I have a 3-4 y.o. plant that I'd love to move. The spot is probably not the best one so my peony is not big at all. I know it possible but is it worth it? if there are chances it will not survive I'd rather leave it alone.... Anyone has any experience?
Peony tree trasplanting
I would dig it up now, keeping all the soil intact. If it is not in a good location, there is no point in leaving it there. You might want to put it into a large container Then you can move it anywhere you would like. In my experience tree peonies grow very slowly, and the new growth comes on the old growth. Give it a good amount of sun, and don't forget to water or feed.
Some of the tree peonies are dwarf's. The two I have are Alice Harding, goes by several names, and Shy Girl. I have had Alice for about 10 years and she is maybe 18 inches. Shy Girl is only 8 inches tall and I have had her for 4 years.
I think mine is Gold Pagoda. The pics are taken in 2011 and she didn't change much last year. She's not double nor yellow, maybe just a little hue. I suspect this bloom is coming from a rootstock, not from the graft. Are there any chances the flower will get fuller and darker with age?
The buds started to green up already, will they be affected if I dig now? or maybe it's better when she's done blooming?
Even if they are dwarf, or especially if they are dwarf, they may do well in a container. A large container.
If it is a dwarf, it will still only bloom from new node growth from the old growth.
When a tree peony is a graft, the rootstock is herbaceous, and that is why is should be planted at least 8 inches deep. If the planting is too shallow, the herbaceous root will grow instead of the tree peony.
Perhaps ah3815 can tell you if a dwarf has a smaller bloom and if that is a way to tell and if dwarf trees are grafted.
My blooms are anywhere from 6 to 10 inches in diameter.
Marcia
carpathiangirl - I had to transplant a 4 yo tree peony (sold as Kinshi, but looked more like High Noon when it bloomed) in the middle of summer due to landscape remodeling (basically dug it up, added 2-3 feet of fill dirt behind the retaining wall, and replanted it). It looked like heck the rest of that season, and basically started over with new growth the next year, but bloomed the year after (and every year since). Try to salvage as many roots as you can when you dig it up, and keep it well watered.
Dwarf only refers to the size of the plant not the size of the flower.
Many grafted tp's have a section where the stem hits the herbaceous root where it enlarges.
If you dig now probably the buds will not open because the plant will need to conserve energy to make roots. It would be better to move after it has bloomed. You may want to remove some of the leaves at the same time but not all.
Thank you my friends for the tips. I'd like to let her bloom and see if there's any progress in flower shape and color. I wonder what happens after blooming? is the plant keeps growing roots? and probably setting buds for the next year bloom?
Maria
I have a beautiful 3-4 year old purple tree peony This year it had several huge, beautiful blooms. The problem is, I fear I planted it too close to the shade of a hybrid willow. I could try to keep the branches on that side of the tree lopped off, or I could move the peony. Advice? Maybe move this fall before it gets any larger?
Caitlin, if the TP isn't too old, I have had no trouble moving them. I just have no experience moving older ones, but I suspect that's OK too. They have fairly shallow roots. I've treated mine like any other transplant, with being sure not to let it dry out completely while getting it settled. My best sites for TPs have morning sun and afternoon shade. Perhaps the blooms will be weak the next year, but then it can get happy in its new home.
I haven't disturbed the roots to know exactly when they grow, Maria, but an early season transplant I did certainly was happy by fall.