Of course, you can!
Like most gardeners, you have probably always restricted your planting to fall, but if you fail to get your peonies into the ground or if there is some variety you want “right now,” our advice is: Go ahead!
They can not only be planted when spring is in the air but they can be planted with full assurance that they will obtain the same end result as when fall-planted.
Why has this fact been kept from gardeners?
Actually, it hasn’t.
Though few—if any—circulars and catalogs sent out by commercial growers include any specific advice against spring planting, few recommend it—and for a good reason.
Cold Storage Facilities To Deliver High-Grade Dormant Roots
Many growers do not have cold storage facilities that would enable them to deliver high-grade dormant roots in profitable quantities in the spring.
It is possible to successfully dig, divide, and replant roots in early spring before growth has actually started, but there is very little time between dormancy and spring growth.
So that under the ideal conditions, few roots could be sold by a grower attempting this system.
Most growers are, therefore, not concerned with spring shipment.
Peony growers who are also in the commercial cut-flower trade have ideal storage facilities to carry over dormant roots and should be able to deliver excellent stock in the spring of the year.
Successful Spring-Planted Peonies
I, for one, did not accept the professed successes of spring-planted peonies without testing them for myself.
I took a root of a given variety from storage and planted it in the spring.
During the following fall, I selected a root of the same variety with a comparable root system and of the same size and planted it next to the first so the soil conditions would be the same.
After the latter had been in the soil for 2 years, both were dug and examined.
The spring-planted division had a more advanced root development.
Then, I reversed the procedure, planting a root in the fall, followed by a spring-planted root of the same variety from storage.
After both had two seasons of growth, the fall-planted one showed the better root growth, although both had the same number of growing seasons.
In both experiments, the peony that was planted earliest did the best.
Since seeing is believing, I can sincerely recommend that gardeners try their hand this spring at planting peonies—if they follow the advice given below.
Pointers For Planting Peonies In Spring
1. DO get your roots from a well-known grower.
2. DO buy roots from growers who assure you that the roots were dug in the fall and carried over in cold storage.
3. DO give careful attention to watering plants set out in the spring.