Hi everyone,
I live in zone 5b and it's snowing here right now! It does get pretty cold in the winter, and can have several feet of snow all the way into March and sometimes remain on the ground into early April.
I recently planted my first bare-root peonies (so excited!) and I had read that you should put 3" of some type of mulch on top after planting. I also read somewhere that you should never let the mulch get really close to the main stem (or center?) of the plant. But since I just planted these, there is nothing above ground and won't be until what, spring?
So I'm wondering if I can leave the mulch covering the entire plant area (12" diameter), or do I need to clear the center and leave it exposed?
And if I leave it, do I need to watch for the first signs of growth and remove the mulch from that area at that time?
Thanks in advance for your advice and knowledge!
