Did you know that fall is the best time of all to divide and transplant overgrown peonies?
If your peonies have become a little too large for their space – or are starting to look tired, crowded and past their prime – now is THE time to dig them up and divide them. Not only can dividing give an old peony new life, it can also give you additional plants for free!
Peonies are one of the most impressive early bloomers in the landscape. Just as spring begins to hit full stride, their large buds burst open into massive blooms, usually flowering from mid-May through early June in most growing regions.
And when peonies are healthy and thriving, few perennials can match their incredible flower power. Their enormous single or double blooms can fill flowerbeds with gorgeous shades of pink, white and red – all while adding wonderful color, texture and interest to the landscape.
Why To Divide Overgrown Peonies In The Fall
More Reasons To Divide Peonies On A Regular Basis
It is true that you do not have to divide peonies. But there are some big advantages to doing so. Especially if they have grown to the point where their roots become tangled, crowded and tired. When this happens, not only does the plant’s health suffer, it can also lead to far less flowers with each passing year. Or in some cases, no blooms at all!
There are a long list of benefits for dividing peonies that go beyond simply keeping the roots from becoming overcrowded.
First and foremost, smaller peony clumps are easier to care for. They need less water and nutrients to thrive, so you’ll spend less time tending to them. Even better, they tend to be easier to support. When peonies get too large, the heavy flowers and stems often topple over to the ground.
In addition, dividing every three to five years also helps keep a handle on pests and disease. The larger and more overgrown a peony becomes, the more easily pests can hide. And if the foliage grows too large and thick, it’s also easier for mold, mildew and other diseases to find a home.
Getting Free Plants!
Maybe the best reason for dividing regularly is that you get free plants! Peonies are not exactly inexpensive to purchase. But by dividing your own stock, you can create plenty of new plants to use all over your landscape – all without spending a dime in the process.
Finally, another advantage to creating new plants is being able to share them. Gifting them to friends and family or swapping with other gardeners makes for a unique and thoughtful gift – and a great way to add new and interesting flowers to your landscape as well.
How To Divide Peonies In The Fall
Why Fall Is The Best Time To Divide
Fall is by far the best time to divide peony plants, and for several key reasons. During fall, peonies slow their growing habits in anticipation of becoming dormant. Because of this slower growth, it makes the bush far less vulnerable to transplant shock.
Dividing peonies in the fall also more importantly allows ample time for newly separated roots to establish themselves before winter arrives. Doing this in the spring is risky enough, but summer is even more dangerous.
Unfortunately, transplanting in the spring or summer simply brings far too much stress to plants. When divided in the spring, the energy the plant uses to re-establish its roots takes a lot of power from the plant. Because of this, the plant doesn’t have enough energy left for producing blooms or flowers.
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In the summer, the intense heat and lower moisture can make it almost impossible for the plant to establish. Even peonies that are lucky enough to make it often will not flower the following season.
The stress is enough that it often leads to the plant’s total demise in the summer. So if you want to divide your peonies – fall is the time!
The Simple Steps To Dividing
Before you divide overgrown peonies in the fall, the first step is to cut the bush down to within a few inches of the soil line. This will allow you to find the root system far easier. In addition, it will stop the plant from trying to send resources to old growth and redirect energy to its roots.
With a large shovel, begin digging in a straight, downward motion. Typically, peony roots are about 6 to 8 inches deep. Start by slicing down around the outside of the circumference of the plant. Next, dig down on a bit further to go under the roots and carefully lift the entire plant out of the ground.
To remove excess debris, you can gently set the large root system on the ground to loosen up any soil. You may notice some tubers naturally breaking off and dividing. Once on the ground, depending how large your roots are, you may be able to separate off tubers by hand.
Try to keep tuber portions in similar size. This will allow the new plants to grow to the same size and be even in your landscape. A general rule of thumb is 3 to 5 inch tuber portions will create a 1 to 2 foot peony bush.
To break up more sturdy roots, you may need to use hand tools. A garden knife or a small folding saw are both great for this. Simply wedge through the thicker roots and cut to your desired cluster size. Affiliate Product Link: Hori Hori Garden Knife
Transplanting Peony Bushes
Transplanting as soon as you dig your plants up is the first key to success. The longer the tubers are out of the soil, the more they will dry out.
Above all else, it’s important to transplant into fertile, well-draining soil. Begin by amending planting holes with compost. Dig down to a depth of around 12 inches to loosen the soil, then mix in equal amounts of compost and soil in the bottom 4 inches of the hole. (See: Making Great Compost)
Next, set your tubers in the planting hole to around 6 to 8 inches deep. Make sure the tips are pointing upward as you plant. Plant so that just the tips of the peonies are poking through the soil and barely visible.
To finish, cover the top of your peony tubers that are sticking through the soil with mulch. Eventually the new growth and stems will grow through the mulch, but the covering will protect the plant through winter. Here is to taking time to divide your overgrown peonies this fall – and to healthier plants next spring!
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Simple Garden Life is a website dedicated to keeping gardening fun, simple and enjoyable! We publish two new articles each week along with a new garden podcast episode every two weeks. This article may contain affiliate links.