Lesson 3
Care that costs nothing
Feed in early spring with a balanced organic granular feed, and again after flowering with a high-potash one. Mulch annually with compost but keep mulch off the crown.
Ant invasion of buds is normal and harmless — ants eat the sticky nectar; they don't damage the bud.
If a mature peony refuses to flower, it's almost always because it was planted too deep. Lift in autumn, replant with the crown just below the surface, and wait two years for the explosion.