Peony "Sorbet": description and cultivation

Decorative peony "Sorbet" is considered one of the most beautiful peonies with cupped flowers. Being a charming flower, it can become a decoration of the landscape of a summer cottage or a personal plot. The material of the article will help the reader to glean information about the nuances of growing this perennial.

The variety "Sorbent" was artificially bred by breeders, this peony is distinguished by the power of the shoots and the height of the bush up to 1 m. The plant belongs to the milky-flowered group and is considered herbaceous, despite the height and width of the bush. Its stems are branched, and the leaves with the next arrangement are divided into narrow lobes, which gives them a kind of delicacy. In autumn, they change color from green to crimson.

The flowers of this variety are quite large: with an unusual structure, they reach a diameter of 16 cm or more. Each row of flowers is colored differently. As a rule, this delicate pink alternates with milky white. That is why, according to the generally accepted description, flowers are called three-layer. They are distinguished by the concavity of the petals and an attractive aroma.

Terry peony "Sorbet" blooms in the first half of June. Due to the power of the bush and peduncles, the flowers do not hang with their caps down. The plant itself does not need to tie up the bush, although supports are needed to prevent decay. The variety is considered frost-resistant: the root system of the plant can withstand temperatures up to -40 degrees Celsius.

Peony "Sorbet" is planted in open ground, carefully choosing a place for the formation of a powerful root system. Within five years, it can grow to a depth of 1 m.Therefore, transplanting a plant in the future can become problematic. It is important to choose a place so that it is well lit, free from drafts and has deep groundwater in order to prevent root rot.

Terry peonies are planted or transplanted in spring or autumn. Landing is performed according to the following scheme:

• in the designated area with an interval of 1 m, they dig holes 50 cm in depth, width and length;
• to the bottom of the hole it is necessary to lay a layer of drainage material, which will exclude stagnation of water and rotting of the roots;
• then sand or peat is added, which will ensure the looseness of the soil;
• put a top dressing in each hole organic or mineral type (for example, you can mix humus with wood ash and azophos) and on top - earth;
• in about a week seedlings are planted in the holes, after which they are sprinkled with earth and moistened.

If the seedlings are bought early, they can be planted in containers and wait until it gets warmer outside. The plant will begin to bloom when it reaches maturity. At the same time, it is more important for the grower that in the second year it does not bloom so much as it is healthy and developing in comparison with the last year. The number of its shoots should increase.

Like any plant, the peony of the Dutch selection "Sorbet" has its own nuances of care. Despite the fact that it perfectly tolerates winter and a sharp change in temperature, with regular care, it pleases the grower with abundant flowering and vigorous shoots.The culture is photophilous, if you plant it in fertilized loam with a neutral reaction, it can surprise you with the first flowering in the third year from the moment of planting. To increase decorativeness, the plant must be provided with the required amount of moisture. And he also needs timely weeding, loosening.

It is necessary to water the terry three-layer peony "Sorbet" not only in a timely manner, but also correctly. You can't do this too often, but a one-time water consumption can be 2-3 buckets per adult bush. This volume is important for the root system: it is necessary for the water to penetrate to the entire depth of the roots. Some of the gardeners create drainage systems by burying drainage pipes near the bushes with growing peonies and pouring water directly into them.

As for the intensity of watering, it is more in early spring, as well as during the period of budding and flowering. And it is important to pay special attention to watering in the fall, when flower buds begin to form. It is worth considering that after watering the land must be loosened in order to improve aeration and curb the growth of weeds, which is the cause of the appearance and development of diseases of the bush.

Despite the fact that the plant is unpretentious to soil fertility, it is better to feed it. Top dressing, which is applied in spring, push the plant to active growth and development. At the end of the growing season, the peony is fertilized with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, which will strengthen the tissues.

In the spring, when the crop has shoots, it can be fed with fertilizer containing nitrogen, which will stimulate the growth of green mass. When the peony is in bloom, you can feed it with a liquid blended agrochemical for flowering crops. In this case, it is necessary to follow the instructions for a specific drug indicated on its packaging.

The plant lives in one place for no more than 7-10 years, if properly cared for. To prepare Sorbet peony for winter, you need to mulch it. To do this, you can use humus, sawdust or wood chips, as well as covering material, roofing material or spruce branches. They cover the plant until spring; adult plants do not need auxiliary shelters. However, the stems must still be cut for the winter.

The herbaceous tricolor peony can be propagated by cuttings, layering, or by dividing the bush. The latter method is considered one of the most productive... To do this, after the vegetation period ends, all shoots are cut off from the plant, and a shovel bayonet-length trench is made along the contour of the trunk circle.

After that, the rhizome is removed and placed in partial shade. You need to wait until the roots dry out a little and become soft, and the soil will easily separate from them. The rhizome, which was removed, is freed from excess earth, and then divided into several parts in such a way that each of them has at least three rather developed roots. The jumpers that prevent the separation of the roots are broken or cut with a knife, previously washed and disinfected in an alcohol solution.

Next, proceed to a visual inspection of the divided parts. If there are diseased areas on the parcels, they are mercilessly cut off. Even the slightest rot can cause disease, or even death of the plant. Places of cuts are processed with crushed charcoal. Someone prefers to use, instead of him, activated charcoal tablets.

Peony "Sorbet" can suffer from fungal diseases. For example, if the plant is affected gray mold, mold appears, leaves and buds turn black. The cause of the problem is overflow or low groundwater table. Everything that is affected must be cut off, after which the bush will have to be treated with copper sulfate.

If the leaves began to become covered with a whitish bloom, this indicates an attack on the peony. powdery mildew. The cause of the development of the disease is humidity and dampness. Here you cannot do without spraying the bush with a fungicide solution. It is impossible to start the onset of the development of diseases, since with their severe form it is not always possible to save the plant. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly inspect the bush.

The peony also attracts small pests (for example, aphids or even a bear). However, if it is not difficult to cope with aphids, then it is almost impossible to ward off the bear from the bush. They will have to make special traps, while to get rid of aphids, it is necessary to treat the bush with a special chemical.

See the video about Sorbet peonies below.