Most peonies really appreciate a soil with lots of compost worked into it as deep as two feet. They also need full sun and good air circulation. A trumpet vine is not a recommended companion. As I don't know your growing zone I can't comment on the planting depth. Just be sure it is correct for your climate. Al

I planted 5 new peonies this April - May. They bloomed great from the nursery. Soon after tall the blooms died, the plants stopped. Great soil, mulched, watered, fed with Peters, Sun. Zone 8. Help Also Angel Trumpets not blooming yet but they are growing

thanksa Al.
i am in zone 5.
the peonies i tranplanted last fall went into a bed i had sheet mulched... i really hope they are not too deep. how do i know?
i'll move the little one away from the trumpet vine... it seems to be taking over though!

caracappel after the peonies finished blooming, what did you expect from them next? Your peonies will spend the rest of the summer storing the energy produced from the leaves in the roots to produce next years spectacular bloom. Every year the peony root will get a little larger and produce more blooms next year if well maintained in an area of plenty of sun.

alissa grower, your peony root should be no more than 2 inches from the surface for the best bloom next year. Peonies will grow large roots up to about two feet deep, but they will do best if spaced three to four feet from competing shrubs. Al

I bought a peony about 4 years ago towards the end of the selling season so it was on clearance, it came with an unopened bloom and never bloomed since then. I tried transplanting it after a couple years to no avail. the plant is a decent size but again no blooms. I've read a few places on this site it may have been planted too deep. would it be alright to dig it back up, place some bone meal in the soil and make sure its roots are at the 1 1/2- 2" depth like i've read? i realise i won't get any blooms this year- little chance anyways but i'd so love to see this one bloom finally. ihave no idea what type it is all i know is its bloom was red. thanks! Gail

do it this fall. You may find that the roots are twisted together. This is often caused by nurseries leaving herbaceous peonies in pots too long before planting out. In that case try to untwist before planting. Sometimes it is necessary to cut the twisted roots. If it is necessary try to divide so that each section has eyes and plant separately.

Right now you can give it a general all purpose fertilizer to encourage growth of leaves. If you wait too late you may cause the plant to send up new shoots.

i gave it Bayers flower 3 in 1 timed release fertilizer a couple months ago. i think thats what helped the bowl of beauty peony finaly start to bloom; i figured it would have helped this one to bloom too but no go. do you have a link to a pic of what the "eyes" look like? i appreciate all the help!

Sorry to burst your bubble but the blooms were established last year. Some what convoluted explaination but bear with me.

The roots have tissue in the crown area, top, that depending on chemicals released by the plant will form flower bearing stems or foliage. The growth of the tops provide nutrictian to the roots. Chemical exchanges triggered by light, temperature, and moisture tell the plant to start growing to open up the buds and expand. The tissue has been there since the root formed but the chemicals tell that part of the root to be either a root or a foliage stem. That chemical change normally happens during the summer before the bloom stalk grows. Therefore this years flowers were actually determined last summer.

This is one of the reasons that many peony growers suggest that a feeding is best just after blooming. Don Hollingsworth does a much greater explaination. I have attached a photo of a peony root with eyes.

The question that will pop into your mind is answered yes her roots are that large.

Here is a link that might be useful: peony eyes

thanks for the link, according to that page i did fertilize at the right time. perhaps with the wrong fert though. i used: http://www.bayeradvanced.com/product/All-In-One-Rose-Flower-Care/concentrate.html

only the kind i used was an 8 week time released crystals. not the concentrated liquid.

Here is a link that might be useful: bayer advanced garden all in one

It is better not to use a liquid fertilizer on any plant that will live longer than a year. Most liquid fertilizers are diluted by water and sprayed on foliage. Even if sprayed on the ground arround the plant liquids provide the plant a jolt of fertilizer rather than the long term slow release of nutriants that a solid fertilizer will provide.

Although I use the pelletized fertilizer for some things I worry about the residual components of the ball's shell. I have found the shells four years after using still in sperical shape.

I would also like to say that you need to quit moving it every couple of years! They take a couple of years to bloom, in most cases, after they are moved, so you may just be adding to your problem!