How to support peonies?

Peonies are among plants that need a stake to support their generous flowering and their spectacular but heavy flowers. Otherwise, after heavy spring rain in particular, they flop to ground and lose their splendour.

How to stake peonies, and what type of stake to use? When should you install the stake on your peonies? We give valuable advice in this guide to showcase these sublime plants with irresistible charm!

how to stake peonies, peony staking, prevent peonies from falling or collapsing — Without staking, peonies nod under their large flowers

Why stake peonies?

Peonies are perennial plants or shrub-like plants notable for their large inflorescences, sublime and opening in spring. Individual flowers can be up to 15 cm across, weighing on whole plant and causing it to sag or literally collapse under their weight.
It is especially herbaceous peonies (mainly Paeonia latifolia for us), with flexible stems, that require the help of a stake to stay upright throughout their flowering, notably varieties growing over 80 cm and all varieties with large flowers. Staking is then necessary.
Shrub peonies (Paeonia suffruticosa) are taller, but their woody structure keeps stems sufficiently strong.

What type of stake?

For exuberant, wide-growing peonies, an appropriate stake should be put in place.

You can build one yourself, provided it allows you to surround and support mass of leaves and flowers.
Prefer raw or natural materials so they blend into border, especially when foliage is not yet optimal: rebar, bamboo, hemp twine ties…
Drive 4 to 6 bamboo or metal rods into soil forming a square or polygon, and tie additional rods or string horizontally to create a lightweight support that plant will soon hide. By making your own staking system, you can easily adapt height to suit peony size.

Commercial, modular stakes such as a planting ring are also useful when slotted together around the clump. Often green, they remain particularly discreet.

When to stake peonies?

Intervene at very start of season. Peonies begin to send out young purple shoots in March: time to set up stake when plant sends new stems to about 40 cm high. You can also install stake a little later, before plant produces buds, but by then a modular stake is preferable to encircle a peony already leafy and developed, without damaging it.

Work after a spell of rain to make driving stakes into soil easier.

staking peonies late winter, when to install peony supports — As soon as plant starts to develop well, bring out your stakes! (© FD Richards)

How to stake? Technique and our tips

Prepare vertical stakes: cut them to about 60 cm high
Drive stakes deep enough into soil to make them stable, a few centimetres around emerging clump (expect 5–6 stakes per plant, or a single ring-shaped one, as in our example)
Connect stakes with a few thin bamboo rods, pegs, or flexible ties such as hemp twine or soft plastic ties (which should be knotted at each stake with raffia or string)
If using a homemade support made from coarse-mesh wire fixed to rebar or wicker (a sort of open round tripod), install it as soon as peony shoots emerge: plant will grow easily through mesh, which will discreetly support whole plant.