• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Monthly Checklist
  • Container Garden Design
  • Garden Coaching
  • Five ★★★★★ Speaker’s Topics
  • Portfolio

Hoosier Gardener

An informed, yet personal take on natural gardening in Indiana and other dirty topics.

An informed, yet personal take on natural gardening in Indiana and other dirty topics.
  • Home
  • Services
    • Container Garden Design
    • Garden Coaching
    • Writing & Editing
    • Virtual and In-person Talks
  • Indiana Gardening Resources
    • Monthly Gardening Checklist
    • Hoosier Gardener Blog
    • HortusScope
  • About
  • Contact
  • Shop

September 3, 2022 By Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp

Transplant a peony in five easy steps

Peony is the State Flower of Indiana, and if you want more of them or you need to move the perennial, now is the time. I need to move several of these, mainly because nearby plants shroud the peonies (Paeonia latifolia). Peony blooms have become non-existent because the plant is not getting enough sun. Here’s how to transplant a peony in five steps.

Step 1: Prepare new hole

Dig the new planting hole. The new planting hole should be 10 to 12 inches deep. Mix compost, chopped leaves, well-rotted manure or other organic matter in the new hole.

Step 2: Dig peony

Dig around the peony to be transplanted to lift it from the soil. You probably won’t see a lot of roots, but you will see rhizomes.

Step 3: Cut back stems

Cut stems back to about 4 to 6 inches. You can cut them back before or after the peony is dug. Cutting the stems back makes the plant (and root ball) easier to handle.

Step 4: Planting depth

Make a small mound of soil in the new hole. On the clumps’ rhizomes (yellow arrows), you’ll see growth points or eyes (red circles). These growth points should not be planted deeper than about 2 inches, including mulch, from the soil surface. Place the peony clump on the soil mound with the rhizomes (yellow arrows) pointed down or outward down and backfill with soil mixed with organic matter. I know that doesn’t sound very deep, but if peonies are planted too deep, they will not bloom.

Step 5: Water and mulch

Water the new planting well. Mulch the planted area with compost, shredded bark or chopped leaves. Continue watering regularly until the ground freezes. A newly planted peony may take a couple of years before it resumes blooming.

Tip:

The best time to transplant peonies is in fall. Here's how to do it.

Most of the peonies we grow in our gardens were bred for the cut-flower trade. That’s why the flowers are so large, top heavy and susceptible to being beaten down by rain. Next spring, as soon as you seen the peony break ground, place a ring or other brace to hold the plant’s flower head high.

Filed Under: Hoosier Gardener Tagged With: how to plant a peony, Indiana state flower, transplant peony

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Joyce says

    September 3, 2019 at 11:46 AM

    How far should a established Peony be cut back in the fall?

  2. Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp says

    September 3, 2019 at 12:04 PM

    Usually they get cut back to about four to six inched.

  3. Barbara Alder says

    September 9, 2019 at 3:24 PM

    What can be done for the mildew, silvery stuff on the leaves this time of year? Just cut back and hope for best next spring?

  4. Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp says

    September 9, 2019 at 3:28 PM

    Thanks for writing. Great question. Fall cleanup is essential…any type of plant debris should be removed. Try to give them as much air circulation and sun as possible. Consider applying a fungide labeled for peonies in spring as the plants break ground. Always read and follow label direction. Hope this helps.

  5. Annistacia says

    September 12, 2022 at 5:47 PM

    Hi, how do I decide where to transplant my peonies? We had a new fence built and I’m afraid some of mine won’t get enough sun next spring. Also, can the be safely transplanted in the spring? Thank you for your time.

  6. Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp says

    September 12, 2022 at 6:03 PM

    Thanks for writing. Peonies are best transplanted in spring. You’ll see plants already growing in pots in garden centers and those can be planted then, but it’s really better for existing plants to be transplanted in fall. You can transplant anytime this month. Peonies do best with full sun, but they also will do fine with about a half day of sun. Hope this helps.

Primary Sidebar

Get the Hoosier Gardener Newsletter

Follow Us!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

AAS names colocasia a winner

All-America Selections has named for the first time a colocasia the 2023 AAS ...

[Read More...]

Steve Mayer is now a Master Gardener

About a month ago, I visited with Steve Mayer in the Purdue Marion County ...

[Read More...]

November garden checklist

Pot up hycinths, tulips, daffodls and other spring bulbs for indoors enjoyment

Indoors Houseplant growth will slow so apply less fertilizer and water. ...

[Read More...]

Raking, mowing fall leaves

Leaves that fall this time of year are either a blessing or a curse, depending ...

[Read More...]

Footer

Quick Links

Shop
Speaking
Container Garden Design
Monthly Gardening Checklist
Contact

Get the Hoosier Gardener Newsletter

Contact

Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp
The Hoosier Gardener
thehoosiergardener@gmail.com

Copyright © 2023 · Hoosier Gardener - All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy · Terms of Service ·Sitemap

Affiliate disclosure: Amazon links are affiliate links and Jo Ellen will receive a small commission from items purchased via the links.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT