The Ants go Marching on the Peonies… Hurrah! Hurrah!
Published by Hanna | Filed Under: Information Library
Leave a Comment Print This Post
The peonies are in bud and the ants are out in force. I have always let the ants crawl all over my peonies. I am a live and let live sort of girl (except for slugs).
There has been alot of hulabulub over the past few decades or so about whether or not you should let or even need ants on peonies.
The garden myth is that peonies need ants on them in order for the buds to open properly. This is not true. A peony bud will open just as well with or without the ants.
But before you go running for the pesticide, the ants do serve a purpose. These ants will eat the bad insects that will hurt your peonies.
Mother Nature very rarely does something without a very good reason. Peonies secrete a sweet sap when they are in bud, which attracts the ants. The ants come for dessert but find a second helping of harmful insects. The peonies want the ants to come so that they have some protection. Pretty smart thinking, if you ask me.
Some people worry about the ants getting in their house, and this is a legitimate concern, but personally, I place ant repelling substances around the foundation of my house. This works pretty well and allows the beneficial-to-the-garden ants to go on doing what they do best.
There is a down side to peony bud sap though and that is that it doesn’t just attract ants. The peony bud sap attracts another kind of omnivore predator, the wasp. While ants are pretty harmless, wasps can get very aggressive if disturbed. It’s just something to keep in mind if you go near your peony beds.
The Ants go Marching on the Peonies… Hurrah! Hurrah! The Ants go Marching on the Peonies… Hurrah! Hurrah! And the rain keeps tumbling down, down, down, down.
Published by
Hanna
on
May 16th, 2006
Filed Under
Information Library |
Permalink
7 Comments »
Share This Post: 
If you liked this post then please subscribe to the RSS feed.
Previous Post:Guerrilla Gardening: What the cool gardeners are doing these daysNext Post:Container Gardens 101 at the Library
Help me pay the hosting bills! Click on the ad below.
April 20th, 2008 at 11:07 am
[...] seen several types of ants all co-existing in my yard, maybe not peacefully, but still co-existing. Black ones, red ones and an occasional yellow one. They can be big or small, land bound or winged. Some run [...]
May 14th, 2008 at 10:12 am
this is my first year with peonies. When I saw the ants, I cut off the buds. Will they grow back. Did I blow the whole thing. I have two plants. I did not cut them back last fall so cut them and the buds back this year.
[Reply]
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:48 pm
[...] Read some more about some ants and peonies here. [...]
June 8th, 2009 at 10:27 am
Every year our peonies grow beautifully and huge. My wife would like to cut them and put them in a vase in the house.
How do get rid of the ants? I heard that dunking the peony in ice water will help, is that a myth?
Thank You for the advise.
[Reply]
keith johnson Reply:
April 5th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Well, what i’ve heard to do is to put the peonies in a vase, then put the vase in a shallow pan of water for a day. the ants come off and drown, and then it’s safe to set your peonies around the house ant free.
[Reply]
June 8th, 2009 at 10:34 am
see my comment of 5/4/2008 regarding re-growth. Just to let you know the peonies (4 bushes of them,red, white and pink) are blooming full speed ahead. Have not been swamped with ants this year. Know better not to cut off buds. 3rd year for garden. Planted in August 2007.
[Reply]
May 19th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
The majority of buds on several of my peopnies have not enlarged and are now drying up. Why would some buds be viable and others not on the same plant?
[Reply]