transplant peony

Fall is definitely the time to transplant peonies. Be sure to site the plant so that the eyes are at the same soil level they are now, that means digging the hole at the same level. Peony eyes should be 1" to no more than 2" below the soil. After transplanting, and watering, check to make sure that plant hasn't settled lower than you want. Apply a balanced fertilizer. And mulch after the ground freezes (just for this winter) to guard against the soil heaving with the freeze/thaw cycle. That way the plant shouldn't move. Pull back the mulch in the spring. You should expect the plants to establish themselves during the next year, then you may have a few blooms the following. Definitely worth waiting for.

Good luck,
Carole
Johnson County Extension Master Gardener

The priority would be saving them and that may mean having to wait to flower again.

The best time to move them is in the fall.

Moving them will set them back in flowering. Be sure to move them in some place they can "grow into" and not have to deal with some other plant encroaching on their space.

Dig deep a deep trench around them and then lift up that area (soil and all) and attempt to move that entire section. This will disturb them less and may help to flower a little sooner. That hunk of soil and roots could be quite heavy so get help. Place it on a tarp or something and drag it to the place you want to transplant.

SOMETIMES when I have done this I got flowers within the next year or two. I wouldn't count on it though. Again the priority I would think is to just save what were your grandmothers.

There are several good sites on the web that show how to transplant/divide them. Just google for them.