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 peonies are moved, do they bloom?
If you’re remodeling a planting border, that’s another incentive to be transplanting peonies. Peonies may need to be lifted and moved if your garden is being renovated. Or you could just wish to divide and grow more peonies so you can add them to your yard or give them to family and friends. When peonies are planted too tightly together, the clumps can get crowded as they age and may need to be pulled and replanted.
Peony transplantation is generally a task that doesn’t need to be done for 10 to 15 years. September is the ideal month for peony transplants. Trim leafy stems down to 2 to 3 inches above the ground. Under the peony clump, dig with a sharp shovel. About a foot away from the stems, start digging. Try to cut as few roots as you can while digging around and beneath plants.
Lift the peony clump from the hole after loosening the soil. Put it over a tarp. Shake the peony plant gently to allow soil to drift away from the roots. Section off or divide the roots of the peonies. There should be three to five eyeballs, or growth points, in each division. The areas on the roots known as eyes are where stems and leaves are produced.
Use a sharp knife to cut out any mushy or unhealthy areas of the peony roots as you remove the soil from them. Before planting, let the root parts dry naturally and develop a callus or hard coating. After planting, the callus helps avoid root rot. Fungicide application to peony roots also lessens the likelihood of rot.
With the exception of the Southern and Southwestern regions, where afternoon shade is preferable, pick a planting location that receives full sun (six to eight hours per day). Make the planting holes big enough to accommodate the roots and divisions of peonies. In cold climates, plant the eyeballs 2 inches below the soil’s surface; in warm climates, 1 inch. For each peony that has been transplanted in a chilly area, add some loose winter mulch. The layer should be 4 to 6 inches thick in order to prevent frost heave. Early in the spring, before new growth starts, remove the mulch.
Don’t count on peonies to bloom the following spring after transplantation. The second year after planting, you might get a few blooms, but it’s the third and fourth years that flower numbers should return.
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.
Is it difficult to transplant peonies?
One of the characteristics that makes peony such a resilient perennial in the garden is their persistent nature. Peonies are a hardy and long-lived plant, but their characteristics can also make them difficult to transplant. Sometimes a change of location is a required substitute for plant loss. Maybe the peony you planted next to the young sapling ten years ago is now floundering in the shade of the mature oak tree. Perhaps you want to expand your landscaping with a patio or gazebo, but a beautiful peony is getting in the way. Or perhaps you or a family member is relocating and you can’t bear to part with an heirloom peony plant that has grown to be as valuable and cherished as a pet. Discover the time and procedures needed to carry out a successful peony transplant.
Where would be the ideal location to grow a peony?
The peony has the fattest, most delicious petals and rich green foliage, making it outrageously attractive when it is in bloom. From spring to summer, savor stunning floral displays. Learn how to care for, grow, and plant peony.
About Peonies
Peonies are a perennial that will steal your breath away every year. The plants may even outlive you—some have been reported to survive for at least a century.
When Is Peony Season? When Do Peonies Bloom?
Depending on your location and the kind you are planting, peonies bloom from late spring to early summer.
You may extend the peony season across several weeks and take use of those magnificent blossoms for as long as possible thanks to the abundance of nurseries that provide early, midseason, and late blooming types.
Peonies may thrive as far south as Zones 7 and 8, and they are hardy to Zone 3. The key to success in the majority of the United States is to provide full light and well-drained soil. Peonies even enjoy the winter’s coldness because it helps their buds grow.
Types of Peony Flowers
You can pick from six different varieties of peony flowers: anemone, single, Japanese, semi-double, double, and bomb. The odors of different plants also differ; some, like “Festiva Maxima” and “Duchesse de Nemours,” have seductive rose-like aromas, while others have a lemony scent or none at all.
Where to Plant Peonies
When planted as a low hedge or along sidewalks, peonies make excellent sentinels. As majestic and dignified as any flowering shrub, the peony’s bushy cluster of attractive glossy green leaves lasts all summer before turning purplish-red or gold in the fall.
Peonies work nicely with irises and roses in mixed borders and blossom alongside columbines, baptisias, and veronicas. Plant pink peonies with blue Nepeta or violets, then surround white peonies with yellow irises and a froth of forget-me-nots.
Peonies are not overly picky, but you should pick your place carefully because they dislike disruption and do not transplant well.
Although they can survive in partial shade, peonies like full sun, and they flower at their best in an area that receives 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day.
Because of its huge flowers, peonies can become top-heavy in severe winds. Therefore, provide shelter. (If necessary, stakes can be used to hold them up.) Planting too close to trees or bushes will cause peony to compete with them for nutrients, sunlight, and moisture.
Grow peony in rich, wet, humus-rich soil that is deep, fertile, and well-draining. pH in the soil should be neutral.
When to Plant Peonies
As long as they are planted correctly and become established, peony plants require minimal upkeep. However, keep in mind that they do not adapt well to transplanting, so you should consider this when choosing your planting location.
- Plant peony in the fall: in the majority of the United States, in late September or early October, and even later in the fall in Zones 7 and 8. Your planting zone can be found here.
- If you need to move an established plant, the fall is the ideal season because the plant will be dormant.
- About six weeks before the ground freezes, peonies should be planted.
- While planting peonies in the spring is absolutely a possibility, the results aren’t always favorable. They often trail behind plants planted in the fall by roughly a year, according to experts.
How to Plant Peonies
- Peonies are typically offered as divisions of a 3- or 4-year-old plant, bare-root tubers with 3 to 5 eyes (buds).
- Peonies should be placed 3 to 4 feet apart to allow for enough air circulation. The development of disease can be facilitated by stagnant, damp air.
- In a sunny area, dig a generously sized hole that is about 2 feet deep and 2 feet wide. The inclusion of organic matter in the planting hole will improve the soil. Add additional compost to the soil to improve it if it’s sandy or heavy. Add about a cup of bonemeal to the ground. Find out more about soil improvements and getting the soil ready for planting.
- The roots should be positioned in the hole just 2 inches below the soil’s surface, with the root’s eyes facing upward on top of a mound of soil. Avoid planting too deeply! Choose early-blooming species, put them approximately 1 inch deep, and provide some shade in southern states.
- Backfill the hole after that, being careful to prevent soil settlement and a 2-inch root burying. Gently tamp the ground.
- Plant a container-grown peony no deeper than it was when it was in the pot.
- When planting, give everything plenty of water.
How to Care for Peonies
Young peony take time to develop, just like children. In order to establish themselves, blossom, and flourish, they typically require a few years. They eventually leave home on their own, fully grown and adjusted… No, that’s just kids, I suppose.
Peonies benefit from gentle neglect. They don’t require digging and dividing every few years like the majority of perennials do.
- Don’t use any fertilizer. Before planting, till the soil thoroughly while adding compost and a small amount of fertilizer.
- Early summer, after the peonies have flowered and you have deadheaded the blooms, is the ideal time to apply fertilizer (such as bonemeal, compost, or well-rotted manure) to a soil that is deficient in nutrients. Keep fertilizing to a few years at most.
- assist the stems Peonies’ stems, which occasionally are not strong enough to hold their enormous blossoms, are the only part of their structure that may be considered weak. Think of structures that allow the plant to grow through the middle of the support, like three-legged metal peony rings or wire tomato cages.
- Peony blossoms should be deadheaded as soon as they start to fade, cutting to a sturdy leaf so that the stem doesn’t protrude through the foliage. To prevent any infections from overwintering, trim the foliage to the ground in the fall.
- Avoid covering peonies with mulch. For the first winter following planting, you can VERY LOOSELY mulch with pine needles or shredded bark when the winters are bitterly cold. In the spring, get rid of the mulch.
Peonies bloom between late spring and early summer, but by planting a variety of cultivars, you may arrange your garden for a succession of blooms from mid-May to late June. Here are a few options:
- ‘Early Scout’ has red solitary flowers that open incredibly early.
- “Firelight”: very early-blooming, single, pale-pink flowers
- ‘Karl Rosenfield’: double, midseason bloomer with substantial crimson blooms