I need to do some work on my peonies which have been in the ground anywhere from 10 to 20 years. Could use some good advice.

1. My neighbor's tree is getting too tall and my two plum-colored peonies (can't remember the name) now need more sunshine. When should I move them to the sunnier spot I selected? Now, while they are dormant, or in early spring? I realize neither time is good and that I will sacrifice this year's buds, but I don't want to wait until early fall. Our soil here never stays frozen for very long--often have workable soil for several weeks at a time during the winter. I'd like to get the job done now, since I have big rose orders coming in the spring and will just get too busy to get around to moving peonies--which is what happened last year. But I've never heard of anyone moving peonies in the middle of winter. What would you advise?

2. I have five Festiva Maxima (am I spelling that right?), only one of which is a problem. That one has become way overgrown--far too crowded and is spreading out wider and wider--I have no idea why, since that is not happening with the other ones. Anyway, it is threatening to become a monster, width-wise. Now, I could just dig up the whole monster base, but don't really want to. However, I just had an unorthodox thought and wondered if it might be workable. I want the peony in the same spot but about half the size (width-wise) that it presently is. Could I just dig straight-down and take out the unwanted portions, leaving a more than adequate sized peony in place and filling in the "holes" with soil? One reason I ask is because the peony has become so large that I don't think I can manage to lift the entire monstrous base. I'd probably just end up mutilating it trying to get the entire root ball out. What do you think?

Thanks for any advice.

Kate