Re-planting Peony Bushes
 

Hello,

I have 3 peony bushes growing together in a small area, close to other
shrubs. To ease the crowding I have been thinking of moving the peonies
to a part of the yard where there's more room.

http://home.ca.inter.net/~deniswb/peonies.jpg

The peony bushes have already started to grow but have not yet
flowered. Is it too late in the season to move them, or could they
survive re-planting if done very soon?

Many thanks in advance,
Denny

Re-planting Peony Bushes
 

Denny wrote:
Hello,

I have 3 peony bushes growing together in a small area, close to other
shrubs. To ease the crowding I have been thinking of moving the peonies
to a part of the yard where there's more room.

http://home.ca.inter.net/~deniswb/peonies.jpg

The peony bushes have already started to grow but have not yet
flowered. Is it too late in the season to move them, or could they
survive re-planting if done very soon?

Many thanks in advance,
Denny

Peonies are NOTORIOUSLY fickle when it comes to
dividing/moving/replanting. I've had mixed results as they like a year
or so to acclimatize to their new setting. *If it were me*: I'd wait
til they got the little bud balls going, then take a huge root ball
before moving them and make sure new location gets the same
sun/moisture? Read a peonie page about the correct depth.

Re-planting Peony Bushes
 

"Denny" expounded:

I have 3 peony bushes growing together in a small area, close to other
shrubs. To ease the crowding I have been thinking of moving the peonies
to a part of the yard where there's more room.

http://home.ca.inter.net/~deniswb/peonies.jpg

The peony bushes have already started to grow but have not yet
flowered. Is it too late in the season to move them, or could they
survive re-planting if done very soon?

I'd leave them alone until late August. Then dig them with a large
rootball and move them to a prepared hole. Make sure the growing
points aren't any deeper than an inch or so - peonies planted too
deeply won't flower. I feed mine with bulb food in the fall, they
seem to do well with it.
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

Re-planting Peony Bushes
 

Ann wrote:
"Denny" expounded:

I have 3 peony bushes growing together in a small area, close to other
shrubs. To ease the crowding I have been thinking of moving the peonies
to a part of the yard where there's more room.

http://home.ca.inter.net/~deniswb/peonies.jpg

The peony bushes have already started to grow but have not yet
flowered. Is it too late in the season to move them, or could they
survive re-planting if done very soon?

I'd leave them alone until late August. Then dig them with a large
rootball and move them to a prepared hole. Make sure the growing
points aren't any deeper than an inch or so - peonies planted too
deeply won't flower. I feed mine with bulb food in the fall, they
seem to do well with it.
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

Re-planting Peony Bushes
 

I've transplanted peony bushes with great success. Dig up the whole
plant in the fall and just slice the ball into whatever size seems
apropriate and replant where they will get plenty of sun. I've more
than quadrupled my peony bed size with this method.
BTW I live in Eastern PA.

Re-planting Peony Bushes
 

I've re-read your question and I would say wait till the fall. The
plant is quite busy right now trying to produce flowers and the shock
is too risky in my opinion.

It doesn't look terribly crowded in the picture, although I like a
"full" looking flower bed as opposed to the specimen plant look. A full
bed will also cut down on the sun that gets to your weeds and therefore
cut down on that awful chore.