Transplanted peony depth

15 years ago

I'm usually found in the roses forum, but my neighbour split a bunch of peonies today and had so many that she left five of them for me on my porch!

Reading up on peonies, I realise that this isn't really the ideal time for them to be moved, but one doesn't look a gift peony in the mouth (as it were) so I put them in the ground today.

They all had spring growth, so I planted them with that above ground (roughly the same apparent depth as my existing peonies, which were purchased from the local nursery, planted in fall 2007 and bloomed nicely last spring) - does that count as the right depth for the eyes? I couldn't really tell where the eyes were other than presumably that's what turns into the stalks... isn't it?

Suggestions? I put them in with lots of compost as well as the native soil still they left with them, and watered them iin. Anything else I should do? Suggestions for better assessing the correct depth? Can I adjust them tomorrow if your expert opinions suggest I haven't done this in the best way for them?

Many thanks for your assistance!

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Comments (3)

maifleur01
15 years ago
You did good for now. This fall you may want to dig them up, wash them off, cut off any bad spots, allow to cuts to dry and replant at the proper depth. The proper depth is 1 to 2 inches below the surface.

Depending on how shocked the plants are you may still have blooms this spring.
divamum
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the reply!

Another question (more regarding my existing guys): when you topdress with compost/mulch etc, are you at risk of burying they eyes too deeply and thus causing them not to bloom? Just wondering - the ones I bought I just stuck in the ground and they were happy and grew and bloomed, but now that I'm reading about this I wonder if maybe I've been both very lucky and somewhat naive about what they actually need!

Thanks.
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maifleur01
15 years ago
You can over mulch and bury the eyes. However you can put the mulch around the eyes about 6-8 inches away to keep the soil cooler during the summer.

See if your local library can order in Pamela McGeorge's book on peonies. It gives a lot of information that peony growers want to know but think they will be called stupid if they ask. I think it is just called "Peonies" but can't find my copy to confirm.