How To Coax Peonies Into Opening Once They've Been Cut

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Peonies are one of my favorite flowers.  I have several bushes dotting the flower beds around my house and I look forward to their fragrant blooms every spring.  The only thing I don't like is all the ants.  Peonies are ant magnets.  

© shoutingforha

Peonies release a sap-like substance on their buds.  You can see the little bubbles in the picture above.  As I understand it, the ants eat the sap which allows the buds to open up.  Without the ants, the peony buds would remain glued shut so to speak. 

I love having fresh flowers in my house so as soon as the blooms begin to appear I race outside, scissors in hand, and harvest flowers to enjoy indoors.  There isn't a lilac, hydrangea or peony that is safe from my shears.  

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In an effort to avoid the legion of ants that call my bushes home, I tend to cut my peonies a little on the early side.  The result is usually a vase full of buds and very few open blooms. 

Never fear, dear readers.  There is an easy solution for this problem.  I gently wipe the sap-like substance off of the buds using a damp paper towel or cloth.  The process only takes a few minutes and will need to be repeated every day until the flowers begin to open. 

© shoutingforha

It only takes a day or two for the once tightly sealed buds to begin to open.  Best of all, I didn't have to worry about those pesky ants infesting my house.  

If you love peonies but are prone to bouts of impatience like me, give this little trick a try.  Your home will be filled with their glorious aroma quicker than you can say, "Pesky ants love peonies!"