I would pot them up now and plant in the garden in the fall. Al

I get mixed signals every time planting bare root peony questions come up around the forums.

Like you, I picked up some S. Bernhardt and Felix Crousse from one of the big boxes a while back. I potted them up and am keeping them in a cool room with a sunny window; will gradually start hardening them off late this month and will plant outside as soon as the soil is warm and workable - here in Duluth between mid May and Memorial Day. I want them to develop their good root systems in their permanent spots in the ground, not in pots where I might overlook watering, etc. And, like someone said, peonies are tough and they're "investment" plants - though they might not bloom this year, they'll be rewarding down the line.

If I lived in a warm zone and could be assured there wouldn't be a frost or snow storm in September, I might keep them in pots for months - but this is Minnesota (where peonies flourish beautifully seemingly regardless of how they're treated).

Pot them up fairly soon; don't leave them in the bags too long. Plant with the sprouting eye/bud about an inch or so under the soil line. Same for when planting out permanently; planting them too deeply will likely result in no blooms.

I actually ended up just planting them in the garden. They were inexpensive enough that I won't be too heartbroken if they don't make it. I made sure to only bury the eyes about an inch deep. I figure if peonies like cool weather, they've got it now, why keep them in a pot until fall?

I have bought bare root peonies many times from places, and just plant them in the ground. It takes them some time, but now I'm seeing some of them starting to bloom. It's some waiting time, but to buy them already established for people who are trying to always get more plants, it's worth the wait. I have several more that I'll be waiting for now, but that's ok. Peonies are one of my all-time favs.