Lush and delicate peonies are a true treasure for European gardeners. These flowers are low-maintenance, fragrant, and thrive in various soil types. To ensure a long-lived and expanding flowerbed, it is recommended to transplant them to a new location once every 5 years. The procedure requires special preparation: it is essential to understand root division and follow a step-by-step guide. Let's explore how to transplant peonies in autumn to a new location and what you will need for it.
Table of contents
Why Transplant Peonies
The goal of transplanting is to extend the plant's life and ensure it blooms profusely and remains healthy. Flowers are transplanted for rejuvenation; if this is not done, peonies weaken each year until they eventually perish. Their roots can rot and fail to receive sufficient warmth and light.
It is advised to transplant the plant every 5 years. This is the optimal period for all types and varieties of peonies. However, tree peonies can be moved to a new location once every 10 years, provided all care rules are followed.
When is the Best Time to Transplant Peonies: Autumn or Spring
The procedure is primarily carried out in autumn: gardeners consider this the most favourable time. Peonies establish themselves quickly in a new location and bloom abundantly the following year.
If you miss the autumn transplant window, it can be done in spring. The key is to wait until all the snow has melted and the earth has warmed to a temperature of at least +10°C.
The disadvantages of spring planting are that the bushes take longer to establish and are more prone to disease. The absorbing rootlets of peonies are damaged, which negatively affects the development of buds and the plant as a whole.
In autumn, these roots regrow, allowing the plant to root quickly and receive nutrients from the soil. Such a peony is less susceptible to disease and pest attacks, boasting strong immunity and frost resistance.
Optimal Timing for Autumn Transplantation
When choosing a day, some gardeners pay attention to climatic conditions, while others consult the lunar calendar. Some consider several factors at once.
By Climate Zones
In temperate climates like that of France or Germany, the procedure begins in late August or the first half of September. In this case, the rule is: the sooner, the better.
Note! A suitable day for transplanting flowers is windless, warm, and without precipitation. The optimal air temperature is around +15°C. It is recommended to check the weather forecast in advance and choose a date accordingly.
The main thing is to complete the transplant before the first frosts. In cooler regions like Scandinavia, this is the second decade of August. In warmer southern European countries, the procedure can be postponed until the end of September or even early October.
By the Lunar Calendar
The lunar calendar helps gardeners choose the most suitable days for the procedure.
For a successful transplant, focus on the waning moon phase, which is considered favourable for root development. Avoid periods of the new moon and full moon, as these are generally less favourable for planting and transplanting.
It is best to consult a current, year-specific lunar gardening calendar for the most accurate dates for your region.
How to Transplant Correctly
To understand how to transplant peonies in autumn, one must study many factors: choosing a planting site, suitable soil, and adhering to the correct technology.
Peonies cannot be called a capricious flower, but they require careful handling, as moving to a new location is stressful for any plant.
Choosing a Location
Peonies grow well in a sunny area or in light partial shade. The location should be spacious and clean, free of debris and plant residues. There should be no sprawling trees or shrubs nearby, as they will shade the flowerbed.
Do not plant the flower in deep shade: due to lack of sunlight, the buds become smaller, and the roots develop slowly.
A suitable location is an area protected from winds and situated on elevated ground with a south-eastern exposure. Damp lands near groundwater or open water bodies (rivers, lakes, and especially marshes) are not suitable.
It is better to transplant peonies to raised beds to be sure that groundwater will not reach them. Soil acidity should preferably be neutral, with a loamy or sandy loam composition.
Soil
Prepare the soil for peonies yourself 2 - 4 weeks before transplanting. Prepare a planting hole on the site, 60 cm deep and 70 cm wide (sizes may vary depending on the size of the flowers), loosen the bottom thoroughly and clean it of plant residues. Then prepare the soil: mix humus, peat, and topsoil in equal parts.
Optionally, add a part of leaf or sod land - this will make the soil mixture even more nutritious and fertile.
Note! If the soil is heavy, place a drainage layer at the bottom: expanded clay, crushed stone, sand, marble chips, or gravel. Ensure this layer is even, without gaps.
Add 200 g of bone meal and 100 g of superphosphate to the hole. This feeding normalises the soil acidity and enriches it with microelements required for the flowers to adapt to the new growing location. The top layer of the hole should be made of clean and crumbly garden soil.
Transplanting Technology
Before transplanting peonies to a new location, it is important to water the soil abundantly: about 10 - 15 litres of water per bush. Next:
- Carefully dig up the bush around the root ball, stepping back 25 cm.
- Shake the bushes and remove them from the ground along with the roots. Be prepared that some roots may break off.
- Rinse the rhizome under a gentle stream of water from a hose.
- Leave the plant in the shade for 3 hours so that the roots dry out and become firm.
- Divide the roots manually or with a sharp knife into 2-3 parts so that each has 3 - 5 buds, and the root length is no more than 20 cm.
- Place the divisions in the new location and cover with loose soil.
- Tamp down, water generously, and mulch with sawdust, straw, sand, hay, or dry leaves.
Experienced gardeners recommend paying special attention to the division stage. Carefully inspect the divisions from all sides; trim parts with spots or signs of rot.
Smear the cuts with a disinfectant and place them in a solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection. Then, place the plants in a rooting hormone like a standard growth stimulator. It strengthens the plant's immunity and guarantees quick establishment in the new location.
Follow-Up Care
Proper and timely care after the procedure is the key to peonies quickly adapting to their new location and growing conditions.
Gardeners first pay attention to watering, fertilising, and pruning. It is important to regularly loosen the soil around the plant and prepare it properly for winter.
Watering
If peonies are watered once every 3-4 days in summer, then in autumn, after transplanting, the amount of moisture is reduced by half. Water the flowerbed for the first time immediately after the procedure, and the second time - a week later.
Note! Some gardeners make the mistake of stopping watering the plant immediately after transplanting, reasoning that the peony will not bloom again this year. This is incorrect: moisture is needed not only for flowering but also for nutrition and maintaining immunity.
Use settled water at room temperature, pouring it into the root zone. Do this early in the morning, after first loosening the soil. Stop watering 3 weeks before the frosts.
Fertilising
Fertilising is only required if superphosphate, peat, ash, or other organic fertilisers were not added to the planting hole during transplanting. In this case, a week after the procedure, apply 40 g of potassium sulphate or 50 g of superphosphate per 1 m².
If you have herbs on hand (nettle, tansy, chamomile, marigold, sage), you can make an infusion: soak 300 g of plants in 5 litres of water, cover with a lid, and leave for 4 days in a dark place. Water the peonies a month before the expected frosts.
In October, spread well-rotted horse manure on the peony beds. It decomposes throughout the winter and spring, nourishing the soil. With such feeding, you won't need to fertilise the soil with nitrogen in spring: all the necessary substances are already in the soil. Instead of horse manure, you can use cow manure or granulated poultry manure.
Loosening, Hilling
The soil is loosened to prevent the appearance of weeds, many of which become active precisely in autumn. Loosen peonies to a depth of up to 10 cm, no more. Otherwise, you can easily damage the plant's root collar. Thanks to this procedure, the plant breathes and grows well. Perform the procedure once a week; if it rains - more often.
Hilling is one way to protect against winter cold. It protects peonies not only from weeds and pests but also from frost. A mound about 20 cm high is built up around the bush. To make hilling more beneficial, use not simple garden soil but peat or humus. Perform the procedure before the soil freezes. The suitable temperature is around +5°C.
Pruning
Prune peonies not immediately after flowering, but 2 weeks before the frosts. As soon as the leaves change colour and begin to droop, carefully cut them off with garden shears or remove them by hand. For herbaceous peonies, the entire above-ground part is removed.
Note! After pruning, treat peonies to protect them from diseases and insect pests. Use a solution of a standard fungicide. This procedure protects plants from aphids, beetles, thrips, grey mould, and rust.
Cut the stems as close to the ground as possible, leaving only 2-3 cm. Perform all actions carefully so as not to tear off the stems along with the buds.
Winterising
After pruning, fertilising, and weeding, prepare the bushes for winter. Peonies are heat-loving, so even the most frost-resistant varieties are covered for winter. Young peonies aged 1-2 years are especially carefully insulated.
Fallen leaves are used as covering material: they are collected in advance in bags, dried in a warm place, and only then placed on the flowerbed. Oak leaves work excellently: they do not rot and provide good protection from the cold.
It is recommended to mulch the plants for winter. Use sawdust or bark as mulch. They nourish the soil, protect against rodents and insects, and cold. The mulch layer should be thick - at least 20 cm.
In colder regions, young plants are covered with a wooden box. Once snow falls, it is gently compacted to provide additional protection for the plants.
Additional Tips and Life Hacks
To ensure peonies delight with lush and long-lasting flowering, experienced gardeners share secrets and life hacks for growing them:
- Peony roots are very delicate - swollen, tuberous. They go underground up to 1 m deep. Therefore, it is better to dig them up with a garden fork, not a shovel.
- The main mass of peony roots is located along the perimeter of the crown; there are none under the stems. This is important to remember when distributing fertilisers.
- Peonies respond well to liquid mineral fertilisers. Ensure the granules are well dissolved in water before using the feed.
- Do not apply nitrogen-containing fertilisers in autumn: they will awaken dormant buds, and the peony will not bloom the following year.
- During transplanting, the soil level should be 3 - 4 cm below the root bud; otherwise, the roots may freeze in winter.
To determine when to transplant peonies in autumn, observe the weather conditions and the forecast for the next couple of weeks.
Conclusion
Transplanting peonies in autumn to another location is a simple procedure but has some specifics. First, gardeners choose a new flowerbed and prepare the planting hole. Then, the bush is dug up, the roots are divided, washed with water, and left in the shade for several hours. The divisions are placed in the hole, covered with soil, watered, and mulched.
To help peonies establish themselves faster in the new area, it is recommended to prune them, feed them, and hill them with peat.