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Fail-To-Bloom on peony

peony with fail-to-bloom

What's Happening

Planting the eyes (buds) of the peony too deep. If the eyes are more than 2 inches below the soil surface, the plant will fail to produce flower buds.

How to Fix It

  1. 1

    Carefully excavate the soil around the crown in early fall.

  2. 2

    Lift the plant and reposition it so that the red eyes are exactly 1 to 2 inches below the surface.

  3. 3

    Ensure the soil is firm enough that the plant doesn't sink further.

How to Prevent It

Avoid adding thick layers of mulch directly over the peony crown.

Related Problems

View all peony diagnoses →

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes fail-to-bloom on my plant?
Planting the eyes (buds) of the peony too deep. If the eyes are more than 2 inches below the soil surface, the plant will fail to produce flower buds.
How do I fix fail-to-bloom?
Carefully excavate the soil around the crown in early fall.. Lift the plant and reposition it so that the red eyes are exactly 1 to 2 inches below the surface..
How do I prevent fail-to-bloom from happening again?
Avoid adding thick layers of mulch directly over the peony crown.