When to plant peonies
hardy perennial
The short answer
Fall is the ideal time to plant peonies, so the roots grow before winter.
What extension services say
- Fall is the ideal time to plant bare-root peonies, giving them a few weeks to settle in before winter; peonies grow almost all of their root system in late fall while the ground is cooling. University of Minnesota Extension ↗
- September to October is the ideal time to transplant established peonies in Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin Extension ↗
- Early-spring bloomers such as iris, peonies and flowering bulbs are best planted in the fall; late-summer bloomers are best planted in spring. University of Missouri Extension ↗
- Do not bury the buds (eyes) more than 2 inches deep or the plant may not flower. University of Illinois Extension ↗
- Clemson's perennial-dividing guide is stricter: eyes no deeper than 1 inch below the surface. Clemson Home & Garden Information Center ↗
Sources differ on bud depth (2 inches in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois; 1 inch from Clemson in the South).
Questions gardeners ask
When is the best time to plant peonies?
Fall. Minnesota Extension calls fall the ideal time for bare-root peonies and Wisconsin gives September to October for transplanting.
How deep should peonies be planted?
Keep the buds no more than 2 inches under the soil; deeper planting is a common reason for no flowers. Clemson recommends 1 inch in South Carolina.
Why is my new peony not blooming?
Illinois Extension says peonies may take 2-3 years to establish and bloom, and that shade, tree-root competition or over-fertilizing lead to poor or no flowering.
Sources
- University of Illinois Extension: Peony
- University of Minnesota Extension: Dividing peonies
- University of Wisconsin Extension: Peony
- University of Missouri Extension: Herbaceous Ornamentals (MG9)
- University of Illinois Extension: Dividing Peonies
- Clemson Home & Garden Information Center: Dividing Perennials
Extension advice is local to the state that wrote it. Where the sources differ, both are shown. Dates in the tables are estimates from typical frost dates; your garden’s own last frost can differ by a week or more. How we source data.