Pippi and I were just talking about this, and I thought maybe I could find a thread on hoops, but didn't.

Could you please tell us what your favorite hoops are, and where you purchase them?

Pippi, I know, is especially looking for one piece ones.

Thanks!

The best thing to do is to buy peonies that don't flop in the rain. Hollingsworth Peonies calls them Landscape Worthy or something like that. However, if you do have some that flop, I prefer to use grow through rings to peony rings. I think it gives the plant more support.

http://www.gardeners.com/Grow-...

There are lots of ways to stake peonies. The above is just the one I use the most often.

The one that has caught my eye is the Essex plant supports...the one that shows pink peonies in it. The ones I currently have are difficult to assemble or should I say To stay assembled. The ring part sits on top with the 3 wire stakes/legs that won't stay together.

I have purchased a lot of my gardening supplies from Gardener's supplies and have always been pleased with their products, customer service and delivery time.

Ticker, do you have to attach the 3 legs separately on the ones that you are talking about? I'm fresh out of hoops and yesterday had to plant a new to me peony without a ring, so you know what it's doing..flopping over. I rec'd this peony at a recent plant swap so I haven't had time to order new rings. I despite those type that you have to attach the legs separately.

Do you deadhead your peonies after they are finished blooming? After the man planted mine yesterday, I snapped the finished bloom off. Hope that was the right thing to do. Do you add any type of fertilizer when you plant them? I have oscomote granules, also Bayer 3 in 1 rose food and Miracle Gro liquid.

Yes, I use the rings you despise. But once I have them in the ground I really never have to move them again. I only move them if I need to move the peony. When I cut the peony back in the late fall, I push the ring back down a bit farther into the dirt and then in the spring as it grows I raise it. It works for me.

Yes, you are correct in deadheading your peony, unless you want it to set seed. I don't and so I snap mine off too when the bloom is finished.

Most of my peonies are pretty much done for the year. I was out tonight deadheading away.