Q. My peonies have good foliage, however the last two years they grow tall stems have heavy flowers that fall to the ground and don’t last long. Lora Fleener – Vernal, Utah
A. The flowers are not lasting very long because of their contact with the soil, which introduces soil microorganisms that begin to precipitate decomposition of the flower. Flopping (the unofficial term) is fairly common in many peony cultivars. I think the flowers have been bred so large and showy that the plants can’t support them without help. The solution is to support the peonies. There are various commercially available support loops, rings, and grids that can be used to support the peonies. Good ones are vinyl coated green so they are slow to rust and unobtrusive. Short stakes and twine can also be an effective alternative.