Peonies "Highlight": description of the variety, subtleties of planting and care

The ancient Slavs, who believed in the existence of gods, believed that every spring the sun god Yarilo, sending lightning to the Earth, awakens it from winter sleep. The earth wakes up, preens, blushes the face with paints (flowers), weaves golden ribbons (fields) into braids, takes out beautiful outfits (forests, meadows) from chests.

A beautiful fairy tale, and for sure the "Highlight" peony was one of the most favorite shades of blush and lipstick in the "cosmetic bag" of the Earth, since the beauty of this flower leaves no one indifferent.

Peony Highlight is a perennial herb, a milky-flowered species, was introduced to the general public in 1952 in the United States by breeder Auten Edward. The type of peony is incredibly splendid. It is created by large, double inflorescences on tall, sturdy stems. The inflorescence petals are dark red, intense color, like tongues of burning flame. Greenery with leaves of a trifoliate, carved form retains its decorative appearance until late autumn.

Peony Highlight is a late-flowering variety that blooms at the end of August with a flowering period of 2-3 weeks.

Planting material for breeding peony "Highlight" is prepared in spring, when the plant comes out of dormancy and "comes to life". However, it is not recommended to plant young seedlings in a permanent place in the spring, since there is a high probability of damage to the delicate roots during planting, which will make the peony weak and unviable. The hot spring sun, which will dry out the sprout, will aggravate the situation.

In the spring, planting material is placed in pots with a weak nutritional composition, kept until April in a cold room (glazed loggia, garage), at the end of April, planted with a pot in light soil near bushes that create shade. Seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place in late August - early September, when the roots of the plant will get stronger and will not be injured when planting. Autumn rains keep the soil moist, which is beneficial for the rooting of the peony.

Breeding is carried out in several ways:

• pruning;
• parts of the root;
• layering;
• air layering;
• seeds.

Harvesting of the cut is done in stages.

1. In late March - early April, the peony rhizome digs in at a distance of 25-30 centimeters from the stems.
2. With a sharp shovel or secateurs, the adventitious roots are cut off with a thickness of more than 1.5 centimeters.
3. The cut off roots are divided into parts of 10-12 centimeters, with several adventitious roots and 3-4 buds of renewal.
4. Each section is carefully examined, the found rotten roots are removed.
5. Sprinkle fresh cuts on the cuttings and on the main rhizome with crushed coal.
6. Before planting in the ground, the planting material is kept for some time in a solution of potassium permanganate (3 grams per 10 liters of water).

For quick survival, it is recommended that the delenka be dipped in a solution with the following composition: 2 tablets of heteroauxin are dissolved in 10 liters of water, 50 grams of copper sulfate and clay are added. A solution of the consistency of thick sour cream is prepared, the planting material is immersed in it, then the cuttings are taken out of the solution and dried.

In nature, the wild peony (Maryin root) lives on dry slopes, illuminated by the sun, open meadows and on the banks of rivers.Peony Highlight also prefers dry, loamy places with a neutral soil reaction to acidity. Excessive acidity of the soil is neutralized sprinkling under the root of wood ash.

A step-by-step guide to planting.

1. They dig a hole 60x60x60 centimeters in order to put a plant feed into it with a margin for many years.
2. At the bottom of the pit, drainage is laid with a layer of 25 centimeters of broken brick, pieces of wood, pebbles, coarse sand.
3. The top dressing layer is covered with a layer of 30 centimeters, which includes humus, compost, lime, wood ash.
4. From above, the pit is filled to the top with earth mixed with compost and left to shrink for 10 days.
5. After 10 days, the roots of the seedling are placed in the recess of the hole formed during shrinkage, and sprinkled with a layer of earth 4-5 centimeters, without covering the root collar.

The soil in the hole must be constantly moist for the plant to take root as quickly as possible. Taking into account the growth of the bush, the distance between the seedlings should be at least 1.5 meters.

Young plants are not recommended to be fed and fertilized a lot. The peony is fed 1 time at the beginning of the season with organic matter and the second time with mineral fertilizers before flowering. Top dressing of young plants is carried out by the foliar method. A small seedling is watered more often than an adult plant. An adult plant is watered once a week with 2 buckets of water.

Pruning the ground part of the peony in preparation for winter is carried out after the onset of stable frosts. The place of trimming is covered with a layer of compost. Special shelters for the Highlight peony are not required, for it there is enough snow cover.

For the prevention of plant disease with gray rot, solutions of potassium permanganate, copper-containing preparations (50 grams of copper sulfate per 10 liters of water), infusion of garlic (8-10 heads per 1 liter of water) are used. To combat powdery mildew, a copper-soap solution is used (250 grams of laundry soap, 25 grams of copper sulfate per 10 liters of water).

For information on the subtleties in planting and caring for peonies, see below.