Depending on your climate and peony type, peonies can begin blooming as early as April or flower well into June. Whenever these showstopping blooms grace your garden, they’re among the most reliable perennials. They’re also incredibly long-lived—heirloom plants can be passed down through generations—and generally low-maintenance. But they do need deadheading, or the removal of spent blooms, and getting it wrong can weaken flowering the following season.
Ahead, garden experts explain the most common deadheading mistakes and how to avoid them.
Don’t Cut Back Peony Foliage When Deadheading Blooms
“One of the most common mistakes gardeners make is cutting the foliage back too early when deadheading spent blooms,” says Jane Fairlie, a technical manager at garden-care company Doff.
While removing faded blooms is beneficial, the leaves need to stay in place so the plant can continue building up reserves. You should leave the foliage alone until fall, then cut peonies back to ground level once the leaves have yellowed.
“While it can feel tidier to remove everything at once, peonies rely on their leaves to build energy for the next season’s flowers, so removing healthy foliage too soon can significantly reduce bloom size and quality the following year,” Jane says.
Check Peonies 2 to 3 Times a Week and Remove Fading Flowers
Elise Harlock, floral expert at online retailer Prestige Flowers, says: “Pruning is an important part of the care process when it comes to peonies. A common mistake people make is not deadheading them regularly enough.”
During the flowering season, gardeners should check peonies two to three times a week and remove blooms as soon as they start to fade. This keeps plants looking tidy, reduces the risk of fungal problems caused by decaying petals, and prevents the plant from wasting energy on seed production.
Where to Cut When Deadheading Peonies
Jane adds: “Another frequent error is deadheading too low on the stem. It’s important to remove only the spent flower head, cutting just above a strong leaf node, rather than stripping the stem back. This helps the plant continue photosynthesizing effectively.”
Elise agrees, advising “snipping them off just above the first set of leaves on the stem.”
Remember: The aim when deadheading is to remove the spent blooms without sacrificing the foliage that will fuel next year’s flowers.
