Hi Debbiezone7. I have both potted and in the ground peonies. I grow some specifically in pots on my deck. They do wonderfully for about 5-6 years like this and then I need to plant them. I throw annual flower seeds in with them every year so when they are done blooming I have lots of other color to go with the peony foliage. Hope this helps. :)

How do you grow your peonies in pot, jcull4? What kind of soil do you use and often do you water them? Are they in full sun or partial shade? Peonies in pots had not done well for me. I would appreciate to learn from your experience.

Debbiezone7, if you already have a place for these peonies in your garden bed, by all means plant them in their spots now. If you do not have a permanent place for them yet, find a partial shade spot and plant them there temporarily. And you can plant them close together (a few inches apart) rather than the 2-3 ft distance as recommended. When temps get over 90, put mulch around the plants to keep them cool. When they go dormant in the fall, you can transplant them to their permanent locations. This way you will have some time to plan where you want to plant them permanently and time to prepare the soil properly.

Hi Debbiezone7. I use just regular potting soil and put them in partial shade. I usually end up moving them around until I find the spot they like. I do know where the sun hits my yard and when so I have a pretty good idea where to start them out. I have a pretty green thumb and know about what I'm planting so I tend to put things where I feel like and make adjustments as I go. I'll be potting up my peonies this weekend and keep them in the house til the last frost. Then out to the deck with them!

Peonies grow from roots, they are not bulbs and do not do well stored out of the soil. If for some reason you can not plant in your garden, pot them up. You can always plant them in your garden later. Al