I have just purchased a house and inherited a beautiful garden with a lot of problems. I have what can only be mildew on a peony plant. It happened very suddenly and the plant is in very bad shape. There's midew on the mulch, all of the leaves, stems, etc. I sprayed it with Daconil this evening but I don't have much hope for that. I think it might be too crowded. Can I:

1. divide it now,

2.put what I remove into pots,

3.cut it all back (what's left in the ground and what's in the pots),

4.treat the soil around the peony and

5.replant the peonies I took out to a different location next spring?

Or maybe cut it back but leave it all where it is? Or throw out what I divide from the plant so I don't move the problem to a new place next year? I don't know.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1141694}}