How Should Peonies Be Clipped To Fit In A Vase?

This video teaches the best way to harvest peony flowers for the longest vase life. As the owner of a flower farm, Helen has learned that cutting blooms at just the right stage will help them last longer and look more magnificent in a vase. To create a stunning vase arrangement with peonies, it is crucial to cut buds at the optimal stage of development.

To ensure the utmost beauty and longevity of these stunning blooms, use a strong, rust-free pair of scissors or pruners and dip them in bleach to disinfect them before cutting your blooms. Before going into the garden to cut your peonies, clean all of the tools you need, including a pail large enough to hold the flowers, sharp pruning shears, and a vase. Add a few drops of dish detergent and 1 teaspoon of salt.

Peonies should grow for three to four years before the stems are cut for vases. Even at this stage, only two to three stems should be removed and no more than one-third of the lush flower shoots should be removed. To enjoy the magnificent flowers of peonies for a long time, cut them at the right time.

For live peonies, use sharp, clean shears and cut the stem on a diagonal to increase the stem’s surface area for absorbing water, making the cut peonies better hydrated and the blooms last longer. If frayed tissue is visible at the cut, use a sharp knife or scissors.

When putting a peony in a vase, cut off the stems at an angle and remove the lowest leaf. Use sharp shears to cut about 1 inch of the stem diagonally. Trim the stems according to the rules of thumb, such as never cutting more than 1/3 of the blooms or leaving 10 leaves.