For anything newly purchased and planted, you don't need to fertilize and most authorities suggest against doing so. The grower has already addressed any nutrient needs for this season. If necessary, wait until early next spring but I have rarely ever needed to fertilize any perennial or any other plant in the ground. Mulching my planting beds with compost annually is all the nutrient supplementation they require.

FYI, most any organic product (like the Espoma line) will have low dose N.

Thanks for the advice gardengal, I won't ferilize it this year then. It came from a nursery and looks like it was well cared for.

in every post.. tell us where you are.. big city name .... it often matters ...

they are plants.. not children... i agree with gal.. build a good soil .. and skip the fert ...

my peony have lasted over 30 years.. with no supplemental feeding from me ... think of all the money not spent on fert that i had to buy plants with ...

ken

I highly recommend using a bulb fertilizer for itoh peonies. My experience tells me that itohs need heavy fertilization in order to produce blooms. Give it a feeding (bulb fertilizer in granules) in Sept. and then again in early spring when the pips start to grow. I would probably give it at least 1tsp each time. Home Depot has bulb fertilizer for sale.

I have 5 Itohs. I don't fertilize them and get abundant blooms.

VStapes, how old are your itoh peonies? Are yours less than 5 years old?

KarenPA, one is 4 years, one 5 years and three are 8 years old.

Jo, this from the Canadian Peony Society might be helpful. Itohs are also known as intersectional peonies,

http://canadianpeonysociety.blogspot.com/p/planting-instructions.html

I'm in Alberta (east of Edmonton) and don't use anything when I plant my (non-Itoh) peonies, but give each peony a small amount of compost in the Spring and then again in the Autumn.

Thank you, VStapes! Do you plant them by themselves? How far apart do you plant them? I have my itohs planted with other perennials but the itohs have been on decline for the last 2 years. Mine are quite old as they are all 7 years and older.

Thanks! Wow, those look great! Were the above bloomed even without you giving them any fertilizer?

Thanks, and correct, no fertilizer.