Should peonies be cut back in the fall? Experts share top tips on pruning at the right time to get glorious returning blooms

Few flowers top the showy blooms of peonies. This perennial is a cottage garden favorite, loved for its pompom-like blooms and subtle jasmine scent. It can be a sad sight to watch the flowers fade in fall, but knowing when to cut them back can ensure that their blooms return even better than before.

Knowing when to cut back peonies is among the most important things you can do when learning to grow peonies. While this flower is not too tricky to care for, it requires an annual prune for maintained health. Plus, cutting back peonies once their flowers are spent can encourage impressive blooms to appear again next spring.

That isn't to say that peonies won't survive through winter and into next spring without being pruned, however, pruning in fall will help them thrive when they do return. We've spoken to garden experts to find out more about cutting back peonies in fall and they shared their top tips for getting the job done.

Should peonies be cut back in the fall? 

Yes, fall is the perfect time to prune your herbaceous and Itoh peonies. When your plants start to show these signs of wilting and yellowing foliage, it's time to get your pruning shears out. Here are some expert tips for cutting back your peonies in the fall.

Cut peonies back for next season's growth

The main reason for cutting back peonies in fall is to protect the health of your plants for the next growing season. 'As with any flower, it is important to prune for the plant’s good health and encourage new growth Cutting away dead foliage also helps control insects and disease,' says Lisa Fontanarosa, flower grower and stylist.

'You should wait until the foliage turns yellow. This indicates that the plant has gone dormant and has stored up all the nutrients it needs for the winter,' says Juan Palacio, the CEO of BloomsyBox. 'Cutting back too early can deprive the plant of these essential nutrients.'

When your peony has discolored and wilted, it's time to grab your pruners to get the job done. It's best to use sharp tools to get clean cuts, like these bypass pruning shears from Amazon, and make sure to clean your gardening tools after use to prevent the spread of pests and diseases between plants.

Lisa Fontanarosa

Lisa is an experienced flower grower, flower stylist and interior stylist. She also has experience operating a lavender farm in New Mexico.

Juan Palacio

Juan Palacio is the proud founder of BloomsyBox, a Miami-based floral subscription company. BloomsyBox has made it onto the prestigious Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in the US for two consecutive years. To ensure the sustainability of his business, Juan has returned to his roots in South America to cultivate relationships with sustainable flower farms.

Cut peonies back before winter

As Lorraine Ballato, the resident flower expert at New York Botanical Garden, suggests, your peonies should be cut back in fall before frost to improve their overall health. However, before cutting, it is essential to note that the act may not cure some plant diseases.

'It is highly likely that by the end of the season, your peonies have acquired leaf spot disease and other peony pests. Most often, it is botrytis, but it could be another of these fungal issues,' Lorraine says.

'The bad news is that all fungal spores overwinter unless you are in extremely cold climates like most northern Canadian provinces. So next season, when the conditions are right, those spores will reinfect your plant and at the least mar the foliage.'

Usually, these fungal diseases won't kill your flower, but they can make it more unsightly. 'Since no part of a peony is beneficial to native insects, cutting them back doesn't deprive those insects of their winter needs,' the expert adds. Therefore cutting peonies back to remove diseased leaves before frost kicks in is a key part of winterizing peonies.

You might also want to consider applying this copper fungicide from Amazon in the next growing season to protect your peonies from fungal diseases.

Lorraine Ballato

Lorraine Ballato is a flower expert and the the author of the international best selling book 'Success with Hydrangeas', available at Amazon. She is also an in-demand speaker throughout the US and the resident hydrangea expert at the New York Botanical Garden. 

FAQs

Should peonies be cut back to the ground in the fall?

Knowing when to cut peonies is vital to your plant's health, but how far to cut them is another significant question at this time of the year.

Lorraine Ballato suggests cutting your peonies to the ground before leaving time to inspect the base of your plant. 'This would be a good time to pull back the mulch from the crown of the plant if it has shifted during the season,' she says.

One of the things you may not know about peonies is that if it's planted too deeply (or the growing buds are more than two inches below ground), the plant might not flower. 'At the least, flowering will be reduced. Those little eyes must have some sort of light, so the 2-inch rule works well for them,' Lorraine says.

'While you're at it, you could inspect whatever irrigation you have for your plant. Drought conditions are likely to occur next season, so you can get a little ahead of that issue now when it is more pleasant to be working outside.'

Fall is the ideal time to cut back your peonies, eradicate any pests and diseases for next year's growth and prepare your plant for winter. Make sure to read up on peony pruning mistakes before you get started with this fall task.

When maintaining your fall garden, it is also a good idea to compost your peony cuttings. However, Lorraine warns that you should only compost clippings if they are disease-free. 'Otherwise, they should get bagged and put in the trash. You don’t want to have those fungal spores in your garden, ever.'