The reason I potted up mine was for control. In a pot I have complete control of soil, fertilizer, shade/sun, water, etc. I can eliminate competition from weeds, keep tender young ones shaded, have perfect moisture, and fertilize with just the right amounts. I had never gotten bare roots from Walmart and wasn't real sure what to expect. As it turned out they were very nice plants for $3.00. Below Shirley Temple $3.00 planted mid April.

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Bean_counter,
I bought some bare root peonies from costco around late march and potted them up as well. After buying them, I realized I should have waited until fall to buy them! They don't look anywhere near as full as yours. All of mine sent up a couple of stems and healthy looking leaves on them in the first few weeks and since then, they haven't done a thing.

So, I was wondering if you fertilize your bare roots? I haven't done anything but pot them in potting soil and watering them when they get dry. Should I be doing something that I am not?

Really appreciate any help.

Thanks
Mo

I fertilize with a liquid fertilizer at 1/2 strength about every 2 or 3 weeks. I know it's a pain keeping them in pots all summer but I think we are more likely to get blooms next spring. If we had waited til fall and planted the same roots there isn't much chance they would bloom the following spring. This way they have a head start. I hope I'm right;~) Good luck.

I bought 5 bareroot Sarah Bernhardt peonies from Costco a few years ago and had success. I planted inground in the spring, got a few leaves the first year. Year 2 I got lots of healthy foliage, no blooms. Year 3 was the payoff, bloomed gloriously. Local gardening radio showhost said sometimes it just takes a while for them to mature to blooming size. I just fertilize with super phosphate in the early spring. Around here, you just have to make sure they aren't buried too deep or they may never bloom.

Costco only has their boxes of bare root peonies in the spring. Potting them when received until you can plant them in the garden in the fall is the way to go. Amend your garden location with lots of compost down to about 2 feet. Each spring and fall I add compost around, not on top of my peonies, no other fertilizer has ever been needed. Al