• Another great article Koen on seed germination. I really enjoy your work with peonies and the fact you share it with all of us. Thank you!
    I have also experienced similar results with consistent warm temperatures and better germination. My temperatures fluctuated about 2-3 degrees Celsius between daytime and nighttime, and the results for good…Read More

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  • Dutch peony market 2024

    Peony market satisfactory, crop protection remains challenging. Translated from: Van der Lee, H. 'Pioenrozen staan tegenwoordig overal.' In: Greenity, no. 185, November 27th, 2024. The fact that peonies made the eight o'clock news last year after the hail damage says something...

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    • Interesting stuff, Koen!

      I’m looking into these kind of things more and more also. Although not so much doing the scientific approach as you are.
      Right before last planting (about 6 weeks ago), I dipped all our planters in two products of SoilTech: Root&Shoot (nutrient solution and humid and fulvic acid) and Optima Soil Humi B (humic acid with high Boron). I have followed advice on this from quite spectacular results in other cultures. When planting as late as we usually do on our rather stiff clay soil, the planters sure can use a little extra help settling. I hope to notice some results in spring.

    • Danke für den interessanten Artikel. Werde ich auch mal anwenden für Spezies-Sämlinge und Jungpflanzen von Albiflora . Ich hoffe es kräftigt die Wurzeln und macht sie eher auspflanzbar oder auch teilungsfähig

    • I can’t speak much about the “stimulating” properties of any of these products, but my sense is that the bacterial and fungus based products hold the most promise. My only personal experience is with Actinovate, a strain of streptomices bacteria, which is used to prevent root-rots and damping off. I had had seed-root-tip-rot problems in the past, when planting pre-sprouted peony seeds in potting soil for their months-long cold period. But once I started using this product, it seemed to be quite beneficial, as once used as drench at potting, and once again months later, as the first one-leaf shoots began to emerge in spring , I ended up with pretty much 100% success at brining all these pre-sprouted seeds through the summer. For some reason, this product became hard to come by in the small amounts it was originally sold, so I had to switch over to a fungus-based fungicide product, and didn’t appear to have nearly the same rate of success. Whatever the case, my antidotal impression was that at one year, the weight of the seedlings I got using the bacterial product was better than I got in subsequent years.

      I suspect the mechanism behind these products is still somewhat mysterious, but the pictures you’ve shown from Don Smith are impressive to say the least !

  • Best wishes for the festive season. Pictured is peony Old Faithful.

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  1. I can't speak much about the "stimulating" properties of any of these products, but my sense is that the bacterial…

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