I'm having problems transplanting peonies!?

Question

i transplanted some peonies last night... yes i know it's the wrong season but had no choice... i dug out as many of the roots as i could reach... shall i replant the roots 1-2 in down or try to sprout them in water? and should i immediately cut the peonies down or let them dry up first? thanks! I love peonies and SO want them to take off for next year!!!

Answer 1

replant them at the current depth but no more than 2 inches..leave the greenery on until it dies back naturally then mow over top of them.

DO NOT put any type of fertilizer on them until you see them coming up next spring.

Fertilizing in late fall will only encourage growth when they are supposed to be dormant. During dry spells keep them watered but don't drown them.

I have planted peonies in the middle of summer with no problems.

The only time you really want to fertilizer is as I said above, when you see new growth in the spring.

10-10-10 is the best fertilizer when it comes to outdoors for the money. Sure Miracle Gro is good but 10-10-10 is much cheaper and does the same job.

Answer 2

Cut them back and mulch around them to help hold some moisture in around them.

Answer 3

I would plant them as soon as possible. Leave the foilage on them and make sure to keep them watered well. In the fall before the first frost, cut them down to around 2" tall and give them a good dose of miracle grow or similar product. Next spring when you begin to see them sprouting up, feed them with Miracle grow again. (Feed them once or twice in the spring, but no more.) To help them stand up, you can put a cage around them made out of chicken wire when they get about 6-12" tall, it really does help. Especially when strong spring rains hit them. After they bloom leave the foliage standing and keep them watered well and in the fall do the same thing again,,,before the first frost cut them down to 2" and feed them with miracle grow. Repeat this every year and in a few years you will have breathtaking peonies. As they get established they will need watered less, but keep feeding them once in the fall and once (or twice) in the Spring. Be patient however, peonies are fussy when it comes to transplanting. They do not like to be moved and it will take them a couple years to bounce back and show you their full beauty.

*** I have grown peonies for the last 7 years and I do exactly as I told you above and mine give me breath taking blooms evey year. I also recommend this same proceedure  to my customers and I have had lots of them come back and tell me that after they had done what I recommended theirs really took off. I don't know what it is about the fertilizer in the fall, but it really does help. Like I mentioned.....cut them down in fall, before the first frost and give them a shot of Miracle grow and again in the Spring when they begin to sprout up give them another shot of fertilizer (no more than twice in the Spring or you will get all foliage and no blooms). It hasn't failed me in 7 years. Good Luck!

Answer 4

Go ahead and plant them and cut back the foliage. Peonies are not planted deep so place with the eyes about 2 inches below the surface.