Transplanting Peonies: Timing and Technique

Peonies resent disturbance, but if you must move them, timing and root ball size are critical.

When to Transplant

Best: Early October, when plants are dormant but soil is still warm for root growth.
Acceptable (with care): Early spring, just as shoots emerge.
Summer (only if necessary): Only if you can dig a very large root ball (18-24 inches wide) and water diligently all summer.

Cut foliage back to 3-4 inches.
Dig widely around the clump to preserve thick storage roots.
Replant immediately at the same depth—eyes (buds) no deeper than 1-2 inches below soil surface.
Water thoroughly and mulch.

Dividing large clumps is best done in fall. Each division needs 3-5 eyes for good bloom.

About Gardening: Rose of Sharon Transplanting: Late Summer/Early Fall Success; Transplanting Trees and Shrubs: Timing and Technique; Moving 20-Year Walmart Roses 35 Miles: Heeling In and Transplant Protocol; Transplanting Maui Ixoras in North Florida: Timing and Technique; Transplanting Mature Lilacs in Summer: Seattle Success Strategy; Transplanting Roses, Pieris, Hydrangeas, Bulbs: A Master Class in Container Moves; Moving Overgrown Mums: Timing and Technique for Minimal Shock; Transplanting Peonies in Spring: What to Expect; Transplanting 14-Year-Old Burning Bushes in Ohio: Better to Replace; Transplanting Blue Rug Juniper & Crape Myrtle in Atlanta: Wait for Fall

Garden Articles

Plants