peony pod collecting in July

Question

My plants are producing pods now that are cracking open showing yellow seeds. Directions I have read says to harvest in the fall, but they are opening now. If I leave them on the plant until fall, they will get wet when I water the whole garden. What do I do now?

Answer 1

You don't want to collect them till the seeds are purple/black.They might be cracking early due to stress. Many environmental factors can cause this, but usually some early cracking is not a big concern. Just make sure you catch them as they turn dark for the best results. You can tie a bag around them so you don't miss them.

This article will offer more information on the care of these plants: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/peony/peony-care.htm

https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/chiwonlee/plsc368/student/papers02/clautt/CurtisLauttPLSC368PlantPropPaper.htm