I have a brand new peony, and it's been a very wet winter. Then quite by accident one day I split a peony with my clumsy fork-work, didn’t even realise I had done it and was rewarded with a new flowering clump that very same year. Use a clean knife to prevent the plant from getting infected. Grow peonies in deep, fertile, humus-rich, moist soil that drains well. How do I split a peony bush? ", "My peonies have very few blossoms. Water the plant really well the day before, as that makes it come out easier. Can I dig up and replant them into the center of the surrounding ring? It is always a good practice to cut them all down at ground level in the fall months after the blooming/growing season. Moving and dividing peonies should be done in autumn once the leaves have died back. After rinsing, you should leave the roots in the shade so they soften up a bit. wikiHow's. But well worth the wait because beauty awaits you! Depending on its age, you might need a fork or a … It’s better for the root ball to be placed too high in the ground than too low. Everything depends on the conditions prior to planting. Divide and Transplant. Try to do this as little as possible, peony plants dislike being disturbed. How to divide a peony. Grown in the colder regions of Asian countries for 2,500 years, peonies made their way to Europe and the United States in the early 19th century. You will want to make sure each piece has at least one crown bud. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. I'm going to transplant two small peonies today and watch for them to come, "I needed to find out when to dig up & divide peonies, & my question was answered after reading further! wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Also, if deer are a problem in your neck of the woods, consider planting peonies. However, at least one will do. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Now I know when and how to move and replant. Will my peonies cross breed and produce different colors if I put them in the same flower bed? The only way to multiply peony plants is to divide peonies. Then, store them in a cool, dark place until you're ready to plant them. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. How to Grow Peonies. These will actually be the part that comes through the ground after planting and forms a new peony plant when you divide peonies. ", "I now know how to transplant peonies and when to do it.". If you do everything right, then I would expect 20% - 30% blooming during the first year. Peonies will often not bloom in the first spring after they have been divided. If your peony plant only has 3-5 buds, it doesn’t need to be divided. Dividing Peonies . wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Replant so that eyes are about an inch deep and allow 3 feet between each plant. I planted the tubers at the very surface of their new home, as I read that they don’t like to be planted too deep. They keep stems aboveground year-round, and feature many wiry roots around larger, fatter ones. This might sound complicated, but it’s not. Some peonies can … If the soil and roots are constantly freezing and then thawing again, it’s going to damage the plant. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Large,old plants should be dug, divided, and transplanted to improveperformance. There are too many variables to this question, but in general, it is very hard to kill a well-established peony plant. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 238,828 times. I always thought that herbaceous peonies were sulky movers and difficult to split, hence the spenny price tag. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Sometimes, however, it becomesnecessary to move established peonies. Find out if some sort of root rot is going on first. If you decide to divide your peonies, do so in the fall. With this article, I was able, "I have peonies 53+ years old and they only had 3 blooms. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Aim to transplant the peonies in the fall. Peonies can live for decades, getting more and more exquisite with each passing year. You will continue to divide peonies until you have as many peonies as you can get from the roots you originally dug up. They will be easier to cut. While we are talking about peonies let’s dispel another myth: that peonies don’t like being moved. Peonies (Paeonia spp.) Doing this helps direct all the energy to the root systems. This is not the case. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Again, this is because the crown grows into the peony and dividing peony plants requires a crown on each piece you plant. Be very careful not to damage the roots. I have a wildlife habitat and the, "Bought a new house, didn't like where they had them and had no idea how to move them. They can, if multiple types of peonies are grown in the same area and the seeds are saved and grown. References wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Divide peonies in fall to allow the divisions time to grow and establish themselves in warm soil. Don’t store them too long or they may dry out and won’t grow. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/35\/Divide-and-Transplant-Peonies-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Divide-and-Transplant-Peonies-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/35\/Divide-and-Transplant-Peonies-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid1446837-v4-728px-Divide-and-Transplant-Peonies-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"