photo by MrsMagic via Flickr.comPeonies are a great perennial flower to plant in your yard. They are low maintenance, returning year after year to give you huge showy, sometimes fragrant flowers. A single flower in a vase can make a stunning statement.
However, if you have ever had a peony bush, you know they need supports. The blossoms are so large that they will literally bend the stalks over until the flowers touch the ground.
Not a good look.*
The fix for this is to give the plant some additional support. Back in the old days industrious gardeners would drive stakes into the ground, then wrap them around several times with garden twine, tying on to each stake each time around.
Today’s gardener has much easier options. Most large home and garden centers, as well as online retailers, sell metal flower supports. The two most popular are the grow through supports and the plain circular ones.
Now you all know that I’m a die hard frugalite. I hate to spend money on something I can make myself. So when we moved this year and inherited 4 peony bushes as foundation plantings, I decided to try my hand at making my own.
Materials: 3 wire hangers, wire cutters, Pliers
Directions:
#1-Take a hanger and bend it into a circle. You probably could mess around and take the hook part off-I just bent it down out of the way.
#2-Cut your other two hangers in half. I cut them in the middle of the long straight part and then up by the hook part. For my particular hangers I was able to actually “unwind” the wire up at the hook.
#3-Use pliers to unbend the wire into long, mostly straight pieces. I left the hook in place on the top for the next step.
#4-Use pliers to bend the very end of each straight piece into a hook (or make the hook already there smaller). Hook this over the “circle” then use the pliers to keep bending it until the “hook” becomes a loop. The “leg” should now be attached to the “circle” with a small loop. Repeat with each straight piece.
Bent over the circle
Completed. Note lovely assistant.#5-Gently place circle of the support around the peony bush. Slide the “legs” around the circle so that they are roughly equally placed, then push them down into the ground to hold up your support.
Around peony. Very unobtrusive.TADA! Now we’ll just have to see how well they hold up the plant once it blooms.
*Note: (see the third image down on this page for an example of supported and unsupported)
I thinkyou may have just taught me how to make homemade tomato cages! Thanks!
barb-Not sure if they would really be tall enough for tomatoes. . . Maybe if you used an entire hanger for each leg? I’m interested to hear how they turn out. . .
Your lovely assistant is very lovely 🙂
What a great idea! I’ve got several peonies that need support, and I was hoping to use materials I have on hand. I also waited a bit too long, and need something I can arrange around the plant, as opposed to pushing it down over the plant (which is already too big for that). I think this is just the thing–thanks!
So glad this idea can help!
Brilliant!!! We moved into this house in late August last year when the Peonies were dunzo. I bought cheap support hoops, but they are way too small. You just saved me about $40 between the two plants. Thanks a bundle!
Lindsey-glad this will work for you! I always love a cheap fix 🙂
Thank you SO much for this tutorial! I plan on using these to help support my young Miniature Roses. Poor little things can’t hold up their own flowers.
Glad to help!
This is great idea. I am putting in some peony roots this autumn and I will need to make a marker for them. Thanks !
Glad to help!
So glad I found this. We bought a house with lots of peonies, which I love. My husband would have a cow if I suggested buying supports for them all. Your idea will certainly make him happy
I’m so glad this is helpful to you!
I cannot recall the last time I saw a WIRE hanger.
They are still hanging around out there!
So before I do this for my drooping blossoms, I just want to know if they worked!
They worked fine for a couple years, then I bought some of the commercial ones-mostly because they were coated so the metal lasted longer. It really depends on your budget which is a better option.
We planted roughly 30 potted Peonies last fall, and I’ve been shopping for supports. I would love to know if you found any good cheap ones on Amazon or anywhere. Thank you! Also, how long did the hangers work until they rusted out? Thanks! I have a large role of grapevine netting/ to protect the fruit. I’m wondering if maybe I can twisty tie circles of that to skewers for Peony supports. Any thoughts?
They worked for several years, but did indeed rust over time. I eventually splurged on the store bought green plastic coated ones.