I think you could move them providing you do it carefully so as not to damage any roots which have formed already, do it immediately and water well. Peony isn't a bulb but a fleshy root. It is not adapted to spend time out of the ground in a dry state as bulbs can. The 'stick' is last year's stem. If your dahlia is a single tuber do not divide it. Multiple tubers can sometimes be divided but it sounds as if you are a beginner so, even if it looks as if it could be divided, I'd leave it alone until you are more familiar with them. You need to be able to tell which pieces could survive on their own and which won't.

I'm still not clear if you're wanting temporary, seasonal entertainment from the bulbs, or trying to naturalize them more permanently in the pots of other plants. I don't think enough info has been given about what kind of light the pots will have for summer has been made clear enough to make specific per-pot suggestions. If the former though, it's common for several types of bulbs to be sold in pots or even boxes, 'ready to bloom' through the winter, such as Amaryllis & many of the temperate bulbs. Temperate bulbs that require a chill would not be suitable for naturalizing with tropical plants, for example, but could flower once in them. For further flowers after that, they would need to go back outside, or be manually chilled. Tropical bulbs growing with other plants would mostly bloom during the summer/late fall, or arbitrarily/periodically whenever they feel like it. The advantage to keeping them in a group pot would be reduced risk of rot at times when they go dormant. Many people save tropical bulbs in a dormant state, in a cool dry place, though potting them with house plants can eliminate that step in some instances. Gladiolus, for example, can be kept indefinitely in cooler climates by pulling up the bulbs after frost, replanting in the spring. For the mentioned goal of winter color, Caladiums might be enjoyable. The color comes from the leaves, so no concern about if/when it might make a flower. Similarly, there are many other house plants with leaves so pretty and colorful, at a glance, people will say, "I love your flowers!" Most of these would not have the concern of possibly occasionally going dormant like bulb plants. I have the same strategy for annuals. Why concentrate on just flowers if there are also leaves just as pretty, colorful, and nowhere near as fussy or seasonal?

Since this is the Vegetable Gardening Forum I'll stick to talking about the tomato seeds. Check out the Bulbs and the many flower forums for more info on them. ;) The tomatoes can be started from seed 6-8 weeks before your plant out date - which usually 1-2 weeks after your last frost date. In your zone I am guessing that is the end of May? That would make it too late to start tomatoes from seed for the best results. But if you have some seeds for some early varieties you could try them and still get fruit from them before your first fall frost. Otherwise I think I'd plan to go with tomato transplants this year and save the seeds for next year. Good luck with your garden. Dave

What flowers can I plant in fairly deep shade right now for spring/summer flowers? I need to pretty up my place because it's going on the market. I'd prefer things with a tropical feel if possible since they are going around the pool. In this area, I also need some large bushes or plants. I have a huge plantar to fill in shade around the pool. The soil there is heavy clay with only a little improvement and is irrigated. I have some established plantings plus some salvias. I may just go with more salvias, if I can find a place that sells 8 packs or flats. I have a blue rose, some blue and red salvias, a wild-type hibiscus and some bulbs. I'm not even sure what kind of bulbs as I planted them a couple of years ago. I know I have some small white lilies ( Lily of the valley?), some canna and another very large bulb plant which has big,yellow flowers and spreads like crazy. Also, some iris. I have a huge hyacinth bean growing all the way up an old, large Mexican palm. The area is skirted by giant pine trees, African sumacs and a few palms. ( I know, weird combination, planted before I moved here, probably in the 80's sometime. I also have a planter in the sunny, non-irrigated front yard that needs some small bushes or something. The planter is narrow and alongside the driveway so nothing big like oleanders. I was thinking lavenders, hibiscus or some sort of desert bush like autumn sage. Front yard has a bunch of huge palm trees, some new, small hibiscus, a lavender and large rosemary. Also, an artichoke. Btw, house is 3,000 square feet, with five bedrooms, three baths, newly remodeled and has 1/2 acre, irrigated. Huge, huge pine trees and a sunny area with four 16x8 organic veggie gardens. Also has a large diving pool. It's at the end of a cul de sac on a quiet street in an older neighborhood of Mesa.