Peonies are an adorable addition to any garden, with fragrant blooms that usually come in the most angelic shade of pink.
Better yet, they’re perennials, meaning they come back every year!
But peonies need proper care and maintenance to thrive like any other plant. Specifically being a perennial, they need a little extra help getting the proper nutrients. This is where I come in!
Properly fertilizing your peonies is one of the easiest ways to ensure beautiful flowers year after year, and who doesn’t want that? Given the right nutrients, your peonies will thrive for years to come. Keep reading to learn more about the best fertilizers for your peonies.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- Why you should fertilize your peonies
- How to choose the right fertilizer for your peonies
- How fertilizer will promote adorable and fragrant peony blooms
- And much more!
Below is a quick list of my favorite fertilizers for peonies. Keep scrolling to learn more of my top tips to choose and use the best fertilizer for your peonies.
| Image | Product | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
My Top Pick  | My Top Pick | Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Azalea, Camellia, Rhododendron Plant Food
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| View on Amazon |
Best High-End  | Best High-End | Down to Earth All Natural Acid Mix Fertilizer 4-3-6, 5 lb
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| View on Amazon |
Best Budget Pick  | Best Budget Pick | Jobe's Organics Soil Acidifier, 6 lb
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| View on Amazon |
 | Espoma Fruit & Berry Food 4lb
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| View on Amazon | |
 | EcoScraps for Organic Gardening Berry Plant Food, 4 lbs
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| View on Amazon |
My Overall Top #1 Pick: Jobe’s Organics Bulb Granular Fertilizer
Although I love all of these awesome fertilizers, my favorite is Jobe’s Organics Bulb Granular Fertilizer!
This brand truly has my heart when it comes to high-quality organic fertilizers. They have tons of variety—in fact, they have a similar product for annuals and perennials that works for peonies, too. I chose the bulb fertilizer instead because it’s more specific to peonies.
Peonies are bulb perennials, meaning they grow from little tubers in the soil. This means they come back every year, as the tubers are able to survive even the coldest winter if properly cared for. Not sure how to overwinter bulbs? Check out this detailed article on how to preserve your bulbs (it’s so easy!)
Next spring just pop ’em in the ground and boom, beautiful peonies year after year. And they double in size, so before long you’ll have a yard full of them.
Proper fertilizing is vital in maintaining happy and healthy peonies. Jobe’s Organics Bulb Granular Fertilizer is perfectly formulated for your peonies. The 3-5-4 ratio is nice and gentle, so it won’t burn even the youngest plants.
The higher phosphorus content encourages blooming rather than leafy growth, which is especially important if you’re dreaming of a fragrant, colorful backyard.
Also, it’s safe for pets and kids, which is especially good if you plan to have a larger patch of peonies that you don’t want to put behind a fence. Now, don’t let your toddler go at it with a spoon, since it will cause quite the bellyache, but it’s non-toxic.
This fertilizer is great for peonies either in the ground or in pots, as the nutrient ratio isn’t too strong. All around, it produces amazing results, and is definitely my number one recommendation!
Top 5 Best Fertilizers For Peonies
In a hurry? Check out our top 5 picks below! Keep reading to learn more about these wonderful fertilizers for your peonies.
- Jobe’s Organics Bulb Granular Fertilizer (My Top Pick)
- Flower Fuel 1-34-32 (Best Pick For Increasing Blooms)
- Espoma Flower-Tone Plant Food (Best Budget Pick)
- Dr. Earth Organic 8 Bud & Bloom Fertilizer (Best Organic Pick)
- Scotts Bulb Continuous Release Plant Food (Best Pick For Large Peony Bushes)
Why Should You Invest In A High-Quality Fertilizer For Your Peonies?
Peonies are an adorable and beautiful addition to any garden. Their soft colors and whimsical shape add a bit of fun and flair to your backyard, and they’re also beautiful in flower arrangements.
High-quality fertilizers can help your peonies thrive, giving your backyard that magical feel. And the right fertilizer can help promote such abundance that it spreads to your kitchen table in a gorgeous bouquet. This awesome YouTube video will show you how to cut them for an arrangement:
Pretty cool, right? Every gardener can attain gorgeous bouquets with proper fertilizing.
Since peonies are perennials, a lot of people simply leave the bulb in the ground over the winter and let them bloom in the same spot in the spring. I don’t do this, since I like to rearrange my garden every year, but a lot of people do, and it’s totally okay!
The only issue with this method is that eventually, the soil surrounding your peonies will run out of the nutrients they need. That’s where a high-quality fertilizer comes in.
High-quality fertilizers will supplement your soil with the proper nutrients for your peonies without overwhelming them. Investing in low-quality fertilizers will save you a couple bucks… until your peonies die and you have to start all over with fresh bulbs.
Good fertilizers will also be formulated perfectly for your peonies. Fertilizers are composed of three main ingredients, those being nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. All are vital in healthy plant growth, but they serve different purposes. I’ll get into more about composition later, but for now, know that phosphorus and potassium are the most important nutrients for flowering.
A high-quality fertilizer will have a balanced and specifically formulated ratio of nutrients. All of the fertilizers on this list are made just for peonies and other bulb plants, but of course, you can buy fertilizers specific to herbs, succulents, tomatoes, you name it. There’s even specially formulated clover fertilizer, believe it or not!
Keep reading to learn more about the specifics of choosing the right fertilizer for your peonies to keep them vibrant and healthy.
How to Pick the Best Fertilizer For Your Peonies?
Composition
I know I touched on the different components of fertilizer earlier, but an in-depth knowledge of fertilizer composition is vital for not only blooming peonies, but a healthy garden in general.
The composition of your fertilizer has a direct correlation to the flowers your peonies produce. Like I mentioned earlier, fertilizer is composed of three main ingredients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Any fertilizer you buy will have three numbers representing these three ingredients (they look like this: 10-10-10).
A good fertilizer for your peonies (especially for flowering) will have lower nitrogen and potassium numbers and will look something like this: 5-15-5 For example, my top pick on this list has a ratio of 3-5-4. The lower concentration of nitrogen means your plant will focus less of its’ energy on green growth, and more on blooming.
There’s no need to stress over the numbers on your fertilizer, though. A little more nitrogen won’t hurt your peonies, nor will it prevent them from blooming. Phosphorus is simply the element that flowers need more of to bloom, so as long as there’s a high concentration of that, you’re good to go.
Any of the fertilizers in this article are great for your peonies and are designed specifically for producing gorgeous flowers, so don’t worry! I’ve carefully selected these fertilizers based on their nutrient compositions, and there’s definitely one on this list perfect for your peonies.
Organic Versus Inorganic
In my experience, organic fertilizer is almost always better than inorganic, especially when dealing with edible plants. Since most people don’t eat peonies, this isn’t a huge concern (although you can use the flowers in salads, teas, and even homemade jams).
The majority of these fertilizers are organic because I simply think they’re higher-quality products most of the time. Since there are inorganic products on this list, however, let’s get into the specifics differences between organic and inorganic fertilizers.
“Organic” means exactly what you think: all-natural. It doesn’t mean it’s safe to eat (again, don’t give your toddler a spoon and let them go crazy) but it is safe to apply to plants that you eat. It’s also less likely to crust on the soil or burn your plant.
When used properly, inorganic fertilizers shouldn’t cause you any problems, but it’s easy to make a mistake. The hot sun can react with the added chemicals and pesticides and burn your plant, or cause the fertilizer to crust on the top of the soil.
To avoid this, I always mix my fertilizers into the first few inches of topsoil to ensure that my peonies get all the nutrients they need.
Inorganic fertilizers also typically have pesticides in them to keep away bugs or other critters that could harm your peonies. Despite some of the other problems they can cause, this is a huge perk!.
I highly recommend reading up on organic versus inorganic fertilizers if you want to learn more–it’s always good knowledge to have as a gardener!
My Reviews of the Best Fertilizers For Peonies
1. Jobe’s Organics Bulb Granular Fertilizer (My Top Pick)
I absolutely love this organic granular fertilizer for my peonies!
It’s designed specifically for peonies and other bulb flowers like dahlias, so you know your peonies will get all the right nutrients and no extra crap.
The higher phosphorous content means that your peonies can focus their energy on blooming rather than green growth. And the 3-5-4 ratio means it’s gentle enough for even the youngest peonies.
It’s made with biozome, a healthy mix of good bacteria designed to protect your plants’ roots so they can grow strong.
Oh, and did I mention it’s organic?
The only downside to this product is that, since it’s organic, dogs tend to like how it smells. If you have a digger or sniffer, keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t try to make an afternoon snack out of this product!
| PROS (+) | CONS (-) |
| + Organic + Designed for bulb flowers + Produces bigger, fuller flowers + Gentle nutrient composition + Great for peonies of all ages | – Smells good to dogs |
2. Flower Fuel 1-34-32 (Best Pick For Increasing Blooms)
This product is my high-end pick, but in my opinion, it’s worth the money for your peonies!
The formula is designed specifically for flowering plants, and the 1-34-32 NPK ratio means that your peonies will focus on blooming rather than leafy growth. I also recommend this as a bloom-boosting plumeria fertilizer.
It’s water-soluble and good for any and all stages of your plant’s life, from propagated cuttings to towering bushes. Just be careful with young peonies, since this product is pretty strong.
The only downside is that it is highly concentrated–you only need 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of water. Be really careful not to overdose your peonies when using this product, but other than that, it’s fantastic!
| PROS (+) | CONS (-) |
| + Specially formulated for flowering + Water-soluble + High phosphorus and potassium content + Hydroponic-grade | – Very strong and highly concentrated – Easy to overdose your plant with this product |
3. Espoma Flower-Tone Plant Food (Best Budget Pick)
This budget-friendly pick is another wonderful organic choice for your peonies.
It comes in at about $2.50 per pound, which is a great deal for such a high-quality fertilizer. It’s made specifically for flowering, which means bigger, fuller blooms all season long!
The 3-4-5 nutrient formula is nice and gentle, perfect for young peonies or transplants. The higher phosphorus and potassium content means flowers will take precedent over leafy growth–hooray!
It’s slow-releasing, and you only need to apply about once a month during the growing season.
The biggest downside is that this product is the smell. It’s quite stinky, so keep that in mind when you’re choosing a fertilizer. If you have a large swath of peonies right next to your outdoor kitchen, maybe steer clear of this one!
| PROS (+) | CONS (-) |
| + Organic + Formulated for bulb flowers + Gentle nutrient composition + Slow releasing | – Smells bad to humans, but good to dogs |
4. Dr. Earth Organic 8 Bud & Bloom Fertilizer (Best Organic Pick)
I love Dr. Earth products, and I’ll stand by them forever. My mom uses this fertilizer on her roses, and it’s also an amazing clematis fertilizer.
This organic fertilizer is non-GMO certified and is the only fertilizer in the U.S. to have that title. Fancy, right?
It’s an all-natural blend of “fishbone meal, alfalfa meal, feather meal, soft rock phosphate, and mined potassium sulfate,” with a nutrient ratio of 3-9-4. A little stronger for most established plants, but still amazing for younger peonies, too!
It contains 7 strains of healthy microbes to ensure strong roots and is also a steal at around $2.65 per pound.
The only downside to this product is that, because it contains fishbone meal and feather meal, it’s not a vegan product. If you’re a vegan or even vegetarian gardener who likes to abstain from using animal products, sorry! This one might not be the choice for you.
| PROS (+) | CONS (-) |
| + non-GMO certified + Very good price + Designed to increase blooming + Promotes healthy and strong roots + Organic | – Not a vegan/vegetarian product – Smells pretty bad |
5. Jack’s Classics Blossom Booster (Best Pick For Large Peony Bushes)
This water-soluble fertilizer is great for larger peony bushes. Since you dilute it in water, it’s much easier to use. You don’t have to worry about getting super close to the base of your plant, as you would with a granular fertilizer, which is why I recommend it for larger bushes.
The nutrient ratio is 10-30-20, which means it’s better for established plants, and you already know that higher phosphorus content means bigger, fuller blooms!
And, of course, it’s formulated just for flowering plants like peonies and roses. I like to think of this fertilizer as very no-nonsense. You’ll have all the right nutrients for your peonies, and no extra crap!
The only reason this fertilizer is not higher on my list is the nutrient content. It’s definitely one of the stronger products on this list, and since it’s inorganic, some people report issues like burning, or their plants wilting and dying. Just keep that in mind if you have more delicate peonies!
| PROS (+) | CONS (-) |
| + Made for bulb flowers + Easy to use + Great for larger bushes + Slow releasing | – Strong nutrient formula can burn plants |
My Top Pick: Jobe’s Organics Bulb Granular Fertilizer
In my opinion, you can’t find a better fertilizer for your peonies than Jobe’s Organics Bulb Granular Fertilizer!
This fertilizer is designed specifically for bulb flowers, which means your peonies will get everything they need and nothing that they don’t. Say goodbye to boring bushes, and say hello to gorgeous bouquets and backyard filled with beautiful flowers.
The 3-5-4 nutrient composition will produce gorgeous flowers without excess leafy growth, and it’s gentle enough for even young peonies. It’s also perfect for potted flowers.
Peonies have a lot of weight on their shoulders sometimes. When we gardeners invest in them, we expect beautiful flowers, not just green shrubbery (seriously, if we wanted shrubs, we would buy them). Jobe’s Organics Bulb Granular Fertilizer will help your peonies reach their full potential and give you a floral backyard paradise.
Final Thoughts On The Best Fertilizers For Peonies
Peonies are a beautiful and aromatic addition to any garden, and they bring with them an extra sense of tranquility. I could spend all afternoon sitting in my backyard, watching the bees bumble around my peonies (thinking of this with snow on the ground truly makes my heart hurt).
With proper fertilizer, you’ll be growing magnificent peonies practically overnight. They add a sweet, gentle feel to any garden, and they’re even better in an arrangement on your kitchen table.
The right fertilizer can and will help your peonies thrive to their fullest potential, providing you with beautiful bouquets for weeks on end. I can’t wait for you to grow gorgeous peonies this summer—enjoy!