How to prune potted peonies

1. Just beginning to sprout

When the plants first begin to sprout, you should pay attention to their growth and prune them to avoid malnutrition in later growth. In early spring, when the plants are just beginning to sprout, remove diseased flower buds in time to prevent infection of other plants. If the plants are not blooming well, they should be removed. Cutting them off in advance can avoid competing for nutrients with the plants that are growing well.

2. After the flowers bloom and fade

After the flowering period is over, the withered flowers will remain on the stems. Removing the withered flowers can reduce nutrient consumption. Wilted leaves should also be removed, leaving buds on both sides of each branch, and all the branches and flower buds above should be cut off to prevent them from continuing to remain on the plant and consuming nutrients, which will be detrimental to later growth.

3. Entering dormancy

After entering winter, the plant will enter a dormant stage. This is the best time to remove overlapping branches, diseased branches, and weak branches. Large-scale pruning can stimulate the growth of other strong branches after removal. The other branches that grow well will sprout many flower buds next year.