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Tree Peony

Rich BRich B Posts: 132
in Plants
Hi Experts
I have a 6 foot tall 5 foot wide Tree Peony that has to go in the next few days. My dad wants it but will we kill it by moving it now, it has already flowered with a poor showing compared to last year. Im doing the garden in a house I've been in for a year and i never liked the plant as i find a lot of fuss for 1 week of flowers.

Posts

  • Rich BRich B Posts: 132
    Anyone??
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Tree peonies usually throw up lots of small shoots some way from the main plant. I would dig up one or two of those after it has dropped its leaves, and expect that they will take if well watered in and looked after. If you dig up an established tree peony at this time of year, I would not expect it to survive.
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    I wouldn't advise moving something that size now - better to wait until later in the year and then prune to a manageable size before digging up.
    If you do have to do it now, it has 1 of 2 chances of establishing itself in your Dad's garden - plenty of watering and a well prepared site - good luck anyway :)
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I agree, wait until early autumn if you can.
    If you absolutely must move it now there's a strong chance that it won't make it, but I suggest you soak the ground thoroughly the day before, and prune the top growth back (maybe by half?) to that there's less for the roots to support, and have a good big hole ready for it to go into. Then take a really big ball of soil around the roots (this would be impossible on my sandy soil even if it's soaking wet but if yours is better you should be able to manage it), wrap the rootball in a big sheet of plastic or a tarp or similar, get it into its new home as quickly as possible and give it another really good soak to settle it in, then water as you would any newly-planted shrub at this time of year, i.e. a good soak a couple of times a week. If its new home isn't ready you could try planting it in a big tub but then it will have a second disturbance when it's planted, so more risk of losing it.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Rich BRich B Posts: 132
    Good advise, Thanks
    I think it may be time for it to visit the great compost heap in the sky
    As a Dahlia grower I never liked it anyway, it only flowers for a few days, then its just more greenery for the rest of the year. I think ill use the space better with Dahlias....
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