Many growers are engaged in breeding pions, and the most common way of their reproduction is the division of the bush. The rhizome of the peony is an underground shoot, strongly branching. On it eyes are pawned - buds of renewal.
Unlike the multiplication of pions by seeds, division of the bush is less troublesome and at the same time gives guaranteed results. Let's find out what is needed for this.
How to multiply pions by dividing a bush?
First, the division of the peony bush is usually done in the fall or late summer. So it is necessary for young plots to take root well before frosts.
Secondly, for the division should be selected shrubs age 7-9 years. The fact is that old plants, if not divide, eventually start to bloom worse, and their flowers grow smaller. Peonies younger than 2-3 years are unsuitable for division, since the underground part of them has not yet grown.
So, the progress of the work on dividing the bush is as follows:
- Cut the stems off the bush that you are about to share.
- After retreating 40-50 cm, dig it in a circle.
- Take the plant out of the ground with the help of shovels, it is better from both sides. This should be done as carefully as possible so as not to damage the fragile accessory roots.
- Rinse the rhizome of the flower from the hose to see how the roots are intertwined.
- If possible, leave the excavated rhizome in a dry dark place for 1-2 days. During this time, it will cease to be so fragile, and it will be possible to start dividing.
- Cut the rhizome of the peony with a sharp knife, making the cutting area minimal.
- Cut the decayed places, if they exist, and sprinkle the sections with pounded activated carbon.
- Verify that each plot has at least 3 eyes and at least 2 additional roots with a thickness of 1 cm and a length of 5 cm.
When multiplying pions by dividing the bush, we rejuvenate the mother plant. This procedure must be done necessarily, so that the peony bush during long years pleased you with its flowering.