Every Spring My Peonies Fall Over, but Not This Year, Thanks to This Genius $33 Hack

Peonies typically bloom sometime from late April to early June. Credit:

Better Homes & Gardens / Stephanie Osmanski

Three years ago, I planted peonies because I loved the color varieties and the way the fluffy petals filled out a bouquet. I stuck a few stems in the ground, not knowing much about growing peonies, including how long they’d bloom or even when. When they did bloom, of course, they were stunning, but the first hard rain came and left them basically destroyed—and me, disappointed. The flower heads are heavy—I learned—especially double-petaled varieties, and combined with the wind and weight of the rain, they’re prone to flopping over. And once they flop, they, sadly, don’t recover. The only way to combat this is to invest in peony cages, which I learned the hard way.

Staking peonies with peony cages offers the plant support and keeps it upright even through the elements. Since the first spring my flowers flopped, I’ve tried staking peonies with different cages, stakes, and even trellises. Now I’ve finally found a cage that keeps my peonies standing upright well into June: the Gardener’s Supply Company Grow-Through Plant Support, which costs $33 for a three-pack of stakes.

Gardener’s Supply Company 3-Pack Grow-Through Plant Support

Credit:

Amazon

Each peony cage is quick and easy to assemble—just loop three legs around the circular metal structure—and then you can place it over the plant, staking it into the ground. The cages measure 18 x 24 inches, and should be placed over peonies as soon as they sprout. As the peonies continue to grow, and then eventually bloom, the stems should grow up and through the various supports of the cage.

The supports are very sturdy and can handle the wind and rain with ease. But they’re good for overall support, too, even if you live in an area where it doesn’t rain very often. The metal supports keep the stems tight to the base of the plant, so when the flower heads get to their heaviest, the peony still retains a tight, bouquet shape without toppling over.

Not only does this peony cage keep peonies from drooping, but it also means that I can enjoy my peonies for longer, too. And with a longer shelf life, I can deadhead peonies much later into the season, too. That means more bouquets, and a healthier peony plant overall.

Gardener’s Supply Company Grow-Through Plant Support saved my peonies and are truly the best peony cages I’ve ever tested. I love that their sturdiness and ability to reduce rain and wind stress help peonies last longer, and I’ll never go back to growing peonies without them again. Shop the three-pack set now for $33 at Amazon, and check out more trellises, arbors, and plant stakes for the rest of your garden, below.