Do you know the names of the varieties and the rootstocks? I always start my bare root plants in pots, in good quality potting soil, and have around five apricots growing in pots right now. First, look at the size of the roots, the way they grow, and get a pot which would allow the roots to spread out and down as much as possible. A fifteen gallon plastic pot half filled with soil seems to be better for the plants than trying to cram the roots into a five gallon pot. The larger pots don't dry out as fast as smaller ones, and in our hot summer climates, keeping the pots watered can be a challenge. After a year of so, if the roots start growing out of the holes on the bottom, it's easy just to lift out the root ball in a 15 gallon pot, add 6-12 inches of fresh potting soil on the bottom, two teaspoons of slow release Osmacote fertilizer mixed in, and replace the tree at the top. And it saves buying another pot. You plant the trees in pots the same way you would plant them in the ground, spreading the roots out to their natural level of growth, filling in the potting soil carefully so the roots aren't compacted together. The branches are pruned (or not) to balance the root spread. If the roots are long and ample, the branches need less pruning. If there are a number of long branches that make the tree top heavy, then they can be pruned back by half. The article below will give you more information. Good luck. Here is a link that might be useful: Fruit Trees in Containers

Get some dirt and moisture on those roots right away, peony roots are tender. Planting them in pots sounds like a good option. Use light well-draining soil, and leave the pots outside all winter long, in a relatively warm spot that isn't too sunny. Water them during warm spells but make sure they don't get water-logged. They should be fine. Good luck with your move!

Hi Bombini! You might want to post this in the Discussions area, there's a lot more activity there on the peonies forum! I'd soak those roots though to fatten them up and plant them now. Fall is best but spring works, too. Just don't expect to see much or possibly even any growth until next spring.

If you purchase a Sarah with buds on it and want to see blooms this year you'll probably want to leave it in the pot until after the blooms are done. You can get away with putting a potted one in more shade than you'd plant it out in--actually preferable since it's probably been greenhouse grown and could use the hardening off. Make sure the pot is shaded so the roots don't overheat, don't overwater and it'll be good. Once it's done flowering you can plant it any time you like, just like any other potted perennial it'll need some babying until it's established. Check to see how deep the top of the roots are before you put it in the ground, you'll want it to be around 2" deep in your zone 5b, no deeper. That's where the eyes will form later in the fall, on the crown of the root, and if they're too deep it can inhibit blooming. Everyone has their preferences with planting, either bareroot or potted. I have 2 sources that I'll plant bareroot in the spring but mostly prefer fall from growers who dig/divide/ship in a fairly tight period. Peony roots can survive a ton of abuse though, saw a post on the Southern Peony blog where she found a box from a few years before that she misplaced with roots in it--planted them and they grew!