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Planting a bare-root peony after it got COLD?

linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

OK, I got greedy. Ordered a bare root herbaceous peony when a sale started. Then unexpectedly left town; without getting it planted or the destination prepared: I want to move out a lovely but off-white colored peony and plug in this true white one.

Then temps dropped to the 20’s as soon as I got back. I think moving the in-ground peony is unlikely to happen this year. I don’t want to kill it.

Am I better off: planting the bare root in a big nursery pot and storing in the attached garage? I have most of bag of topsoil left. Near the door it will be only slightly warmer than outside. Near the house door somewhat warmer.

Planting it in the vegetable garden for the winter? Temperatures are supposed to go up to 35 F tomorrow, before going back down and snow falling. Hopefully the vegetable garden is not frozen. It snowed about half an inch last night, and it didn’t melt, which means to me that the ground is cold.

Thanks for your advice!

Featured Answer

aluvaboy

6 years ago

You can dig up the peony and transfer it to a new spot even now - if the ground is not frozen solid. Also do not plant the bare root peony in a planter and keep it in the garage. As long as you have a viable " eye" on the barefoot, you are better off planting it in the ground. Peonies need to get the winter chill to flower. So if are still undecided on the final planting site, put it in ground in the vegetable garden. Then transplant it in the spring to the planting site of your choice.

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Comments (6)

linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Thanks! I know where I want it to go…just didn’t want to kill the 4 year old peony I need to move. Plus have to remove some sod in the new area.

So cold ground is not an issue for planting, just an issue as far as the planter (me) being up to the task?

I will see tomorrow if I can still get a pitchfork in the ground to dig it up. Otherwise, I’ll take the vegetable garden route.
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User
6 years ago
If you are planting in the same spot you may want to rethink that plan. Depending on the type of peony that you are digging, corals most of all, any root pieces left in the ground will form new plants. Planting in the same spot without digging a very wide area and replacing the dirt in that area can lead to slow growth or death of the new peony. Many peonies give off substances from their roots that will do this.
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
Original Author
6 years ago
H’mm. I didn’t know that, maifleur. I can’t dig a wide area, there
are other peonies nearby.

None of them are coral. The closest peony is a Festiva Maxima. The one I'm digging out is Snow Mountain, which despite the name, is not snowy white, but vanilla colored, and does not look good next to Festiva Maxima. Also there is a raspberry colored no name.

In addition, when it is really cold out I know I won’t be as
scrupulous about digging as I should be.
User
6 years ago
If you are looking for a snowy white many years you will be disappointed. In years with early cold whites will have a blush color. Those that are white sometimes quickly fade to an off white coloration if the temperatures are stable long enough.
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
Original Author
6 years ago
The Festima maxima has been white so far (except for the deep pink/ red streaks it's supposed to have). I've had them for ~ 6 years. "Snow Mountain" does not look even close, at any time. If the replacement doesn't look right either, I'll give up on white, and go with a different color. It's a big root, so I should get a bloom out of it to judge.

I planted it today in the vegetable garden. I'll have to move it as soon as I can, in the spring.

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