Ready for Winter. Cut down with some 10 cm left as research has shown this results in the least amount of botrytis the following year. The precise drip irrigation is also showing nicely on this picture, only water where it’s needed. Halfway to end of December the plants will receive their GA3 treatment and the sides of the polytunnel will be closed then to advance growth. Without the GA3 that could only be done in February.
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@lindapeony Not at the beginning. They need some natural cold, then after this you can shorten their cold requirements by giving the GA3 and if late enough and warm enough, they will start growing before they normally would. If you give it at the beginning of the cold period (which has already started no doubt with the colder nights) it will not work. Likewise, if you wait too long, it will also have no effect. In Israel where this method was developed they calculate when it can be done the earliest by using daily temperatures. The formula is however rather complicated and the time when I was able to solve derived functions is a very long time ago. From experience it is best done here halfway December through the end of December. Somewhat before or after will also do, but not much.
GA3 should be used before the begainning of peony’s dormancy, i.e, halfway to end of December in Belgium?