Dividing peonies how and when?

[rootball]

Hi, sorry not sure if this is where this question should go.

I have 3 peonies growing in my front garden. They have been there for 20 years never needing any looking after they just come up year after year.

I would like to divide one of the plants and move to the back garden, my questions are:

In your experience are peonies happy being divided and if yes how do I go about dividing them. I have divided plants before but not sure if the same applies to peonies, I seem to remember reading somewhere they don’t like being moved or divided not really sure if that is correct.

If they can be divided what is the best time of year to do it.

I don’t want to jeopardise a happy plants health so grateful for any advice you experts can give me.

Thanks
R

[Scarlet]

I'm sure there was a thread on this subject not so long ago but I can't find it.

Peonies don't like being disturbed, they often die if they have been dug up or split. If they do survive division they sulk and don't flower for several years.

I've moved a couple and split them, they didn't die but they took two years to flower.

If you want to give it a go., Id dig it up when the plant is dormant, end of September/Oct or possibly Feb? Take as much earth with the root ball as you possibly can, split with a knife and plant up. Make sure the root ball goes in at the same depth as it was originally, you don't want to plant it too deep.

I'm sure someone will come along with a little more info later!!

[Glutton4...]

I divided mine in the winter, and they both grew beautifully, and flowered their socks off.

[Scarlet]

Show off !

[Bal]

I moved one too, just as it was about to flower, it survived but took a few years to forgive me!

[rootball]

Thanks you for your replies.

Scarlet as the plants are big I am wondering if I can just take a section while the plant is in the ground. Dig on one side of the plane and divide or do I need to dig the whole plant up.

Glutton4 as your move has been such a success I wonder if you have any tips to help me with my move.

Thanks
R

[Glutton4...]

Despite folk saying they're fussy, generally they tend not to be. There is loads of info on the internet, if you have the time to search and read it. Generally they say move when dormant (late autumn/winter) don't plant too deep, they like sun and free-draining soil and they like to be mulched. Be careful when lifting, as the tubers are brittle.

Having said that, my current garden has one in a wet partly shaded area, and it has about six heads on it. I do have to stake it though, as the stems are flimsy.

[berbie]

erm my husband wanted to plant veg where my plants where. 1st he hacked them down (in the middle of summer) then he rotivated them, the next year they where back with a vengeance so this spring I asked him to dig them out rather than hack them back, I have around 40 plants now, 40% have flower heads, Bernie calls them the dandelion of all flowers unkillable, a small plant has just stuck its head up in the middle of his purple sprouting broccoli

[robmarston]

I am no expert on Peonies and have never grown them before, but my partner's mother wanted an established one moved and told us we could have it. So we went round, dug it up (roughly) and drove home with it and planted it in our garden. Our garden has neutral soil and it came from acid soil. This was about a month ago when the shoots were just beginning to show. It is now nearly full sized and has great big buds on it ready to open. I'd say go for it, do what you will and hope for the best. If this experience is anything to go by, they're quite happy to be moved...

[NoTWHaTiTWaSNT]

Nice thread, I've one to divide this winter and hopefully all will go well