The best time to plant or divide peonies is in late August or early September. If you plant them in the spring a year's bloom is usually lost. If the peony clumps are dried out, soak them in water until they are firm. Plant peonies in full sun; do not plant them under shade trees or on the north side of a house. Remove faded flowers after blooming so seed pods do not develop. Do not cut tops of peonies until foliage turns yellow in the fall or is killed by frost. When cutting back, cut stems to just below ground level to eliminate or reduce the possibility of Peony (Botrytis) blight during the next growing season.

Place the clump in the hole so that buds are 2 inches below the soil surface. To allow room for clumps to spread, plant 3 to 4 feet apart. Fill in around roots with a good soil; then settle the soil by tamping and watering. Proper settling is essential because peonies may fail to bloom if buds are more than 2 inches deep. After the soil freezes, apply a mulch to protect the newly planted clumps.

You may wish to divide peonies because of poor flowering or to obtain more plants. To divide a peony, cut the top of the plant back to 4 inches. Dig around roots on all sides and carefully lift clumps. Do not break side roots. Shake off excess soil and wash roots with a hard spray of water. Discard any disease or insect infested roots. Divide the clump with a knife or sharp spade. Allow from three to five buds for each new clump. Do not plant newly divided peonies more than 2 inches deep; plant new divisions as you would new roots.

This page was last updated May 2003

Back to Information Page

Back to Horticulture Page