know of a way to "accelerate" them blooming, either on the stem or cut?

No first hand experience with forcing peonies but maybe this will help??

Link

Another Link

…. Urinate on them under a full moon during a gun smoke rerun

Thank you! It says heat is the secret to getting them to open. I don't own a hair dryer so I am wondering if I can just build a mini greenhouse over one of the patches of flowers to raise the temp. Has anyone ever tried that?



There isn't much around here that doesn't get whizzed on. The world is my urinal.

Look at the second link I just added

Again, thank you! I see they referenced Savell in the second article you posted too.

"But a few? They never opened up–not even a little. They just stayed a bud for their entire life."

Can’t you just put them under the grow light with your other ‘plants’?

Maury, you have a gift. Just when I think you couldn't be more annoying you post something like this. How much longer are you going to continue to use your kids account here?

The clear plastic tent idea would be your best bet, but not sure a week is going to be enough. Dont cook them though. It will get way hot under plastic even on only a semi-warm day if not vented. If the bud is soft, but firm like a marshmallow you might have a chance. You could also cut some and go ahead and put them in a warm room if they are at that stage.

Walnut size? I'd say no you can't force them. I know you can cut stems and chill them to delay opening. Never heard of forcing them to open.

Utube April 12, 2019 on forcing peonies to open

Can you find some elsewhere and do a clandestine substitution?

They need ants. The bud is held together by a film that the ants eat. Once the ants eat or cut the film the petals can separate and open. Without ants they will not open.

Ok I usually let most misinformation slide on here, but this is completely untrue, old wives tale whatever you want to call it. Ants have nothing to do with when or how peonies bloom.

I thought day length. My pink pee-on-neese bloom time
differs from white.

Did notice squirrels working the film on rhody buds.

My grandmother was never wrong. I’d post a picture but the site is no longer allowing me to post one.

NEyotetrapper. My grandmother was never wrong. Here is a picture of one with the benefit of ants.

https://youtu.be/UxAMXltNyrM?feature=shared


My wife has over 70 Peonies and she said it's hard to force them to open. Maybe pouring warm water on them.

Never had a problem getting mine to open. Patience grasshopper.....





The pink ones do open later than the white ones,

Correct