How to Transplant Peonies—and Divide Them for More Plants

Peonies are one of those plants I want to keep in the garden forever. Once established, they come back year after year with very little attention and reward you with some of the prettiest blooms of spring.

But sometimes a peony ends up in the wrong spot. Maybe the garden has changed, another plant has started crowding it, or you simply want to rearrange a bed. The good news is that peonies can absolutely be transplanted, and while you have the plant out of the ground, it is also the perfect opportunity to divide a large peony into several new plants.

Transplanting an established peony can feel a little intimidating because they have a reputation for not liking to be disturbed. The key is moving them at the right time, keeping their roots intact as much as possible, and—most importantly—not planting them too deeply. And after doing it myself, I can say this: transplanting and dividing a mature peony is much more manageable than it looks once you understand what you’re looking for.

Here is exactly how to transplant a peony bush to another area of the garden, plus how to divide a mature peony if you would like to turn one plant into several.

When Is the Best Time to Transplant Peonies?

Late summer through early fall is generally the best time to transplant herbaceous peonies. By this point, flowering is long finished and the plant is beginning to move toward dormancy. That means it can put its energy into establishing roots instead of producing flowers and lots of new top growth.

For many gardeners, that means sometime from late August through October. I moved mine in early September, which worked well because the plant was finished for the season but the ground was still warm enough for the roots to settle in before winter.

Choose the New Location Before You Dig

Before digging up your peony, decide exactly where it is going. Peonies do best in a location that receives at least six hours of sunlight each day. Although a little afternoon shade can be helpful in particularly hot climates. Look for an area with:

• Full sun or mostly full sun
• Well-draining soil
• Plenty of space for the mature plant
• Good air circulation
• No standing water after heavy rain

Give your peony approximately 3 feet of space from other large plants whenever possible. Peonies do not like soggy roots, so avoid low areas of the garden where water tends to collect.

Prepare the New Planting Hole First

Before removing the peony from the ground, prepare its new planting hole. Dig wider than you think you need to – approximately 18 to 24 inches wide and around 12 to 18 inches deep. Peonies develop surprisingly large root systems, and you want enough space to position the roots naturally rather than cramming them into a tight hole.

Loosen the soil along the bottom and sides. You can mix a little compost into the surrounding soil if your soil needs improving, but this is not the time to create an overly rich planting pocket or add lots of fertilizer. The goal is simply good garden soil with good drainage. Having the hole prepared beforehand also means the exposed peony roots spend less time sitting out of the ground.

How to Dig Up an Established Peony

Before digging, cut the peony stems back to approximately 4 to 6 inches above the ground. Then use a garden fork or sharp spade to begin digging around the plant. Start approximately 8 to 12 inches away from the base of the peony. Mature peonies can have surprisingly large root systems, so giving yourself extra space helps prevent accidentally cutting through too many roots.

Work your way completely around the plant, gradually digging deeper and loosening the root ball. Once the soil around the plant has loosened, carefully work your shovel or garden fork underneath the roots and lift the entire plant from the ground.

Try not to pull the plant out by its stems. Some roots will inevitably break during the process, particularly on an older peony. That is normal. The goal is simply to preserve as much of the root system as possible.

Gently Remove the Extra Soil

Once the peony is out of the ground, gently shake or brush away some of the loose soil so you can see the root system. You may also rinse the roots lightly with a garden hose if the soil is making it difficult to see the crown of the plant. This is especially helpful if you are planning to divide the peony.

When mine came out of the ground, it looked enormous. There were thick storage roots, fine feeder roots, old stems, soil packed into the crown and roots going in every direction. At first glance, it can be hard to imagine where you are supposed to cut anything.

Should You Wash the Dirt Off Peony Roots?

If you are simply moving the entire plant, you do not need to wash all of the soil off. But if you are planning to divide a mature peony, I found that gently rinsing the crown made the process much easier. Use a garden hose with a gentle stream. You are not pressure washing the roots; you simply want to remove enough loose soil so you can see the crown clearly. Once I rinsed mine, I could finally see the individual growing points. And that is when the whole project started making sense.

What Are Peony Eyes?

Peony eyes are the small buds that will produce next year’s stems. On my plant they were very easy to identify once the soil was washed away. They looked like small cream-colored and pale pink pointed buds clustered around the crown. They almost look like little pointed bulbs. This is one of the most important things to identify before dividing a peony because every healthy division should have several eyes attached.

The Tools I Used to Divide the Peony

You do not need a huge collection of gardening tools for this project. A few sturdy ones are enough. A sharp garden spade is usually the easiest tool for making the main division. A hori hori knife or heavy garden knife can help work through smaller sections, while a pruning saw can be useful if the crown is extremely dense or woody. Bypass pruners are helpful afterward for trimming damaged or ragged roots. And definitely wear gloves. Peony roots become surprisingly slippery once they have been rinsed.

How To Divide A Peony

Once I had washed the crown and could clearly see the eyes, I realized there was no reason to create lots of small divisions. Instead, I looked for the natural center of the crown and divided it roughly down the middle. This is an important distinction: you do not need to make a perfectly straight, ruler-like cut. Look at how the crown naturally separates into groups of stems and eyes.

How Many Eyes Should Each Division Have?

A traditional peony division usually has around three to five healthy eyes. Since I was dividing one very large plant into only two pieces, both of my divisions ended up considerably larger than that. That is perfectly fine. In fact, for someone doing this for the first time, I think creating two substantial divisions can feel much less intimidating than trying to make several small plants.

The most important thing is that each piece has:

• healthy eyes,

• a portion of the crown

• several good roots attached.

What Happens If Roots Break?

They probably will. My root system was large, tangled and dense, and several roots broke during the digging and dividing process. That does not mean you ruined the plant. Trim badly torn roots cleanly with sharp pruners if needed, but otherwise don’t overthink every broken piece. Peonies are tougher than their reputation sometimes suggests.

The Most Important Part: Don’t Plant Peonies Too Deep

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when transplanting a peony is planting it too deeply.

Those little buds or “eyes” near the top of the root system should sit only about 1 to 2 inches below the finished soil level in colder climates. If a peony is planted too deeply, it may continue producing foliage but fail to bloom. This is one of the first things I would check if you have an established peony that seems healthy but never produces flowers.

How to Replant Your Peony

Place the peony in the center of your prepared hole and spread the roots naturally. Position the plant so the eyes are facing upward. Check the depth carefully before filling the hole. Remember that the soil will settle slightly after watering, so resist the temptation to bury the crown too deeply.

Backfill the hole with your garden soil, gently firming it around the roots as you go.

Water the plant thoroughly once it has been replanted. This helps settle the soil around the roots and removes large air pockets. Avoid packing the soil down heavily with your feet.

Should You Fertilize a Peony After Transplanting?

I prefer to keep things simple when moving established plants. You do not need to add a large amount of fertilizer when transplanting a peony. The goal right now is to encourage the roots to settle into their new location—not to encourage lots of new growth. A small amount of compost worked into the surrounding soil is usually plenty. You can return to your normal peony care and fertilizing routine once the plant is established.

Watering a Newly Transplanted Peony

Keep an eye on the soil during the first several weeks after transplanting. Water deeply after planting and then water as needed if the weather is dry. You want the soil to remain lightly moist while the roots become established, but peonies should never sit in constantly wet or soggy soil.

Once established, peonies are fairly low-maintenance plants.

Does a Peony Have to Be Divided?

No. Unlike some perennials that need to be divided every few years to remain healthy, peonies can happily stay in the same location for decades. Only divide your peony if:

• The plant has become very large.
• You want to move part of it somewhere else.
• You would like additional peony plants.
• You want to share divisions with someone else

If your goal is simply relocating the plant, you can move the entire root system without dividing it.

What to Expect Next Spring

A transplanted or divided peony may not perform exactly like an established plant immediately.

You might see fewer flowers the first year. A small division may not flower at all. That is normal.

The plant is concentrating on rebuilding and expanding its root system. Look for reddish shoots emerging from the soil in spring. Those are your first signs that the transplant has successfully made it through winter.

How Long Until a Divided Peony Blooms?

Large divisions may bloom the following spring, although flowering can be reduced at first.

Smaller divisions may need two or even three growing seasons before producing their best display. That is one reason I like keeping expectations realistic. This is not instant gratification gardening. But peonies can live for decades, so waiting a year or two for a newly divided plant to settle in is a pretty good trade.

Quick Tips for Successfully Transplanting Peonies

If there are only a few things you remember when moving a peony, make them these:

• Move peonies in late summer or fall.

• Choose a sunny location with good drainage.

• Dig wide so you preserve as much of the root system as possible.

• Plant the eyes only about 1 to 2 inches below the soil surface.

• Give newly transplanted and divided peonies time to become established.

Final Thoughts

Moving an established peony feels like a much bigger garden project before you start than it actually is. Once the plant is out of the ground, the process is fairly straightforward—and seeing the root system also gives you the opportunity to divide one large peony into several plants.

As long as you give your peony plenty of sun, well-draining soil and, most importantly, keep those eyes close to the soil surface, it should settle into its new spot and continue growing for years.

And if you divide it while you’re moving it, one afternoon in the garden can turn a single peony into several plants that will eventually fill different areas of your garden with blooms.

That’s one of my favorite things about working with established perennials: sometimes rearranging the garden means you end up with even more of the plants you already love. That feels like a pretty good return for getting a little dirt under my nails.

Keep Growing Your Garden

If you are in the mood to keep working outside, you may also enjoy:

•  September Garden Checklist for the seasonal jobs worth tackling now  
•  Fall Outdoor Living & Entertaining ideas for making the most of the garden before colder weather arrives.
• How to Attract Butterflies to Your Garden with the best plants flowers and shrubs.

And if you are rearranging beds or tackling simple outdoor projects this fall, take a few photos as you go. Sometimes the projects that feel ordinary while you are doing them turn into the most helpful before-and-after stories later.