Hello After my grandfather passed away back in 1949 my mother dug up his peony and planted it where we lived on 28th ave in Vancouver. Then we and the peony moved to St. George Street in Vancouver then out to Ladner. After my mother passed away I dug up the peony and moved it to North Delta and now to White Rock. After 2 years it was growing "well" but only had a couple of flowers. Then I bought a large pot and filled it with quality soil. It seems quite happy now. Not as flashy as the newer varieties but this peony has a history. :-) FaxCap
These typically have a lapse for awhile after being moved, same as with many woody plants. Be sure the container size is ample, if things start to look tight bump it up to a yet bigger one - or plant it in the ground, if possible. Best time to move these is September, right after the winter buds have been set. These should be visible where they poke above the soil surface. Same as with moving woody plants, if you time it perfectly you get it moved right after the buds are finished developing but before the fall root rush happens. The big root growth for the year is initiated when mature winter buds send hormones to the root ends that tell them to get moving.
Thank you for sharing the story. It is amazing to see how well you managed to keep this Peony alive for such a long time and in such a great condition. It tells how much you honor the memory of your grandfather. This heirloom variety is beautiful with its erect flowers and right ratio of flowers to greenery. I prefer it to the newer varieties smothered with blossoms much to heavy to stay erect. It is an old plant that could be approaching its lifetime limit. I wonder, have you ever thought of propagating your plant either by planting the seeds or by root division?
Root division. Or at least we tried to dig up the whole root (tuber looking things) but I am sure there are peonies growing where we dug the plant up. Sure we missed a bit. :-) Yes, my grandfather was a conductor on the Vancouver trolley car system and an avid gardener. FaxCap
Thanks for that, Ron. The pot is 3' wide and 3' deep. I will watch it and re-pot it if it shows signs of being pot-bound. I feed it very early in the year even before the tips pop up. I also have one in the ground but it has yet to flower so it will be moved this year. After reading what you have said it will be September for sure. I have a nice sunny spot picked out. I plan on digging deep and filling the hole with rich soil after seeing what it did for the potted Peony. What do peonies like for ph? FaxCap (Ken)
