Question: My peony has bloomed wonderfully for many years but this year the buds are turning black and are not growing. What can I do?
Answer: It is too late this year to get flowers, but it is not too late to help prevent problems next year. The symptom you describe is caused by a fungal disease caused by Botrytis paeoniae. It is often called gray mold because of the gray fuzzy spores that grow on the infected plant. Next spring, spray the plant with a fungicide that is labeled for Botrytis every week from the time the new growth starts coming out of the ground until they bloom. Remove all dead plant parts now and again in the fall. The fungus can form little black spore pellets that can lay dormant in the soil for years waiting for the wet, cool conditions it prefers….