Peonies can be left in the garden unattended for a long time. But on occasion, it’s important to relocate established plants. To improve flowering, move peonies that are sheltered by tall trees or shrubs to a sunny location. The peony may need to be relocated in order to redesign a perennial bed or border. Plants that are large and robust can be dug up and divided for further growth.
The ideal month for transplanting established peonies is September. Cut the peony stems at or just above ground level to start. Next, thoroughly excavate each plant’s perimeter and its base. Keep as much of the root system as you can. Replant the peony right away in a sunny, well-drained area.
Large peony clumps must be divided in a number different ways. Shake the clump carefully to remove any loose soil from the root system after you’ve dug up the plant. Section off the cluster using a big knife. Each division needs to establish a strong root system and at least three to five buds (eyes). Smaller divisions will take longer to mature into beautiful plants.
The optimal conditions for peonies are full light and well-drained soil. Choose an area that receives at least six to eight hours of direct sun each day when choosing a planting site. Avoid standing in the shade next to big trees and plants. Compost, peat moss, or leaf mold used in significant quantities can typically improve poorly drained soils.
When planting a peony, make sure the hole is big enough to fit the plant’s root system comfortably. With the buds one to two inches below the soil’s surface, place the peony plant in the hole. (Peonies frequently don’t bloom successfully if the buds are deeper than two inches.) As you backfill the hole, compact the soil around the plant as you fill it with soil. then thoroughly rinse. Peonies should be spaced three to four feet apart.
Apply a four to six inch layer of mulch over the newly planted peonies in the late fall (mid-November to early December). Pine needles and weed-free straw are great mulching materials. Mulching keeps the soil from repeatedly freezing and thawing in the winter, which could lift the plants out of the ground. Early in the spring, before growth starts, remove the mulch.
Peonies that were transplanted might not bloom well the first spring. However, by the third or fourth year, the number of flowers should increase quickly.
When is it okay to relocate a peony?
Herbaceous paeonies are the only bloom that truly reflects the gentleness of the early summer. They are robust and gorgeous at every stage, providing years of enjoyment. With careful selection, you may keep peonies in bloom for at least 4 to 5 weeks until their lavish coppery foliage takes over. The idea that they cannot be relocated is a complete misconception. Pliny the Elder, a Roman naturalist who was in awe of this potent panacea, maintained this urban legend that dates back to the first century AD. The Ancients, who were dazzled by the peony’s magical abilities, didn’t want to abuse them and face the repercussions thus they named the plant after Paeon, the gods’ physician.
Variety guide
The May-flowering cottage garden peonies (types of Paeonia officinalis), which had ephemeral flowers that dropped their petals within days, fading as they went, are a good example of the need of choosing good varieties. Choose the options indicated here rather than these “short times.” There are early, mid, and late kinds of these that will offer you at least three weeks of flowering. Any variant with a solitary flower will bloom earlier and be more tolerant of the shadow.
A fragrant Chinese species known as Paeonia lactiflora was imported into Europe around the end of the 18th century. French nurserymen recognized the potential right away and started breeding, providing numerous cut flowers to Paris’ magnificent residences. Because of this, several of our greatest peonies have 150-year-old French names. Particularly when it comes to softer pinks, creamy whites, and deeper pinks, these industry veterans continue to be the best. They have shown to be durable and garden-worthy by persisting for such a long time.
Without the lemon-scented, light cream “Duchesse de Nemours,” created by Calot in 1856, no garden is complete. The yellow tint of the globular flowers softens them in the garden environment. Moreover, the foliage is greener than usual. One of the best three herbaceous peonies in the entire world, I believe. ‘Festiva Maxima’ (Miellez 1851) is another excellent cultivar with buds that open pale pink, suffuse to creamy white, and display an annual variation in the strength of a red flash. Additionally, it has a robust stem and is aromatic.
Because they were developed in China (and Japan), two countries where summer rainfall occurs in large spurts, these big-headed peony can withstand summer rain. Strong plant supports are recommended, or you can use canes and string when the blooms are fully opened because they will swoon when they get wet. By the time the stems are 30 cm tall, both should be in position. The totally double apple-blossom pink peony “Sarah Bernhardt” (Lemoine 1906) needs to be staked to keep the petals from flopping. Despite still being widely grown and valued, it has weak stems.
‘Monsieur Jules Elie’ (Crousse 1888) features a rose-pink cup full of divided petals in the same rose-pink if you prefer your peonies less full and hefty than the Japanese do. Hoogendoorn developed the Dutch variety “Bowl of Beauty” in 1949; it features a fuchsia-pink cup with creamy thin petals inside. The complete blush-white variety “Shirley Temple” (breeder unknown) falls in between full French doubles and petal-filled cups.
In contrast to the conventional French pinks and creams, American breeders wanted more vibrant colors. They crossed the earlier flowering P. officinalis cottage garden peony with another variety to produce a deep red. “Buckeye Belle” is the greatest of all (bred by Walter Mains of Ohio in 1956). It contributes to extending the peony season by blooming two weeks earlier than the lactiflora hybrids. The mahogany-red inner petals of the semi-double red flowers contain a tint of black, which makes the golden boss of stamens glow. The phrase “Buckeye Belle” gained notoriety in 2009 at Chelsea through to Luciano Giubbilei’s usage of it in his renowned Laurent-Perrier Garden, designed by Crocus. In the garden, he pairs beautifully with smokey fennel (Foeniculum vulgare ‘Giant Bronze’). Buckeye Belle, a slow fuse plant, received the Award of Landscape Merit in 2009 and the American Peony Society Gold Medal in 2010.
‘Coral Charm’ (Wissing 1964), another American breeding innovation, glows from peach to a sunset orange. It was developed using the red P. peregrina cultivar “Otto Froebel,” and it clashes with the more conventional pink, cream, crimson, and deep-pink peonies. It prefers a warmer environment as well and can be planted with blues like Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’ or with a swath of Carex testacea, a sedge with fine-tined, honey-colored leaves.
Perfect partners
Because both have early-year foliage that is copper-red, peonies and roses go well together. Rose and peony borders benefit greatly from the fragrant, lily-flowered tulip ‘Ballerina’. This well-liked tulip has warm-orange flowers that bloom in late April when the peony and rose foliage is still new and vivid. The reddish pink peony “Karl Rosenfield” contrasts beautifully with the bluest rose of all, “Rhapsody in Blue,” especially when combined with Nepeta “Six Hills Giant.”
The light-pink “Bonica” rose could be another healthy rose mate. Even though it barely grows to a height of slightly more than 3′ (up to 1m), it is one of the best roses for poorer soils. You can plant the pillar rose “Aloha” on a tripod or the 2013 Rose of the Year, “You’re Beautiful,” which is clean and bushy with gorgeous sugar-pink blossoms. This rose has large petals and will bloom all summer and into the fall. Its salmon-pink overtones will wonderfully contrast with the bronzed leaves.
Growing guide
Peonies should be moved in October, when dormancy is only starting. Replanting the hefty tubers at 5 cm beneath the surface of the soil is the key to success. Any further and they will mope around forever. Peonies can also be divided in October, but larger clumps can produce up to 40 flowers if left unattended. Although it will offer you more plants, division is not required.
These extremely hardy perennials do best in fertile soil that holds moisture and can withstand freezing winters. Additionally, they benefit from a feed, and Vitax Q4 pellets are great for peony and many other plants. Vitax Q4 should be given in April to moist soil if at all possible. When planting organic matter, such as well-rotted compost, if your garden is on lighter soil, add it. After feeding, immediately cover damp soil with bark, but never cover dry soil. Like all tuberous plants, peonies detest wintertime soil that is too wet or heavy. Trim the stems as they wilt in the autumn and remove any wilted leaves you spot along the way. Peonies favor strong illumination.
Propagation
Before splitting up huge clumps, wait until the autumn foliage has died back. Lift the plant, chop through the roots with a clean, sharp knife, and check that each area of the crown has at least four or five dormant buds. After the plant has been out of the ground for a few hours, it may be simpler to work with. After applying a fungicidal powder to the wounds, plant the divisions’ buds 5 cm below the soil’s surface.
Pests and diseases
There are a several illnesses that could harm your peonies, but peony blight is the most prevalent of them all. This normally occurs more frequently in damp weather and results in the top growth turning dark brown and wilting. By using a proper fungicide or by making sure that any infected growth is quickly removed and dead foliage is removed in the fall, it is readily handled.
When peonies bloom, can they be moved?
Long-lived perennial flowering plants called peonies are used to spruce up many different environments. Peonies may stop blooming as frequently as they once did as nearby bushes and trees enlarge. The problem is frequently a lack of sunshine brought on by crowding and the growing tree canopies in the area. One solution is to move mature peonies.
Can I transplant peonies? may be a question on your mind as a gardener. Yes, it is the answer. It is possible to move established peonies successfully. It’s important to understand when and how to transplant peonies.
Is transplanting mature peonies possible?
The optimum time to transplant peonies is in September, when they have finished growing for the summer and are beginning to hibernate. However, you may also dig out the entire root ball in the spring and plant it before the plants begin to sprout new growth for the year. Peonies will probably be too stressed out to survive if disturbed at any other time of the year.
Peonies can be moved in the summer.
Late in fall, I want to relocate some peonies in my yard. When would be the ideal time to move them, and how would you suggest going about it?
Peonies can typically be left in the garden unattended for several years. They thrive in full sunlight and well-drained soil, which also improves their performance. Although September would be the ideal time to transfer your peony, you should be able to do so now as long as you get to it quickly. Before winter, the plants require some time to adapt.
If necessary, you can reposition them at different periods. Because of impending construction, I’ve been successful shifting peonies in the spring, summer, and even in early November. When transplanting in the spring, summer, or very late fall, it is crucial to dig a sizable root ball and replant right away with the least amount of disturbance to the root ball as possible.
Now is the time to transplant, so trim back the foliage and prepare to lift the root ball by making an incision around the peony with a flat, sharp spade. At home, my peony’s leaves are already brown and inactive. Starting a few inches away from the foliage at the base of the plant, angle the cut under the peony’s roots. A healthy, thriving clump may benefit from a slightly larger root ball, whilst a less developed plant could get by with a smaller root ball. A distance of 2 to 4 inches away from the foliage should be sufficient.
Use the spade to carefully lift the root ball up after cutting all the way around the plant. You might have made the root ball too large if the soil around the edges starts to collapse. A strong root system and a healthy plant should emerge from the ground quickly. The root ball could disintegrate if your garden has sandy soil. Add mulch and thoroughly water the fresh transplant.
Gently shake the clusters of peonies to remove any loose soil from the roots before dividing them to produce more peonies. The ideal tool for cutting clumps into parts is a sharp knife. Each division should have a healthy-sized root system and three to five eyes (buds). While smaller divisions will function, flowering plants won’t develop as quickly.
Place the eyes 1 to 2 inches below the surface of the earth in a planting hole that is sufficiently large to accommodate the roots. After that, add 1 to 2 inches of mulch to the plants. As the plants begin to grow in the spring, don’t forget to draw back some of the mulch.