Processing Peonies.

Harvest season is winding down — though later than usual this year (as everything has been) and far longer, it’s still important to stay focused on selecting the right stems for the market and correctly processing them so that they may be perfectly prepared for customers.

Bud size.

When we pick, we’re looking for a specific bud size — not all were created equal. We sell our flowers as Grade 2 AA stems. This requires a bud size of at least 7/8 of an inch in diameter with a 10% tolerance level of stems allowed to fail this requirement. I don’t measure bud size in the field. However, I select by eye and measure later while sorting, separating those buds that fail to meet this requirement for other uses.

Stem length.

I’m not looking for stem length while harvesting; I cut to a tolerable length longer than I suspect I need and cut them down later. Again, we sell Grade 2 AA flowers; the combined stem and bud length must be 20 inches long, no shorter than 18 inches. Again, tolerance levels allow for a 10% failure rate. Stems are brought long into the cooler and processed down to 21 inches before being sorted; I cut the remaining 1 inch off 12 hours before products are transferred to customers to hydrate the stems.

Stem shape.

Here, I am watching in the field: stems must be straight with a tolerance of crooked or bent stems no more than (you guessed it) 10%. This is not a problem with most of our cultivars; only Dutchesse and Henry Sass are prone to drooping and bending. Staking usually helps prevent too many wild stems, though bad weather can aggravate this problem if not adequately addressed.

Branches.

So, interestingly enough, there is a quota of branches required for Grade 2 AA stems; each peony stem is needed to maintain at least 3 of the upper branches. These must remain at the topmost of the flowers as stems will be cut down later for florist or DIY uses. No one needs a 20-inch stem; that length is there only to ensure there is enough remaining stem after final processing by customers to allow nice bouquets and such. While processing, I tend to remove the lowest branches and keep the uppermost; a good stem will have three high branches left over. (Oh — there is a 10% fail tolerance, as you might have suspected).

Hydration.

So, as I mentioned above, I hydrate stems before delivering them to customers. This is important for the customer’s satisfaction and ensuring the product arrives without harm. Peonies will wilt some in the storage cooler, even at very low temperatures. Thus, I like to give them a perk up before taking them to customers; it eliminates wilt and gives the flowers a firmer, fresher look guaranteed to please any prospective buyer. If I’m shipping these flowers long distance, then hydration is a must to ensure the stems do not become water-stressed or damaged during transportation and will arrive looking fresh without the risk of emboli dying off.