Interesting. No, I have been rather sporadic with fertilizing. I think the years they bloomed I fertilized more and earlier. May have something to do with it...

Your blooms for next year should be forming now at the stem axels. Perhaps looking for them each year will tell you if they are there or if they do not form. If they are not forming during the bloom years yours may be one of the ones that just bloom on that cycle. When you see that they are there fertilize to see if it makes a difference. The bloom buds will start forming about a month or less after the plant has bloomed.

I've never noticed that, maifleur! Can you post pics when you see it on your plants so I know what to look for? Those are the stems you'd take for grafting as well, right?

I will see if I can take a good new picture. Those pictures are on a computer that died and toasted most of the files. Some people only use those stems for grafting but most people use any stem that has a bud.

Never too old to learn. I've been growing peonies for over 50 years and didn't know this.

I've never noticed them, either! Thanks, maifleur!

You tend to notice things when you are short and the plant is taller than you are which is the way I first saw it several years ago. I then started looking at other peonies to see if they did the same thing. This year I am seeing some of what would be next years buds unfurling leaves. Not that usual and the few times I have seen this unfurling the new stems withered in the heat of the summer. Followed by fewer flowers the next year.

Wonder if that's what's happening to Kelly's tree peony. You'll have to look for those tiny buds at the stem joints, Kelly.

Interesting. I will look tomorrow.