How to Plant and Grow Peonies

Where to Plant Peonies

Peonies make fine sentinels lining walkways or a lovely low hedge. After their stunning bloom, the peony’s bushy clump of handsome, glossy green leaves lasts all summer and then turns purplish-red or gold in the fall. It is as stately and dignified as any flowering shrub.

In mixed borders, peonies bloom with columbines, baptisias, and veronicas and combine well with irises and roses. Plant white peonies with yellow irises and a froth of forget-me-nots; set off pink peonies with blue nepeta or violets.

• 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. In southern states, provide some shade.
• 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.
• When growing peonies, plant in deep, fertile, humus-rich, moist soil that drains well. The soil pH should be neutral.
• They are cold hardy, so any place you need an overcoat makes them happiest—they require a cold period for bud formation, a frustration to some southern gardeners.

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 6 weeks before the ground freezes.
• Although it’s certainly possible to plant peonies in the spring, spring-planted peonies don’t do as well. Experts agree: they generally lag about a year behind those planted in the fall.

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-draining 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 bone meal 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.