When to Plant Peonies

Peony plants require little maintenance as long as they are planted properly and establish themselves. Note, however, that they do not respond well to transplanting, so you should plan your planting site accordingly.

• Plant peonies in the fall: in late September and October in most of the U.S., and even later in the fall in Zones 7 and 8. (Find your planting zone here.)
• If you must move a mature plant, fall is the time to do it—specifically, when the plant has gone dormant.
• Peonies should be settled into place about six weeks before the ground freezes.
• Although it’s certainly possible to plant peonies in the spring, spring-planted peonies just don’t do as well. Experts agree: they generally lag about a year behind those planted in the fall.

Choosing and Preparing a Planting Site

• Peonies are not too fussy, but choose your location wisely, as they resent disturbance and do not transplant well.
• Peonies like full sun, and though they can manage with half a day, they bloom best in a sunny spot that gets 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day.
• Provide shelter from strong winds, as peonies’ large blooms can make them top heavy. (Use stakes to hold them up, if necessary.)
• Don’t plant too close to trees or shrubs, as peonies don’t like to compete for food, light, and moisture.
• Grow peonies in deep, fertile, humus-rich, moist soil that drains well. Soil pH should be neutral.

How to Plant Peonies

• Peonies are usually sold as bare-root tubers with 3 to 5 eyes (buds), divisions of a 3- or 4-year-old plant.
• Space peonies 3 to 4 feet apart to allow for good air circulation between the plants. Stagnant, humid air can be a recipe for disease to develop.
• Dig a generous-sized hole, about 2 feet deep and 2 feet across in well-drained soil in a sunny spot. The soil will benefit from the addition of organic material in the planting hole. If the soil is heavy or very sandy, enrich it with extra compost. Incorporate about one cup of bonemeal into the soil. Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.
• Set the root so the eyes face upward on top of a mound of soil in the hole, placing the roots just 2 inches below the soil surface. Don’t plant too deep! (In southern states, choose early-blooming varieties, plant them about 1 inch deep, and provide some shade.)
• Then, backfill the hole, taking care that the soil doesn’t settle and bury the root deeper than 2 inches. Tamp the soil gently.
• When planting a container-grown peony, cover it no deeper than it grew in the pot.
• Water thoroughly at the time of planting.