If you're forced to move them now I'd cut back the foliage at least half way. If they're very large the roots probably won't come out in one piece, they're pretty brittle. Are you replanting right away? Make sure you give them lots of shade and water, plant in a well drained area where they'll get plenty of sun next spring after they're established.

Yes gotta move them adding on to house they have been in this spot 30 yrs hate to do it have a trailer for my 4wheeler have been soaking them daily so roots will be wet have a temp . spot in garden to plant them when addition is done will move them again but after they go dormant also have a drip irrigation system and will add a line to water them this summer. Thanks for the advise and keep your fingers crossed would hate to lose them.

I doubt that you will be able to dig your peonies up in one piece. The best of plants that large will usually be the edges, not the middle. When it breaks up in the digging, I would concentrate on saving the edges for your replanting in the new location. Al

Al's wisdom lines up with what I experienced trying to move my established peony this summer. So far everything I've transplanted is surviving even though I was transplanting them at one of the worst times.. fully leafed out and flower buds about to open. I've just been keeping them watered and I cut off all the buds except for one so I could see one pretty flower this year.

I got seven peonies out of that one big clump assuming they all survive. I see liz suggested cutting back the foliage. I will do that for mine this weekend.

well I transplanted mine recently and all survived. Just a warning that peony roots are so brittle, they break apart easily. I wasn't expecting that. Mine hadn't fully foliated when I did the transfer. Right now they are in pots waiting for my transfer to the next new place I got. the plants are budding and blooming now. i aree to partial defoliating of the plant. it does need sunlight to remain healthy. Remove buds to it does not drain its energies.

Good luck all! Peonies really are pretty tough plants, aren't they?

I agree I have a red one that has been moved prob. 10-12 times in was from my great great grand mother moved to my great g mother to grand mother to my mother who moved three times and it went with her when she passed away I dug it up before we sold her home split it half to share with my brother now it's thriving in Kansas and Mo. also have some bean seeds passed down from the same g g gmom we call them Miss York Beans because that's who she got them from

oldguy - given such a providence, I hope the plant roots continue to be passed on to the younger generations as a form of living legacy of your 3x great grandmother. What a wonderful story. I have the same kinds of attachments to plants.