Hi Linnea56. You can wash off all of the soil and plant it just like you would any bare root peony, that way you can make sure it's growing in good soil, that's probably what I'd do this time of the year. If you decide not to do it that way the biggest thing about potted peonies is that they're not always planted at the right depth in the pot, most are a bit too deep. I'd remove it from the pot and just take some of the soil off the sides, just enough to make sure the roots aren't bound or twisted. I'd uncover the very top of the root as well but it sounds like yours might be very shallowly planted since you can see a bud...once you know the roots are loose enough to plant and where the eyes are just plant it so they're the same level as your other peonies. Good find on Abalone Pearl, that's a really nice one!