I've always heard that you should pick them right when the seed pods start cracking open on their own, and seeds should be planted immediately in the ground, perhaps around August when they are likely ripe.

If you let the seeds dry out at all, they will go dormant, and require a double dormancy, but if you take the seeds out and plant them directly in the garden bed around 2 inches deep, they should sprout the following spring.

Hey, are you guys talking about any kind of hebaceous peonies? can u start them off in a small container?
thanks...Hala

it's something I want to try. I have some of the older farm house varieties and just wanted to see if I could get seeds to sprout. just an experiment. Pembroke